Citizen scientists hope to spark policy change, EU service finds

Joint Research Centre report says lack of political response can undermine trust

Citizen scientists—members of the public who help to carry out research—volunteer because they hope their work will bring about policy changes, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre evidence service has reported, based on five years of analysing and supporting citizen science initiatives.

“People who engage with citizen science practices wish to trigger a response from decision makers or politicians,” wrote the authors of the report published in December. “The gathering of data per se is of minor relevance compared to the desire to see an action from the competent authorities caused by their participation”, they said.