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

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Participants

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Teams

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Mentors

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Judges

Challenge and goals

Participants were encouraged to propose a project focused on the creation and development of non-governmental environmental organizations that would collect environmental information provided by citizens—direct participants of events. These organizations aimed to streamline the collected information and form statistical data based on it. Participants were tasked with envisioning themselves as representatives of such organizations and identifying mechanisms for their activities. This included methods for collecting and analyzing information, determining cause-and-effect relationships of certain events, and proposing legislative solutions to address problems arising during the war.

The task also included finding ways to involve as many people as possible in data collection and expanding the range of environmental issues raised by the public. Participants were prompted to think about organizing public hearings, conducting online surveys, and utilizing other modern methods of data collection and public involvement in decision-making processes.

Additionally, participants were encouraged to draft legislative proposals aimed at improving the environmental situation after the war and preventing violations of citizens' environmental rights.

Finally, they were expected to explore how digital tools could aid data collection and analysis, as well as identify online instruments that could enhance public involvement in decision-making. The project considerations included perspectives for advancing digital education in the application of citizen-generated data.

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.