Descrizione del progetto
Definire le rilevazioni dei cittadini come fonte di prova nelle controversie
Nel 2019, un gruppo civico che ha implicato osservazioni svolte da volontari nel corso degli anni ha portato dinanzi alla Corte del Texas un caso di violazione delle acque pulite, basato in parte su prove rilevate dai cittadini. Le prove di questo monitoraggio ambientale dovuto ad azioni di natura spontanea ha contribuito a un verdetto per violazione del Clean Water Act a carico di un’azienda petrolchimica. Si tratta di un esempio di scienza dei cittadini e, in particolare, di «rilevamento dei cittadini». Il progetto SensJus, finanziato dall’UE, esaminerà il ruolo potenziale della scienza dei cittadini su controversie e mediazioni nell’UE. L’obiettivo principale è colmare un divario di conoscenze circa il riconoscimento delle rilevazioni svolte dai cittadini come fonte di prova nelle controversie in materia di illeciti ambientali. La ricerca sarà ospitata dal Centro comune di ricerca della Commissione europea.
Obiettivo
On June 27, 2019, a landmark court decision was released in Texas, in which a judge found the petrochemical company Formosa Plastics Corporation, liable for violating the Clean Water Act because of plastic discharge into local waters. The case was brought by a civic group based in part on citizen sensed-evidence which involved volunteer observations performed over years. This practice entailing grassroots-driven environmental monitoring could be qualified as ‘Citizen Science’ and, more specifically, ‘Citizen Sensing’. The contamination could not be proved through existing data held by competent authorities since the company never filed any record of pollution with the competent authority. Rather, the monitoring and data collection was almost entirely conducted by local residents.
Cases such as the Formosa litigation are expected to increase drastically. They pose urgent research questions. Above all, the case motivates an investigation of the potential of introducing Citizen Sensing as a source of evidence in litigation over environmental wrongdoings. Furthermore, Citizen Sensing may also play a role in avoiding the court stage, as a tool to mediate the environmental conflict and to steer the responsible company to adopt an environmentally-compliant behaviour.
Related research is still in its infancy. The few championing actors in the debate are located in the U.S. not flanked by a parallel inquiry from the European perspective. The key objective of the Sensing for Justice project is to fill this knowledge gap in order to avoid a possible scientific and legislative vacuum, and provide newly required research capacity in the EU. The research will be hosted by the European Commission Joint Research Centre, currently leading actor in the research on Citizen Science for environmental monitoring and reporting, which will allow me to play a crucial role in the enactment of measures to release Citizen Science for litigation and mediation’s potential across the EU.
Campo scientifico
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinatore
1049 Bruxelles / Brussel
Belgio