The SOCIO-BEE project dives into the heart of urban environmental challenges, focusing on the pervasive issue of air pollution in Europe's bustling cities. It sheds light on the significant impact of everyday energy use and transportation habits on the environment, insights further highlighted by the dramatic changes seen during the COVID-19 lockdowns. At its core, SOCIO-BEE champions the idea of community-driven change, leveraging the collective power of citizens through innovative technology and engaging activities to foster a deeper understanding of climate issues. The ultimate goal is to spark a widespread shift in behaviour, encouraging city residents to align their actions with broader environmental initiatives and policies, thereby contributing to the creation of healthier, more sustainable urban spaces.
Description of success
The SOCIO-BEE project's first pilot round, conducted in spring-summer 2023 across Zaragoza, Ancona, and Maroussi marked a significant milestone. Engaging 543 users through the SOCIO-BEE AcadeMe portal, the initiative successfully increased awareness of air pollution issues among citizens, with 75% of participants reporting greater awareness post-engagement. The pilot also demonstrated high acceptance for using technology in environmental education, with an average rate of above 80%, showcasing the project's effectiveness in engaging the community. These initial successes provide a solid foundation for future pilots, offering valuable insights and actionable designs for enhancing citizen engagement and environmental stewardship in urban settings.
Highlights
- SOCIO-BEE's first pilot round successfully involved 543 users, significantly raising awareness of air pollution and its impact among citizens across three cities.
- The project achieved a notable technology acceptance rate of over 80%, indicating strong user engagement with the SOCIO-BEE tools and methodologies.
- The pilot provided key insights into user behaviour, with 75% of participants reporting increased awareness of air pollution issues, laying the groundwork for future actions and interventions.
Outputs
By experimenting in the pilots, the user requirements for future pilot activities were updated and the engagement strategy was fine-tuned. Lessons learnt from the pilots have been transposed into recommendations for the next run of activities.
Impact
The SOCIO-BEE project has made a substantial impact by establishing a solid foundation for an enhanced technological platform aimed at environmental advocacy and community engagement. Through the successful execution of its first pilot round, SOCIO-BEE increased awareness about air pollution among participants and also achieved a high rate of technology acceptance, indicating a strong foundation for future behavioural change towards environmental sustainability.
Lessons
Several achievements and hurdles were identified in the pilot. These will be used to improve future sessions and to maximise their achievements. For example, there will be more focus on supportive materials, which can be combined with data visualisation to ensure participants have full understanding of the activities. The user experience of mobile and web apps that were used in pilots will also be improved to enhance their usability and therefore improve the data collected by citizen scientists.
Other information
The second round of pilots are being conducted throughout January to June 2024.
