Civic Tech – Ways out of the Climate Crisis with Digital Civic Engagement

With the help of digital tools, citizens can uncover environmental problems, collect important data and support protective measures. In our new upcoming Special Feature, we explore the question: How can civic tech solutions advance climate protection?

Civic technology helps communities put power into their own hands - quite literally. New open source technologies can provide powerful tools to those looking to set up local renewable energy grids.

The air in our cities is polluted. With sensors, citizens can collect measurements, allowing them to uncover sources and build up political pressure.

Whistleblowing is never easy - and exposing the truth can mean unemployment, imprisonment or worse. GlobaLeaks provides safe and secure tools so whistleblowers can reveal dark commercial or governmental secrets with confidence.

How many insects fly around us? Which species are out and about in our gardens, meadows and cities? It’s not an easy question to answer. But in the future, the KInsecta project will make it possible for researchers and interested laypeople to easily collect and evaluate data on the local insect world.

For Geraldine de Bastion, digitisation is a development that we can - and must - actively shape. And also that we should use digitization for more climate protection. We talked to her about civic tech in environmental and climate protection and the challenges of digital engagement.

Open Food Network takes 'buying local' to the next step by introducing communities of shoppers to the farmers and producers that live around them.

Citizen science usually requires an active participant to get - and stay - involved. Now researchers have been experimenting with a passive approach that deputises photographers into conservation and nature research, without them having to do anything.

Digital maps form an essential tool for humanitarian response. A group of mapping volunteers are now working to ensure all crises spots are covered.