New Factsheet on Citizen Science in ENFORCE

ENFORCE has published a new factsheet exploring the role of Citizen Science in supporting environmental compliance across the European Union.

Citizen science involves the active participation of non-professional scientists in research and knowledge production. In the context of environmental compliance, it is increasingly recognised by the European Commission as a valuable way to strengthen monitoring, transparency, and public engagement—especially in cases where authorities face resource or jurisdictional limitations.

The factsheet highlights how citizen science aligns with the European Commission’s Action Plan on Environmental Compliance and Governance, which is built around three pillars: promotion, monitoring, and enforcement. By improving access to environmental information and involving citizens directly, citizen science can help address data gaps and support more inclusive and participatory environmental governance.

While not yet fully integrated into formal monitoring systems, citizen science is gaining attention as a cost-effective and empowering approach to expand environmental data coverage and strengthen compliance efforts across the EU.