Global Citizen Science Programs and Their Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to review how citizen science programs can contribute to each SDG, supported also by successful cases. Prerequisites have been the inclusion of at least one case from all five global areas and the field of interest is well spread through various study areas while the cases are only RFO or RPO projects. The design and implementation of this research is structured as follows. Each SDG is analyzed in a separate chapter. To begin with, the main goals of the relevant SDG are mentioned. The chapter continues with the relevance of citizen science projects to the respective goal. Ultimately, an example on how a citizen science project can make the goal effective is chosen. The case studies are selected based on their location, the timeframe of the project, and are structured beginning with the people or institutions involved, continuing with the project description and concluding with the project's contribution to the relevant SDG. The chapter then proceeds to a comparative case study analysis, with results and discussion in order to extract conclusions.