Our primary objective was to empower students and educators to actively contribute to climate change preparedness and mitigation by leveraging digital tools such as Earth Observation (EO) and Geoinformatics, as well as through crowdsourced data collection. Specifically, we aimed to create student communities focused on gathering and utilizing crowdsourced data with the use of EO and Geoinformatics techniques. This would foster hands-on learning and collaboration and would enhance the scientific skills of the students. Additionally, the students with the support of their educators are empowered to address local and global climate challenges. Another objective was the development and dissemination of a practical guide for educators and students, which would enable them to establish similar initiatives in their own communities.
We applied for this project to address the need for increasing youth and community awareness of climate change mitigation through participatory science. The project addressed the need for enhancing students’ digital skills and raising awareness for interdisciplinary education such as EO and Geoinformatics. These fields span a wide range of applications, offering critical tools and technologies that enable better understanding, monitoring, and management of environmental issues like climate change. To address the abovementioned needs, the project sought to create student communities for the collection and the use of crowdsourced data. These student communities were formed through collaboration between schools in Cyprus and Greece, as well as research institutions and local communities, creating a network of engaged, scientifically literate young citizens. This collaboration is aligned with broader educational goals of increasing scientific literacy and environmental responsibility, empowering youth to contribute to climate action efforts and better understand the role of science in mitigating climate change.