Location
Barcelona, Spain. 

Local Context 

Barcelona’s urban coastline, part of the Mediterranean region of the Iberian Peninsula, spans 42 beaches along 30 km, with 15 km directly managed by the Barcelona City Council (BCN). This highly urbanized coastal zone is heavily influenced by tourism, transport, and urban infrastructure, including the Port of Barcelona and marinas. Despite this anthropogenic pressure, renaturalization efforts have enhanced underwater ecosystems, and biodiversity mapping has been advanced through citizen science initiatives like MINKA. However, challenges such as marine litter, noise pollution, and water quality degradation persist, compounded by limited integration of citizen-generated data into official monitoring frameworks. 

Planned Actions 

The case study will leverage participatory monitoring programs, utilizing MINKA as a key citizen science observatory, to collect and validate environmental data. Collaborating with BCN authorities (BCASA), researchers, and community groups, the initiative will pilot mechanisms for integrating citizen science data into compliance reporting frameworks, particularly the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and Water Framework Directive (WFD). Efforts will also focus on establishing dialogues with public administrations to formalize these contributions and developing guidelines for data validation and maturity assessment. Campaigns will mobilize citizen scientists to enhance coastal environmental monitoring. 

Expected Impacts 

This initiative is expected to bridge the gap between citizen science and formal environmental monitoring, demonstrating the potential of participatory approaches to improve compliance with EU directives. Enhanced collaboration between citizens, researchers, and local authorities will provide higher-resolution data on marine pollution and biodiversity, supporting targeted actions for coastal ecosystem restoration. By integrating citizen science data into official reporting processes, this case study will offer a replicable model for addressing similar challenges across Mediterranean urban coastlines, contributing to sustainable urban development and greater public engagement in environmental stewardship. 

Partners Involved 

• CSIC 

• BCASA 

• ECSA