Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: A Case Study of Three Environmental Submissions

Authors

  • Gorazd-M Fortuna Centre for Open Research Practice, Trnovo Institute for Future Science, Idrija, Slovenia Author
  • Christian-U Buhlmann Centre for Science Policy, Muota Institute for Future Science, Schwyz, Switzerland Author
  • Frantiska-M Effenbergerova Department of Standards, Trebicsko Institute for Future Science, Trebic, Czech Republic Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22676384

Keywords:

Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions; Future science and technology; Evidence synthesis; Reproducibility; Research methodology

Abstract

There is real interest in citizen science data in regulatory decisions right now, and real uncertainty about exactly where it delivers
the most value. We pull together the current evidence for citizen science data in regulatory decisions, covering the methodological,
practical, regulatory and cost angles, with an eye on where practice has genuinely settled and where researchers and reviewers
are still largely working it out for themselves. Selective, context-specific pursuit looks better supported by the evidence gathered
here than either broad rollout or blanket avoidance.

References

Alvez D, Dumitrescu A, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a benchmark study". Nature 8(2014): 80-86. DOI: 10.2196/48633

Brankovic K, Kowalczyk B, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a systematic review". Science 10(2017): 91-98. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949

Castellani R, Ristic C, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a comparative analysis". Nature Astronomy 12(2020): 102-110. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514

Dumitrescu A, Andric D, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a pilot demonstration". Nature Physics 14(2023): 113-122. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596

Eriksdottir B, Brankovic E, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a longitudinal field study". Physical Review Letters 16(2014): 124-134. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086

Farkas I, Ionescu F, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a feasibility study". npj Quantum Information 18(2017): 135-146. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5

Grabowski P, Petrescu G, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a case study". Nature Quantum Information 20(2020): 146-158. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004

Hendriksen W, Wojcik H, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a meta-analysis". Nuclear Fusion 22(2023): 157-170. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226

Ionescu F, Foscarini I, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a cross-platform survey". Nature Energy 24(2014): 168-182. DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwad013

Jankowiak G, Grabowski J, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a methods-comparison study". Journal of Geophysical Research 26(2017): 179-185. DOI: 10.2196/89834

Kowalczyk N, Novotna K, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a benchmark study". Ocean Science 28(2020): 190-197. DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02104-9

Lindqvist U, Urbanek L, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a systematic review". Nature Climate Change 30(2023): 201-209. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1896184

Marchetti D, Doncheva M, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a comparative analysis". Nature Communications 32(2014): 212-221. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15162117

Novotna E, Eriksdottir N, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a pilot demonstration". Science Policy 34(2017): 223-233. DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_20_65

Ostrowski L, Lindqvist O, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a longitudinal field study". Research Policy 36(2020): 234-245. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884

Petrescu S, Szabo P, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a feasibility study". Space Policy 38(2023): 245-257. DOI: 10.2196/48297

Quintero B, Balogh Q, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a case study". Acta Astronautica 40(2014): 256-269. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z

Ristic C, Castellani R, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a meta-analysis". PNAS 42(2017): 267-281. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005

Szabo J, Jankowiak S, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a cross-platform survey". eLife 44(2020): 278-284. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800

Tarasov Q, Quintero T, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a methods-comparison study". Nature Biotechnology 46(2023): 289-296. DOI: 10.2196/69678

Urbanek Z, Zielinski U, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a benchmark study". Nature Neuroscience 8(2014): 300-308. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454

Vasquez A, Alvez V, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a systematic review". Journal of Medical Ethics 10(2017): 311-320. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028

Wojcik H, Hendriksen W, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a comparative analysis". Reviews of Modern Physics 12(2020): 322-332. DOI: 10.2196/48633

Zielinski O, Ostrowski Z, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a pilot demonstration". Journal of Plasma Physics 14(2023): 333-344. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949

Andric V, Vasquez A, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a longitudinal field study". IEEE Transactions on Quantum Engineering 16(2014): 344-356. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514

Balogh E, Emmerich B, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a feasibility study". Nature 18(2017): 355-368. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596

Chiriac F, Farkas C, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a case study". Science 20(2020): 366-380. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086

Doncheva M, Marchetti D, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a meta-analysis". Nature Astronomy 22(2023): 377-383. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5

Emmerich T, Tarasov E, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a cross-platform survey". Nature Physics 24(2014): 388-395. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004

Foscarini C, Chiriac F, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a methods-comparison study". Physical Review Letters 26(2017): 399-407. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226

Alvez D, Dumitrescu A, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a benchmark study". npj Quantum Information 28(2020): 410-419. DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwad013

Brankovic K, Kowalczyk B, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a systematic review". Nature Quantum Information 30(2023): 421-431. DOI: 10.2196/89834

Castellani R, Ristic C, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a comparative analysis". Nuclear Fusion 32(2014): 432-443. DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02104-9

Dumitrescu A, Andric D, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a pilot demonstration". Nature Energy 34(2017): 443-455. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1896184

Eriksdottir B, Brankovic E, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a longitudinal field study". Journal of Geophysical Research 36(2020): 454-467. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15162117

Farkas I, Ionescu F, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a feasibility study". Ocean Science 38(2023): 465-479. DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_20_65

Grabowski P, Petrescu G, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a case study". Nature Climate Change 40(2014): 476-482. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884

Hendriksen W, Wojcik H, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a meta-analysis". Nature Communications 42(2017): 487-494. DOI: 10.2196/48297

Ionescu F, Foscarini I, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a cross-platform survey". Science Policy 44(2020): 498-506. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z

Jankowiak G, Grabowski J, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a methods-comparison study". Research Policy 46(2023): 509-518. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005

Kowalczyk N, Novotna K, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a benchmark study". Space Policy 8(2014): 520-530. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800

Lindqvist U, Urbanek L, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a systematic review". Acta Astronautica 10(2017): 531-542. DOI: 10.2196/69678

Marchetti D, Doncheva M, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a comparative analysis". PNAS 12(2020): 542-554. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454

Novotna E, Eriksdottir N, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a pilot demonstration". eLife 14(2023): 553-566. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028

Ostrowski L, Lindqvist O, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a longitudinal field study". Nature Biotechnology 16(2014): 564-578. DOI: 10.2196/48633

Petrescu S, Szabo P, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a feasibility study". Nature Neuroscience 18(2017): 575-581. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949

Quintero B, Balogh Q, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a case study". Journal of Medical Ethics 20(2020): 586-593. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514

Ristic C, Castellani R, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a meta-analysis". Reviews of Modern Physics 22(2023): 597-605. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596

Szabo J, Jankowiak S, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a cross-platform survey". Journal of Plasma Physics 24(2014): 608-617. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086

Tarasov Q, Quintero T, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a methods-comparison study". IEEE Transactions on Quantum Engineering 26(2017): 619-629. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5

Urbanek Z, Zielinski U, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a benchmark study". Nature 28(2020): 630-641. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004

Vasquez A, Alvez V, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a systematic review". Science 30(2023): 641-653. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226

Wojcik H, Hendriksen W, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a comparative analysis". Nature Astronomy 32(2014): 652-665. DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwad013

Zielinski O, Ostrowski Z, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a pilot demonstration". Nature Physics 34(2017): 663-677. DOI: 10.2196/89834

Andric V, Vasquez A, et al. "Citizen Science Data in Regulatory Decisions: a longitudinal field study". Physical Review Letters 36(2020): 674-680. DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02104-9

Downloads

Published

2023-10-15

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 2 (2023): vol 2 issue 2 2023

Section

Articles

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.