Identifying, developing and embedding citizen science techniques in action research to evaluate locally led solutions for water quality monitoring

识别、开发公民科学技术并将其嵌入行动研究中，以评估当地主导的水质监测解决方案

• 批准号: BB/T018755/1
• 负责人: Jonathan Pearson
• 金额: $ 2.56万
• 依托单位: University of Warwick
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2020 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FT018755%2F1
• 关键词: Identifying; developing; embedding; citizen; science

Our NERC PATHWAYs project (NE/R003645/1) is part of a 3-year collaboration between the Department of Sciences and Technology (India) and the Natural Environmental Research Council (UK). The aim is to develop mathematical modelling to describe how pollution moves within a range of water environments (i.e. river, coastal, wetland) to inform appropriate waste management strategies. Current systems used by India's water authorities are based on outdated tools that do not adequately account for the quantity and dynamic behaviour of contaminants within these flow domains. This, coupled with increasing urbanisation is exerting immense pressure on city water utilities. As such, there is an urgency to acquire the necessary knowledge to better manage water quality with positive outcomes on water security for the Indian population and enhancement of the natural environment. For a sustainable solution the strategies proposed must centre on local perspectives - facilitating local community uptake of actions driven by research results, wherein their values and priorities are embedded. Ultimately, this will both educate and empower local communities to take ownership of their environment. This aligns directly with the Indian National Framework Bill which acknowledges that there is an urgency to acquire such knowledge to meet ecological objectives. As such, it is vital that our research ensures emphasis is placed on not only the role of academic and scientific research but the networks to support the interface between research results and policy uptake/application. India and the UK are priority countries for each other with a synergy between future water quality legislation and shared global sustainable development goals. As part of PATHWAYs we have developed strong in-country connections with several Indian stakeholders (Thane Pollution Control Board; Enviro-con Urban Hydro Environment Centre; Versova Beach Clean Up - Afroz Shah). More recently our community connections have expanded to include NGO Earth5R - one of the largest citizen-led environmental movements, founded by Saurabh Gupta. Earth5R is based in and works with a number of local communities living in the same region as our PATHWAYs river catchment; providing an existing channel for community participation. Earth5R has expressed a need to acquire scientific knowledge to develop the community's ability to use scientific approaches to generate the evidence base required to support change in water quality management. Thames 21 are an environmental NGO operating in London, delivering environmental pollution management with communities and municipal stakeholders. This organisation is committed to supporting multidisciplinary approaches to catchment management and has expertise in community engagement and recruitment, nature-based pollution solutions and innovation knowledge transfer. We will work closely with Thames21 to help us guide the development of citizen science approaches that can be integrated into Earth5R's Mumbai based communities. The ultimate aim is to use citizen science to build capability into our India based communities that will simultaneously inform our PATHWAYs research as to the sources of pollution from a local perspective, thus target solutions, whilst simultaneously supporting the ongoing work led by Thames 21 and Earth5R.These approaches include: -Outfall safari's using community groups to identify pollution outfalls and score them based on their visible impact on the river environment. -Innovative technology (i.e., INTCATCH boats; autonomous boats fitted with state-of-the-art water quality monitoring technologies) to engage communities in water quality. -Story maps to synthesis scientific knowledge and community perspectives into an easily understandable framework. -Visual science: using florescent harmless tracers to trace pollution in natural flows within managed river catchments to test community hypotheses on drainage connections.

我们的NERC路径项目（NE/R 003645/1）是科学技术部（印度）和自然环境研究理事会（英国）之间为期3年的合作的一部分。目的是建立数学模型，描述污染如何在一系列水环境（即河流、沿海、湿地）中移动，以便为适当的废物管理战略提供信息。印度水务当局目前使用的系统是基于过时的工具，不能充分考虑这些流动领域内污染物的数量和动态行为。这一点，再加上日益增长的城市化，对城市供水设施施加了巨大的压力。因此，迫切需要获得必要的知识，以更好地管理水质，为印度人口的水安全和自然环境的改善带来积极的成果。为了实现可持续的解决方案，拟议的战略必须以地方观点为中心-促进地方社区采取由研究成果驱动的行动，其中体现了它们的价值观和优先事项。最终，这将教育和增强当地社区的能力，使他们能够拥有自己的环境。这与印度国家框架法案直接一致，该法案承认迫切需要获得此类知识以实现生态目标。因此，至关重要的是，我们的研究确保重点不仅放在学术和科学研究的作用，但网络，以支持研究成果和政策的吸收/应用之间的接口。印度和英国是彼此的优先国家，未来的水质立法和共同的全球可持续发展目标之间具有协同作用。作为路径的一部分，我们已经与几个印度利益相关者建立了强大的国内联系（Thane污染控制委员会; Enviro-con城市水电环境中心; Versova海滩清理- Afroz Shah）。最近，我们的社区联系已经扩大到包括非政府组织Earth 5 R-由Saurabh Gupta创立的最大的公民领导的环境运动之一。地球5 R是基于和工作与一些当地社区生活在同一地区作为我们的路径的河流流域;提供一个现有的渠道，社区参与。地球5 R表示需要获得科学知识，以发展社区使用科学方法的能力，以产生支持水质管理变化所需的证据基础。泰晤士21是一个在伦敦运作的环境非政府组织，与社区和市政利益相关者一起提供环境污染管理。该组织致力于支持流域管理的多学科方法，并在社区参与和招聘，基于自然的污染解决方案和创新知识转移方面拥有专业知识。我们将与Thames 21密切合作，帮助我们指导公民科学方法的发展，这些方法可以融入Earth 5 R的孟买社区。最终目标是利用公民科学为我们的印度社区建立能力，同时从当地的角度为我们的PATHWAY研究提供关于污染源的信息，从而找到解决方案，同时支持由泰晤士21和地球5 R领导的正在进行的工作。- 排污口野生动物园利用社区团体来识别污染排污口，并根据它们对河流环境的可见影响对其进行评分。- 创新技术（即，INTCATCH船;配备最先进的水质监测技术的自主船），以使社区参与水质。- 故事地图，将科学知识和社区观点整合到一个易于理解的框架中。- 视觉科学：使用浮游生物无害示踪剂追踪受管理的河流集水区内自然水流中的污染，以检验社区关于排水连接的假设。