This article reports on Citizen Observatories’ (COs) potential to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reflecting on the experience of the GROW Observatory (GROW). The research aims to take the first steps in closing the gap in the literature on COs’ potential contributions to the SDG framework, beyond quantitative data contributions for indicator monitoring. Following an analysis of project activities and outcomes mapped against the SDG framework, the findings reveal GROW’s potential contributions across two dimensions: (i) Actions to advance the implementation of goals and targets through awareness raising and training; participatory methods; multi-stakeholder connections; and supporting citizens to move from data to action and (ii) Data contributions to SDG indicator monitoring through citizen-generated datasets. While earlier research has focused mostly on the latter (dimension ii), CO activities can impact numerous goals and targets, highlighting their potential to relate global SDGs to local level action, and vice versa. These findings align with the growing literature on COs’ ability to bring together policy makers, scientists and citizens, and support changes to environmental policy and practice. Furthermore, this research suggests groundwork activities that address the goal and target level can also enhance sustained data collection to contribute to indicator level monitoring. We conclude with future trends and recommendations for COs wishing to contribute to the SDGs.
Societal Impact Statement
Global biodiversity is eroding at alarming rates due to anthropogenic factors, such as climate change and unsustainable land use management. These interrelated challenges often push forest ecosystems to their limits, leading many species to disappear before their characteristics and potential are explored. As a result, indigenous rural communities inhabiting the world's biodiversity hotspots are losing a vital resource that supports their subsistence and livelihoods against persistent poverty. This research documents traditional ecological knowledge of a Karen community inside the Doi Inthanon National Park, Northern Thailand, reporting ethnobotanical uses of 125 plant taxa. It provides a ranking of culturally important trees that can inform the selection of framework species for ecosystem restoration and sustainable development in the region's montane forests.
Summary
Climate change, population growth and persistent poverty are applying pressure to the world's most fragile ecosystems and biodiversity hotspots in unprecedented ways. There is an urgent need to document species that provide important ecological services and contribute to overall human quality of life.
Participatory rural appraisal tools and collection of herbarium specimens were used to elicit ethnobotanical knowledge of an ethnic community inside the mountain forest of Northern Thailand. Statistical analysis was performed on the basis of quantitative indices to rank the cultural significance of the reported species in a Karen community inside Doi Inthanon National Park, Northern Thailand.
This article presents an ethnobotanical inventory of 125 plants, including data on important botanical families, use categories and useful plant parts. A prioritisation of 30 culturally important tree species is attempted on the basis of four quantitative indices.
Most of the reported plants are neglected and underutilised in need of further research and development for the diversification of agriculture, diets, livelihoods and landscapes. The integration of cultural criteria in the selection of framework species for ecosystem restoration embeds local community needs in conservation efforts, increasing their potential for success and fostering an integrated approach to sustainable development.
We present 1 a personalized ingredient-based Deep Learning recommender on the food domain that exploits ingredients and nutrition information to create recipe representations and propose to every user a more personalized and healthier meal. The recommender will be a critical component in our Meal Prediction Tool (MPT) designed with a focus on the personalization of services, increasing business efficiency and sustainability in the hospitality, restaurant and catering (HoReCa) industry.
In August 2007, a wildfire affected an area of approximately 135.000m2 in the Municipality of Zacharo, located in Southern Greece at the Peloponnesus peninsula, causing the loss of 41 human lives, and having a dramatic impact on both ecology and economic-social welfare. The present study applies a simplified model for the evaluation of soil erosion and the susceptibility to landslide manifestation on the hydrological basins of the Zacharo Municipality, as consequence of wildfire. The methodology was based on the evaluation and analysis of territorial parameters such as lithology, geomorphology, hydrography and land cover, which are thought to be directly or indirectly related to soil erosion. The final product was a series of hazardous maps showing pre and post-fire soil erosion. An almost double increase in the post-fire area of high vulnerability was identified, covering 48% of the total area, and affecting dramatically the nearby communities. The outcome of this study helped the local and prefectural authorities to address certain mitigating measures in order to face the disastrous consequences of post-fire soil erosion
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