About the project
TransformAr creates products and services that introduce transformational adaptation (TA), to reduce the water- and climate-related impacts of climate change on people, the economy and the planet. The project is working in six demonstrator regions to test solutions that contribute to EU’s strategy on climate change adaptation. In particular, TransformAr focuses on testing innovative solutions to improve emergency response, enhance municipal workflows, and raise awareness among citizens and city employees about local climate impacts. The project emphasises community engagement and data-driven decision-making to better protect people and property during flooding events.
Description of success
The TransformAr project is tackling the challenges of increased urban flooding and waterway overflow in Gjøvik, Norway, brought on by climate change. A key achievement was the launch of a citizen app for real-time flood observation and reporting. This app allows residents to submit observations, including photos and locations, which are shared directly with municipal employees so they can better understand the situation as it is taking place.
Figure 1: Gjøvik, Norway (photo courtesy of Gjøvik Municipality)
The app integrates citizen data with sensor readings and other city inputs that monitor flooding, enabling a comprehensive view of flooding conditions in real-time. It also facilitates two-way communication, allowing the municipality to communicate directly with app users and share updates about flooding incidents and countermeasures. This innovative tool has improved emergency response prioritisation, reduced damage risks, and strengthened community participation in climate adaptation efforts.
Figure 2: Interface of the application
Within two months of its introduction and advertising over local media, the app gained significant traction, with over 500 uses and 100 citizen-submitted reports.
Highlights
Launched a citizen app for crowd-sourced flood observations, gathering 500 uses and 100 reports within two months.
Enabled real-time integration of citizen data with municipal monitoring systems, enhancing awareness of unfolding flooding incidents and response coordination, therefore minimising damage to people and property.
Established two-way communication between residents and the municipality to share updates on flooding incidents and countermeasures.
Created a replicable solution for other cities facing similar climate-driven incidents and natural disasters.
Outputs
Developed and published an operation application that has already garnered useful citizen data.
A replication guide has been authored and will be published on the TransformAr website in 2025, to aid other authorities in implementing similar impact reporting applications.
Impact
The citizen app introduced through the TransformAr project has significantly enhanced Gjøvik's ability to manage flooding events. Emergency and infrastructure services now benefit from real-time, crowd-sourced data, improving their situational awareness and response strategies. This proactive approach has reduced potential damage to property and ensured greater public safety during flooding incidents. Additionally, the app has strengthened communication between the municipality and its citizens, creating a shared sense of responsibility for climate adaptation. By empowering citizens to contribute to monitoring efforts, the project has also raised public awareness about the local impacts of climate change and the importance of collective action in addressing its challenges.
Lessons
Using existing technology in new ways is often more effective than developing new solutions from scratch.
Citizens use the platform to report problems other than flooding, such as road maintenance, littering and various other municipal issues. Instead of dismissing this, the citizen app could be adapted and used for a wider range of purposes.
