The Association for Research and Social Innovation ADT has received support through the IMPETUS Citizen Science Accelerator, a European programme that funds and mentors innovative citizen science projects. This support enabled ADT to implement the project “Citizen Science for Disaster Risk Preparedness Policy Development in Kakanj,” an initiative that involves citizens in researching and mapping disaster risks within their local community.
IMPETUS is a European project funded through the Horizon Europe programme, aimed at strengthening and expanding citizen science initiatives across Europe. The project provides financial support, mentoring, and training to organizations developing participatory research initiatives in which citizens actively contribute to data collection and the development of solutions to societal challenges. A particular focus of IMPETUS is on projects that contribute to the European Green Deal, sustainable development, and social inclusion, while strengthening the connection between science, society, and policymakers.
For this reason, involving citizens in the research and mapping of risks is becoming an increasingly important approach in modern disaster risk management and climate adaptation policies. Initiatives such as this project demonstrate how citizen science can help communities better understand the risks in their environment and actively participate in finding solutions.
The project outcomes include the mapping of environmental and disaster risks, the development of policy briefs, and the creation of a methodology for citizen-led risk mapping that can also be applied in other communities.In many industrial areas such as Kakanj, disaster risks are increasingly linked to climate change and long-term environmental pollution. Extreme weather events, intense rainfall, droughts, and temperature fluctuations increase the likelihood of floods, landslides, and other natural disasters.
At the same time, industrial pollution of air, water, and soil further increases the vulnerability of local ecosystems and communities. When natural and industrial risks overlap, the consequences for human health, infrastructure, and the environment can become more severe and long-lasting.