The Association for Research and Social Innovation (ADT) has published a new publication titled “Guidelines for Citizen-Led Disaster Risk Mapping,” which presents a comprehensive methodology for disaster risk mapping based on the active participation of citizens. The publication builds on the experience of the project Citizen Science for Disaster Risk Preparedness Policy Development in Kakanj, implemented with the support of the EU-funded IMPETUS project.
The methodology was developed to help local communities, civil society organizations, researchers, and institutions systematically identify and document different types of risks — ranging from natural disasters to industrial pollution and infrastructure-related hazards. The publication addresses an important gap: although citizen science and participatory approaches are increasingly promoted in international policies, there is often a lack of practical tools and clear guidance on how to apply these ideas in real work with communities.
Disaster risks — whether caused by floods, landslides, pollution, or climate change — tend to affect most severely those communities that have the fewest resources and the least influence in decision-making processes. Although local residents often possess detailed knowledge about environmental problems in their surroundings, this knowledge rarely becomes part of formal planning and public policy processes.
The methodology developed by ADT seeks to bridge this gap between local experience and institutional decision-making, transforming citizens’ knowledge into structured data that can support research, public policies, and disaster risk reduction planning.
The guidelines are intended for a wide range of users, including:
- local communities and citizen initiatives
- civil society and environmental organizations
- researchers and universities
- schools and youth organizations
- local authorities and civil protection institutions.
This approach is particularly relevant in contexts facing industrial legacies, weak environmental governance, and limited institutional capacity, which is often the case in Bosnia and Herzegovina and across the Western Balkans. Although the methodology was developed through research conducted in Kakanj, it has been designed as a transferable and adaptable model that can be applied in other cities and countries.
In this way, risk mapping becomes not only a tool for collecting data, but also a mechanism for strengthening community resilience, raising awareness about risks, and encouraging social change.
ADT emphasizes that disaster risk mapping is not merely a technical exercise. Involving citizens in research increases awareness of environmental and social challenges, strengthens community capacities, and enables people to participate more actively in public discussions about environment, health, and development.
The results of risk mapping can support policy advocacy, disaster risk reduction planning, climate adaptation strategies, and greater institutional transparency. Through this methodology, the ADT project demonstrates how citizen science can become a powerful tool for environmental protection, social justice, and long-term community resilience to disasters.
The methodology enables communities to map different categories of risks, including:
- natural disasters (floods, landslides, droughts)
- industrial and technological risks
- environmental pollution
- climate and ecological changes
- infrastructure and urban risks.