Decolonizing digital citizen science: Applying the Bridge Framework for climate change preparedness and adaptation

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Introduction

Citizen science plays a crucial role in accelerating climate action and protecting communities and natural habitats. It not only leverages big data to inform rapid responses but also fosters collaboration between decision-makers and civil society to co-create solutions. Digital citizen science, an emerging field, uses tools like smartphones to capture data and engage citizens in real time. These digital tools have immense potential to advance research, enabling rapid-response interventions and near-instant knowledge sharing.

Despite global efforts to combat climate change, the communities most affected are often underrepresented in these critical conversations – and hence their voices and knowledge need to be amplified. Integrating Traditional Knowledge with Western research methods, such as citizen science, can provide innovative and timely solutions to mitigate climate and health-related challenges. Decolonizing digital citizen science has significant potential to improve research on climate change preparedness and adaptation.

This paper presents a framework for decolonizing digital citizen science for climate change preparedness and adaptation. By applying three core theoretical approaches—decolonizing research methods, citizen science, and Two-Eyed Seeing—the ‘Bridge Framework’ supports more inclusive citizen science projects. A case study of a subarctic Métis community in Canada illustrates this approach in practice.

Theoretical approaches

Three key theoretical approaches informed the framework for decolonizing digital citizen science:

• Decolonizing research: Decolonizing research de-centres the focus from the aims of non-Indigenous re- searchers to the needs of Indigenous Peoples. It requires an active stance—it is an iterative process whereby each aspect of research and engagement is unpacked to understand the potential colonial underpinnings, and reassessed with a decolonized lens.
• Citizen science: Citizen science refers to public participation in data collection and knowledge dissemi- nation for research. This approach enables citizens to contribute or collaborate on all aspects of the research process and promotes open participation which enables citizens to be active collaborators on research projects. With the expansion of smartphone ownership. Citizens can report on and respond to the effects of climate change in real time with the help of digital tools. A current deficit of this approach, however, has been the lack of representation of Indigenous, racialized and low-income groups.
• Two-eyed seeing: Two-Eyed Seeing is a term coined by M’ikmaw Elder, Albert Marshall, which refers to learning to see from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous Knowledges, and the other eye with the strengths of Western knowledges. A Two-Eyed Seeing approach, when combined with decolonizing citizen science, can promote self-governance by allowing researchers and communities to find local solutions to global problems. For example, the the Food Equity and Environmental Data Sovereignty (FEEDS) Project aims to develop a digital platform for real-time decision-making to mitigate adverse climate change-related impacts on human health in the communities most affected. This project highlights Traditional Indigenous Knowledge about the environment and food systems, Indigenous research methods, and Western digital citizen science methods to promote culturally relevant approaches for climate change preparedness and adaptation.

A framework for decolonizing digital citizen science

The figure below describes a framework for decolonizing citizen science whereby a self-decolonizing journey, community engagement and capacity building integrated knowledge translation, and co-creating solutions with communities are key pillars that can lead to Indigenous self-governance—a process that has particular benefits for climate change preparedness and adaptation. The ultimate goal of engaging in decolonizing citizen science is to facilitate healing, self-determination, and self-governance. Please download the original article from the right hand column for more information about each of the framework’s components.

The Bridge Framework is enabled by Two-Eyed Seeing, which is symbolized by a circle that encompasses the bridge that facilitates the change from status quo in community-based research to Indigenous self-governance—a pathway that is particularly important in leveraging the strengths of both Indigenous and Western Ways of Knowing in addressing a specific problem such as climate change. From a digital citizen science perspective, self-governance cannot be feasible without data sovereignty as big data generated by citizens playing a central role in informing decision-making. Thus, the framework ultimately leads to both self-governance and data sovereignty.

Decolonizing digital citizen science is an essential step in achieving the goals of the IPCC and the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference. The Bridge Framework is currently being used to implement climate change preparedness and adaptation strategies in partnership with Indigenous communities.

A Bridge Framework Project—Food Equity and Environmental Data Sovereignty (FEEDS)

Guided by the decolonizing citizen science Bridge Framework, the FEEDS Project was conceptualized in collaboration with the Métis jurisdiction of Île-à-la-Crosse, Saskatchewan, Canada. The Northern Village of Île-à-la-Crosse, also referred to as Sakitawak—the Cree name translating to “the place where the river flows out”—is a subarctic community with road access in northwest Saskatchewan. It is the second-oldest community in Saskatchewan, established in 1778, with a population of 1300. The community is predominantly Métis (77%), and Northern Michif is the traditional language. In Île-à- la-Crosse, commercial fishing, forestry, wild rice harvesting, schools, and the hospital are key sources of employment. With respect to digital access and connectivity, the majority of citizens aged 13 years and older own smartphones and have mobile or WiFi data plans.

FEEDS is a sustainable digital platform that enables early detection and warning of climate change impacts on food sovereignty, food security, and solastalgia Ultimately, the digital platform will provide access to real-time data to facilitate timely decision- making and knowledge dissemination for climate change preparedness and mitigation in the community.

Applying Citizen Science to the FEEDS Project: FEEDS incorporates the Smart Framework’s principles of integrating citizen science, community-based participatory research, and systems science for population health research. It uses a custom-built app to engage and enable citizens to report on environmental hazards, changes in biodiversity or wildlife, and related food and mental health issues in their communities. Big data is relayed in real time to a digital dashboard, where citizens and decision-makers have access to valuable information which can be used to mitigate health-related risks of climate change.

Decolonizing Citizen Science for the FEEDS Project: All lead researchers have a strong history of working with Indigenous communities and applying a decolonizing lens to their research approaches. The lead researchers have facilitated consistent engagement between the researcher team and community to ensure that the whole team (researchers, decision-makers, Elders) work together in applying a Two-Eyed Seeing approach for addressing community health issues.

Community Engagement and Capacity Building: Understanding the distinct community of Île-à-la-Crosse started with building a relationship with several community members and leaders more than a year before the project was conceptualized. This community engagement was informed by the 4Rs and OCAP, where based on guidance from community leaders, community members were approached with respect and ceremony (i.e., gifting of tobacco). Common values and goals were discussed as part of building a relationship based on reciprocity, reconciliation, and relevant project planning. FEEDS was then established, and in order to facilitate focused discussions about these topics, a Citizen Scientist Advisory Council was created comprising Elders, Traditional Knowledge Keepers, key community decision-makers, youth, and FEEDS researchers. The Council governs the FEEDS Project, and importantly, represents community members’ interests to guide the governance of project development, implementation, and evaluation. All Council members are provided with CAD 150 as honoraria for each meeting to respect their time and guidance. The emphasis of these engagements is on listening to community needs and develop- ing a long-term relationship that would not only ensure cultural safety, but also facilitate community capacity building. The Citizen Scientist Advisory Council is leading capacity- building efforts to ensure long-term project sustainability.

Integrated Knowledge Translation and Co-Creating Solutions: It is a common misconception that knowledge translation happens after the project starts. Using the Bridge Framework, we ensured that knowledge transfer between In- digenous Knowledge Keepers, Elders, decision-makers, and researchers happened during the community engagement, which eventually led to the conceptualization of FEEDS, i.e., integrated knowledge translation and co-creation of solutions. Citizen scientists in the community co-create the project objectives, and these objectives evolve as community needs may change. Citizens are stewards of their own data and can engage with researchers and decision-makers in real time to shape solutions for the community. For example, citizens can anonymously engage with researchers or decision-makers in the smartphone app via a user-triggered messaging system.

Discussion

Two-Eyed seeing as an underlying approach to decolonizing research

The application of a Two-Eyed Seeing approach is critical to decolonizing digital citizen science. This approach requires working closely with Indigenous communities to ensure alignment of research and community priorities, and culturally appropriate knowledge dissemination. In the FEEDS Project, Traditional Knowledge about the history of climate and weather events, environmental hazards, and shifts in the land, wildlife, and plants serve as indicators of climate change. Geographic isolation poses a barrier to timely data collection and knowledge sharing in many communities, and digital tools—especially those most widely available, i.e., smartphones—can help with rapid data collection and response. Île-à-la-Crosse is better situated than many Indigenous communities in terms of data and WiFi access, which makes the application of this technology more feasible than it may be in other communities.

It is also important to recognize that the Two-Eyed Seeing approach is not essential to the success of a community project, as an Indigenous-focused lens brings sufficient breadth and depth of knowledge to tackle the complex social and health issues facing Indigenous communities globally. However, where appropriate, Two-Eyed Seeing can be applied to projects where the use of multiple research methods is beneficial.

The potential of digital citizen science for Indigenous self-governance and data sovereignty

Citizen science projects have typically taken an individualistic approach, whereby citizens gather and share data on their perspectives and observations about a specific area. If we are to bring a decolonized and Indigenous-focused lens to citizen science, the focus must be on the community. Community-oriented data collection, analysis, and knowledge sharing will shift the application of research findings and promote greater participation from marginalized groups. Community-based digital citizen science can give communities ownership of their own data so that they have the power to act on this information in the best interests of their community members.

In addition to data ownership in research, data sovereignty has become a topic of increasing concern as our numerous digital devices collect data from our social media plat- forms and applications. Given that citizen science is typically voluntary, there are often unclear parameters around data ownership, privacy, and security. A decolonized approach to digital citizen science requires dedicated conversations around data sovereignty, including the development of digital platforms that incorporate nuanced access to citizen and community data.

The role of digital tools in climate change adaptation and preparedness

Digital devices, such as smartphones, can enhance citizens’ access to specific resources or projects to connect with others about issues in their communities. These devices can serve as tools of equity, whereby all citizens with either a smartphone or digital connectivity can access essential information or engage on issues of interest. In the FEEDS Project, a custom-built smartphone app is being designed to capture information on specific priority areas, barriers, and opportunities for climate change preparedness and adaptation. In addition to amplifying citizen voices, digital data collection generates big data which can lead to collaborations across disciplines (i.e., environment, health, social justice) that are necessary for work on climate change adaptation and preparedness. This cross-disciplinary collaboration with communities can lead to rapid-response interventions and the design of long-term strategies for climate change preparedness and adaptation.

Challenges and opportunities in decolonizing citizen science research

Structured sampling strategies are not always possible in citizen science projects. Whether the project is community-based or focused on climate change impacts on health, randomized sampling strategies, for instance, may not be ethical or even logistically feasible. In the FEEDS Project, key decision-makers and Knowledge Keepers in the community were first approached to identify appropriate modes of recruit- ment.

Data quality is a challenge for digital citizen science projects as data collection may be less structured (i.e., user-triggered) for some components, and data analysis may need to be more flexible given intermittent data flow. A key consideration for projects focused on urgent, time-sensitive crises like climate change is that the focus cannot and should not be solely on research as a process. If the purpose of conducting this research is to aid in climate change preparedness and adaptation strategies, breaking conventional research protocols is often necessary to address issues in real time, or translate knowledge sooner than an anticipated wave of data collection is completed. Data ownership is an important component of digital citizen science projects, as it relates to citizen and community data sovereignty.

Of utmost importance for all digital data-based projects is data security and privacy. In order to protect citizens’ identity and information, anonymizing data is an essential first step. Some projects, including FEEDS, rely on citizens identifying themselves to receive help; however, this must be made optional so that citizens have control over their information.

Research has identified lower participation of marginalized and lower socioeconomic status groups in citizen science projects. Promoting inclusivity and collaboration in this research relies heavily on processes like decolonizing and community-based partnerships, especially if we are to work together as a global society for climate change preparedness, adaptation, and mitigation.

Suggested citation

Bhawra, J. (2022) Decolonizing Digital Citizen Science: Applying the Bridge Framework for Climate Change Preparedness and Adaptation. Societies, 12, 71. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/soc12020071