The UA Academic Community on the Legal Dimensions of Citizen-Generated Data
The UA Academic Community on the Legal Dimensions of Citizen-Generated Data
ONU
Since 2009, there has been renewed international interest in efforts to enhance the weak legal framework intended to protect the environment in relation to armed conflicts (PERAC). The topic is currently under consideration by the UN’s International Law Commission, it is being addressed by the International Committee of the Red Cross, and has also been the feature of resolutions at the UN Environment Assembly. See more details here https://ceobs.org/topics/law-a…
Russia’s war against Ukraine is making this topic of great concern. The question is how the national and international legal framework should be developed in order to ensure proper data collection in Ukraine, Ukraine’s rebuilding, and Russia’s liability.

Facts
Participants
Teams
Mentors
Judges

Olena Tolkachenko
Candidate of juridical sciences, associate professor

Nataliia Bulat
PhD in judicial sciences, associate professor

Anna Berti Suman
Research fellow in Sustainable Innovation Law at Luiss Law School; Founder of the 'Sensing for Justice' project

Anna Shotova
Candidate of philological science, associate professor

Sofiya Shutiak
Deputy Chairman of the UNBA Committee on Land, Agrarian and Environmental Rights – National Bar Association of Ukraine

Legal Challenge Advisor
Mentors & Judges
Testimonials
Mariia Kuznetsova
University Student
All members of my team were responsible individuals who quickly and efficiently organized the process. This allowed us to analyze the topic, distribute tasks, and prepare our presentation without any issues. Personally, I discovered my ability to rapidly find, analyze, and process information effectively.
The main obstacles to implementing environmental citizen science in Ukraine include physical damage to infrastructure due to war, the loss of skilled specialists in ecology and IT, and the lack of public awareness about citizen science. For example, a 2024 survey from the ‘Science in Danger’ project showed that half of respondents were unfamiliar with the concept of citizen science.
The Challenge helped address these barriers by showcasing interesting presentations and various ideas proposed by participants to overcome the challenges facing citizen science initiatives in Ukraine


Samotey Oleksandr
University Student
Participation in the Challenge taught me how to work effectively in a team and gain insights into citizen science. However, one of the key obstacles to implementing environmental citizen science in Ukraine is the low level of public interest in environmental issues.
Sofia Piatkovska
University Student
Participation in the Challenge taught me the value of combining different perspectives to create a unified project. Hearing the diverse visions of other participants and shaping them into one joint initiative was an enriching experience.
The main obstacles include public ignorance—people are aware of environmental problems but are not ready to take responsibility—and insufficient funding, as addressing these issues requires financial resources that few are willing to invest without immediate profit.
The Challenge was instrumental in helping to identify solutions to these barriers and advance the field of citizen science in Ukraine.
