AURORA D4.3 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors – Final Version

AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 1 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Project Title Achieving a New European Energy Awareness (AURORA) Grant Agreement 101036418 Coordinator Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Dr. Ana Cristobal Deliverable 4.3 – Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors – Final Version Due Date 28 August 2025 Responsible beneficiary KPC Contributing beneficiaries UPM, INSCICO, UEvora, Ljubljana, Aarhus, QPV, FDDC and CSE Dissemination Level Con Commission Services and Consortium Version 3.0 25 August 2025 Section Lead Author Version / revision description Submission Date 1.0 Martin Brocklehurst Overall structure Agreed 21st July 2025 23rd August 1.1 Martin Brocklehurst Section 1 The Overall Objectives of the AURORA Ambassador Programme. Agreed 25thJuly 2025 23rd August 2.0 Zhe Zhang, Marta Victoria Section 2 The Local Ambassador Programme Agreed 01stAug 2025 23rd August 2.1 Zhe Zhang, Marta Victoria Emma Jane Williams, Afonso Cavaco, Joana Penderlico, Matej Guštin, Ana Belén Cristóbal 2.1 Developing Near Zero Emission Citizen Ambassadors (WP1) – Overall process and review of success. Agreed 01st August 2025 23rd August 2.2 Ana Belen Cristobal Lopez Eva Baguena, Zhe Zhang, Megan Blyth, Afonso Cavaco, Matej Guštin. 2.2 Creating AURORA Ambassadors for Sustainable Energy Behaviours through hands on activities at Individual and Collective level (WP4) – Final report on its effectiveness, replicability and ongoing value. Agreed 01st August 2025 23rd August 2.3 Ana Belen Cristobal Lopez Marta Victoria. 2.3 Overall Assessment on the different approaches to the development of local 01st August 2025 Ref. Ares(2025)6953334 - 28/08/2025 AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 2 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Ambassadors - Final view of the effectiveness of this approach and its replicability. Agreed 23rd August 3.0 Martin Brocklehurst – Lead Author Section 3 Creating External AURORA Ambassadors – Review of the process and overall assessment of is effectiveness. Agreed 1st August 23rd August 4.0 Martin Brocklehurst Lead Author Section 4 – Conclusion & Executive Summary Agreed 8th August 23rd August 5.0 All partners Final editing and revision Agreed Post WP5 Review Meeting 15th Aug 2025 23rd August 6.0 Martin Brocklehurst Final Review 19th Aug 2025 25th August 7.0 Martin Brocklehurst D4.3 submission 25th Aug 2025 Appendices Martin Brocklehurst Reviewed 25th August Disclaimer The information in this document is provided as is and no guarantee or warranty is given that the information is fit for any particular purpose. The user thereof uses the information at its sole risk and liability. The content of this report reflects only the authors’ view. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. Statement of Originality This deliverable contains original unpublished work except where clearly indicated otherwise. Acknowledgement of previously published material and of the work of others has been made through appropriate citation, quotation, or both. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 3 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. The core content of this deliverable builds on last year’s content. Partners have added the additional implementation actions as part of their ongoing efforts to maintain community engagement. However, the conclusions and recommendations in relation to much of the WP4 remain unchanged. The only section that has been substantially expanded — in line with the project’s logic — is the Ambassador section and details on our preparations for UNEA7 where we plan to present our findings on a business plan for a long term global citizen science programme on climate change mitigation that builds on the best examples of EU Funded schemes tackling climate change such as iChange and AURORA Opening Statement This document is the final version of the AURORA Project deliverable D4.3 - on Creating AURORA Ambassadors for sustainable energy behaviours: Intervention developed and linked impact. It builds on the interim report and updates the information contained in D4.2. It is not the end of the story, however. The Role of Ambassadors in Scaling up Citizen Science Projects on Climate Change Mitigation The AURORA project now has over 150 ambassadors that are critical to the ongoing work of the AURORA project to exploit our legacy at local level and to support our efforts to create a Europe/Global programme on climate change and citizen science. We are working together with the Citizen Science Global Partnership (CSGP) and the EU Climate Pact (who have agreed to support our communication activities), to achieve that goal. An intense work programme is underway to exploit the AURORA project work, that will culminate in the presentation of reports and business plans on how citizen science programmes on climate change can be scaled up to make a real difference. We will share our costed plans during UNEA7. We are supported in this endeavour, not only by AURORA ambassadors, but by 14 EU Climate Pact ambassadors and 5 EU Pact Partners. Two of the Climate Pact ambassadors are Chairing Sub-Groups of the AURORA Led Working Group on Citizen Science and Climate Change: • Frouke Wiarda (EU Climate Pact Ambassador) is Chairing our communications subgroup; • Vânia de Sousa (EU Climate Pact Ambassador) our Research Sub -Group reviewing Citizen Science approaches to climate change mitigation; and • Lisa Evans(Co-Chair of the Citizen Science Association New Zealand) is Chairing the Report Drafting sub-group that will pull together all our ideas along with an implementation business plan. The Working Group itself is jointly Chaired by Rusty Low, (Deputy Director Science – Globe Programme); Ana Belen Cristobal Lopez (AURORA project) and Martin Brocklehurst (AURORA Project and ambassador from the Citizen Science Global Partnership. The Green Deal Support Office is providing funding for a representative from the AURORA Project to attend UNEA7 and outline what has been achieved by citizens at a range of events that the Citizen Science Global Partnership is bidding for at UNEA7. Our ambassador Professor Jacqueline McGlade, who is the former Chief Scientist at UNEP, and the former Director of the European Environment Agency has developed a proposal for a formal side event at UNEA7. It is sponsored by the Governments of Kenya and Estonia, who have applied on our behalf to the UNEA7 Secretariat for a place on the programme. We will know in the autumn if we are successful with this application, which is designed to show how AI, Big AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 4 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Data Systems and Global Citizen Science Programmes can be deployed to support international environmental agreements. This is the very first time a citizen science side event has been proposed by representatives of Member State Governments. This is the first step to secure a long term partnership with organisations prepared to support and work with an emerging programme to achieve a global citizen science programme on climate change mitigation. Further applications will be made for a Major Groups Green Room event at UNEA7, (Co-ordinated by our Ambassador Anukriti Sharma and Ian Abuki (Strathmore University Nairobi Kenya) where our ideas can be outlined to the global NGO community. Discussions will also taking place with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) and the United Nations Science Policy Business Forum (UNSPBF) on how our ideas can be shared. We are also in close discussions with the UNEP Chief Scientists Team and the UNEP Science Division who are developing a Global Environmental Data Strategy (GEDS) so that we can ensure our programme fits in with this emerging vision. Behind the scenes we have support from individuals working with these organisations. But we are not waiting for UNEA7. Confidential discussions have already started with a potential commercial European Global Partner in the lead into UNEA7 to explore options for a 5 year partnership. Initial responses are promising and further discussions and potential brain-storming events are being considered for the autumn period. All our ambassadors involved are clear that we need a new way to engage the global population in the fight against climate change and that citizen science offers that opportunity, building not only on the AURORA project, but on others in the GDSO Knowledge and Citizen Science Cluster. The Role of our Ambassadors at Local Level As we build and report on the international work our ambassadors are undertaking we also report on the work that our ambassadors are playing at the local level. Local ambassadors are critical to our global credibility to show that our ideas work at local level and that we can replicate the early success from the project. We particularly believe it is important to engage with both the Education and the Municipal Sectors to encourage them to replicate what we have achieved, anywhere in Europe, using the existing tools techniques and data management systems that we have developed under the AURORA programme. That is why we have joined the European Education for Climate Group and why we have reached out at the European level to the Council of European Municipalities & Regions (CEMR) and at the global level to the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM). Our local ambassadors remain critical to our global ambitions, as they can share their inspirational stories with our global citizen science community so that others anywhere in the world are encouraged to use the open source tools and techniques we have developed and learn from our mistakes. We are confident that through such dialogue our tools and techniques can be shared and modified to be of value for other cultures tackling climate change around the world. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 5 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Our report updates our overall approach to creating local pilot ambassadors and includes our work that indicates how we have been delivering Key Performance Indicator 8 – Community Behaviour change. It restates the work undertaken at our Citizen Researcher Meetings (T1.3) and provides an overview on how all the work in WP4 has been implemented, what impact it has had, & how all these lessons learnt were integrated into our approach to create the AURORA ambassador programme. It is fundamental to the AURORA project and our global ambitions that we continue to show that our local pilots work and that we see a change of attitudes towards acting on climate change mitigation. Only by changing attitudes, challenging keyways of working, demonstrating how legal and administrative barriers that block progress on the energy transition can be removed, can we give citizens and our young people the knowledge and confidence they need to take personal responsibility for mitigating climate change. This report also updates our earlier version on the “Learning by Doing” approach, which we believe has been fundamental to engaging AURORA ambassadors. It is something we are seeking to share though our growing networks. We have released a Guide for Citizen Workshops on Energy Matters that captures all our experiences and we will and are sharing this widely through our ambassador network. This report will show that our AURORA ambassador programme is a success. We have recruited and publicly confirmed 117 ambassadors. In addition we have recruited ambassadors who are working behind the scenes to support our work and take that number well over our 150 target. Our ambassador network now includes representatives from 20 European Countries and a further 10 International Countries. They are all working with the AURORA project to support our Exploitation Plans. We have secured the support of high profile ambassadors prepared to publicly declare, including Professor Jacqueline McGlade, who is leading our efforts to gain a formal side event at UNEA7. We have our first leading sports woman ambassador, Sarah Hoefflin an Olympic Gold Medallist in Free Style Skiing. We are working closely with the EU Climate Pact ambassadors who are now integrated into our plans to take forward proposals for a European/Global Citizen Science Programme on Climate Change Mitigation to UNEA7. We have all the Regional Citizen Science Associations on board and supporting our efforts to take our message to UNEA7. How successful we will be remains to be seen, but it is clear that opportunities to apply the AURORA approach well beyond our pilot communities are opening up & that our ambassadors are opening doors to spread our message that the AURORA approach works. It ignites & challenges universities to change & inspires ordinary people to join the energy transition. We cannot guarantee success but our ambassador programme gives us a chance to secure international partners for a new way to deliver global environmental agreements, on the ground where it matters, engaging citizens as a key driving force for change. Gathering data to challenge misinformation and supporting real behaviour change amongst its participants. We are thinking Globally whilst acting Locally. It’s time to change the world by the way we behave AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 6 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Contents 6 Opening Statement 3 Section 1 The Overall Objectives of the AURORA Ambassador Programme (WP4 & 5) 10 1.1 Types of Ambassadors 11 1.1.1 Citizen and Youth Ambassadors 12 1.1.2 Community Ambassadors 13 1.1.3 Policy and Institutional Ambassadors 13 1.1.4 Recruitment Success 13 Section 2 The Local Ambassador Programme 15 2.1 Developing Near Zero Emission Citizen Ambassadors (WP1) 16 2.1.1 Periodic Researcher Meeting – Overall approach 16 2.1.2 Experiences and lessons from each pilot 17 2.1.3 Summary of know-how acquired, and key lessons learnt to support the 36 Ambassador Programme. 2.2 Creating AURORA Ambassadors for Sustainable Energy Behaviours through 37 hands on activities at Individual and Collective level (WP4) 2.2.1 Lessons learnt from Individual and Collective Interventions defined by 37 the communities - Monitoring and Awareness 2.3 Overall Assessment of the different approaches to the development of local 75 Ambassadors WP4 and its replicability 3 Creating External AURORA Ambassadors (WP1, WP4 & WP5) 77 3.1 – Introduction 77 3.2 – Overall approach to the Ambassador programme 77 3.3 – Aims and Objectives 77 3.4 – Creating an Open Call for External Ambassadors 80 3.4.1 – Identifying Potential Target Groups 80 3.4.2 – Developing a supporting structure for the AURORA Ambassador Programme 84 3.4.3 – Launch of the AURORA Ambassador Programme and Associated Publicity 85 3.4.4 – Next steps to bring the Ambassador Programme alive 87 3.4.5 – Testing possible Twinning Programmes through a pilot 87 3.4.6 – What have we achieved and what follows next 90 3.4.6.1 – Who have we attracted to be Ambassadors for the AURORA Programme 90 3.4.6.2 – How successful was the process of recruitment and the documentation used. 95 3.4.6.3 – Support for AURORA Ambassadors post recruitment. 96 3.4.6.4 – Summary 106 4 – Conclusion 107 AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 7 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Appendices Appendix 1 Guide For Applicants – AURORA ambassador programme. 109 Appendix 2 AURORA Ambassador Application Form. 122 Appendix 3 AURORA Ambassador Programme – “Flyer.” 123 Appendix 4 AURORA Ambassador Programme – Press Release. 124 Appendix 5. Terms of Reference - AURORA/CSGP WG on Citizen Science (CS) & Climate Change Mitigation 128 Appendix 6. AURORA led Working Group on Citizen Science – “Flyer”. 132 Appendix 7. Objectives for the CSGP led delegation to UNEA7. 133 Appendix 8. UNSPBF Blog – Citizen Science has changed the world. 134 Appendix 9. UNSPBF Blog - Citizen Science delivers Big Wins for Biodiversity with more on the Horizon. 138 Appendix 10. UNEA7 Application for Formal Side Event led by Government of Kenya and Estonia. 142 Appendix 11. UNEA7 Concept Note for Green Room event application. 144 Appendix 12. List of AURORA Ambassadors not publicly declared – Working Behind the scenes 148 to support the AURORA programme and its international aspirations. List of Tables Table 1. Types of ambassadors recruited. 14 Table 2. AURORA ambassadors country of origin. 14 Table 3. Full list of actions performed at University of Aarhus. 19 Table 4. Full list of action performed at University of Ljubljana. 20 Table 5. Full list of actions performed at Technical University of Madrid. 22 Table 6. A full list of actions performed at University of Évora. 32 Table 7. Full list of actions performed at the Forest of Dean District Council pilot. 36 Table 8. List of workshops and hands-on actions performed. 45 Table 9. Survey of workshop participants views – Madrid. 75 List of Figures Figure 1. Pictures from the Citizen Researcher Meetings in Aarhus. 18 Figure 2. Meeting on the 14/02/2024 the European Climate Pact Ambassadors-Madrid Pilot. 23 Figure 3 Student Session Ages 16-18 – Energy Communities – Madrid Pilot. 24 Figure 4. Joint University Local Community Session - Energy Communities – Madrid Pilot. 24 Figure 5. AURORA & Pizza South Campus SessionMadrid Pilot. 25 Figure 6. Energy student sessions Event and Flyers – Madrid Pilot. 25 Figure 7. Several pictures from the Culture of Energy Day – Madrid Pilot. 26 Figure 8. Several photographs from other Citizen Research Meetings – Madrid Pilot. 27 Figure 9. Winners from our Graduations – Madrid Pilot. 28 Figure 10. AURORA citizen Research meeting with app users – Madrid Pilot. 29 Figure 11. Citizen Research meetings held with the support of different subjectsMadrid Pilot. 30 Figure 12. Images from the 2024 gymkhana – Madrid Pilot. 31 Figure 13. Teenager Energy Session (teenager images are not shown) - Madrid Pilot. 31 Figure 14. AURORA Forest of Dean team speaking and gaining views with residentsUK Pilot. 33 Figure 16. Forest Community Energy meeting where citizens were split into three discussion 34 tables to discuss: energy advice provision; thermography; and retrofit and rooftop solar PV. Figure 17. Images showing breadth of activities to engage citizens at this event - top left is showing 35 our “retrofit stories” table, top right is showing people playing our energy trading game and bottom is showing a visual map of landscape values to establish where renewables could go in Lydney. Figure 18. Extract from Web Based Data on AURORA Energy Tracker App Data. 38 Figure 19. Photographs from the UNSPBF led invitation only event July 2025 Towards a 43 Big Data Revolution for the Planet from uncertainty to Opportunity. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 8 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Figure 20. Growth of Global Citizen Science Mosquito Observations –iNaturalist and Mosquito Alert. 44 Figure 21. Pictures from events in Aarhus – Aarhus University Pilot 47 Figures 22. Solar Cell Assembly – Aarhus University Pilot. 48 Figure 23. Examples of Ljubljana University Excursions and Workshops – Ljubljana University Pilot. 49 Figure 24. Ljubljana Thermography Workshop – Ljubljana University Pilot. 50 Figure 25. Various moments from the Arduino workshops – Madrid Pilot. 51 Figure 26. Different moments from workshops on building a USB chargerMadrid Pilot. 52 Figure 27. Different moments workshop on solar bugs and the activity for adults – Madrid Pilot. 52 Figure 28. Different moments workshop on photovoltaic module constructionMadrid Pilot. 53 Figure 29. Solar cooking workshop – Évora Pilot. 54 Figure 30. ESP32 workshop and electronics kit offered to the participants – Évora Pilot. 55 Figure 31. Announcement of the event – Workshop Doing It Together – Évora Pilot. 55 Figure 32. Photographs Workshop Do-it-Together – Évora Pilot. 56 Figure 33. Thermophotography Workshops – Évora Pilot. 57 Figure 34. Thermographic cameras showing heat loss at a community centre - Forest of Dean Pilot. 58 Figure 35. AURORA Forest of Dean Energy Community Members using thermographic camera 58 Forest of Dean Pilot. Figure 36. Gwent Energy CIC displayed a vertical solar panel to showcase an alternative model to 59 rooftop solar PV installations – UK Pilot. Figure 37. Local residents at the Solar PV Drop-In Information Day – UK Pilot. 59 Figure 38. Energy Cafes - left image shows a draught proofing snake made by a local child, 61 right image shows FCE members & Severn Wye Energy Agency talking to local residents about energy saving tips & grant funding for home improvements – UK Pilot. Figure 39. Winners of the thermal photography contests – Aarhus Pilot. 64 Figure 40. AURORA Power Challenge in Aarhus Pilot. 65 Figure 41. Ljubljana University – Hackathon – Ljubljana University Pilot. 66 Figure 42. Explanation session during the thermography contest – Madrid Pilot. 67 Figure 43. Competition Finalists and winners - Madrid Pilot. 68 Figure 44. Pictures of the contest for the best bachelor thesis – Madrid Pilot. 68 Figure 45. Announcement of the event – Focus on the Just Transition – Évora Pilot. 69 Figure 46. Event announcement and June winner of the Power Challenge – Évora Pilot. 69 Figure 47. Thermophotographies awarded first and second place – Évora Pilot. 70 Figure 48. “Rural Climathon Playbook Process Model” used in the Forest of Dean. 71 Credit: Countryside and Community Research Institute. UK Pilot. Figure 49. Interacting with High School Students – Aarhus Pilot. 72 Figure 50. Guardian Survey - attitudes to acting on climate change. – AURORA Ambassadors 79 Figure 51. Flyer for UNSPBF Big Data – Experts Meeting Italy – Frascati. 84 Figure 52. ECSA Newsletter Article – Call for Ambassadors. 85 Figure 53. 1st Group - Social Media Groups where calls for Ambassadors were made. 86 Figure 54. 2ndGroup - Social Media Groups where calls for Ambassadors were made. 86 Figure 55. Presentation to University College Dublin Citizen Science Group. 88 Figure 56. Joint Meeting University College Dublin to explore twinning possibilities. 88 Figure 57. AURORA Ambassadors Page - AURORA Website. 91 Figure 58. EU Education for Climate Group. 92 Figure 59. The Globe Programme – Worldwide education programme. 92 Figure 60. Flyer for Ambassadors Welcome Meeting 97 Figure 61. Ambassador Helen Jeffey, Mike Butcher, Former Editor of Tech Crunch, & Kevin Marks, 99 Software Engineer/Consultant at the Octopus Tech Energy Summit 202 representing Forest Community Energy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KliF6Abpee8 – UK Pilot Figure 62. Ambassador Peter Boait explaining the community solar model on a video created by 100 AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 9 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Forest Community Energy about the Sling Community Hub project – UK Pilot. Figure 63. Ambassador – Katie Clubb Receives an award for work on community travel – UK Pilot. 100 Figure 64. Ambassador Sam Clarke - Thermal Camera Loan Scheme established through the 101 AURORA programme in the Forest of Dean – UK Pilot Figure 65. Ambassador Cesaltina at Thermal Workshop – Évora Pilot. 102 Figure 66. Ambassador Rodrigo Amaro el Silva – Évora Pilot. 102 Figure 67. Ambassador Henrique Sim – Sim promoting the AURORA Project – Évora Pilot. 103 Figure 68. Ambassador Professor Jacqueline McGlade Successfully negotiated 103 agreement for a joint application to the UNEA Secretariat for a member state lead side event on AI big Data and global Citizen Science programs. Figure 69. Ambassador Ram Dayal Secretary to the CSGP Delegation Team and the Aurora led 104 Working Group on Citizen Science and Climate Change Mitigation. Figure 70. Ambassadors -Mendel Wong, Maina Muniafu, Dorte Riemenschneider, Libby Hepburn, 105 Jennifer Shirk & Karen Soacha – Regional Citizen Science Associations. Figure 71. Ambassadors Dr Mohamed Abdelrouf; Frouke Wiarda; Vânia Serrão Sousa and 106 Anukriti Sharma working towards a global project on citizen science and climate change. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 16 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. local ambassadors have previously been involved in AURORA in one or more activities: showing interest in investing in the energy community, joining the periodic citizen researcher meetings, or participating in the hands-on individual and collective activities hosted by AURORA. Selection is based not only on their enthusiasm and commitment to climate and energy issues, but also on their ability to engage others and act as trusted voices within the local community. They are recruited because of their potential to influence peer behaviour, mobilize collective action, and sustain momentum for local energy initiatives. The rationale behind recruiting local ambassadors is deeply rooted in the AURORA project’s emphasis on community-led change. By empowering them with the necessary tools, knowledge, and support, AURORA enables local ambassadors to promote the project goals more effectively: encouraging the use of the AURORA app, supporting the development of local energy communities and clubs, and even helping to replicate successful models in new locations. Ultimately, ambassadors serve as multipliers—extending the reach and impact of AURORA well beyond the initial pilot sites, and helping to embed a culture of citizen-led climate action within their institutions and neighbourhoods. In the sub-sections, we describe the different types of activities that were organized under different WPs, which were used as channels to recruit local ambassadors. 2.1 Developing Near Zero Emission Citizen Ambassadors (WP1) 2.1.1 Periodic Citizen Researcher Meeting – Overall approach At local level and as a strategy for continuous engagement of the community, Citizen Researcher Meetings were held periodically across all five demonstration sites. Every four to six months, such meetings were planned and organised. Each location organised the Citizen Researcher Meetings differently, depending on the composition of local partners, age group of the participants, the topics of interest, and so on. For example, some of the Citizen Researcher Meetings had a focus on getting feedback to the App, while others had a focus on the general theme of sustainable living. The partners made short summaries of these meetings and shared them with the rest of the Consortium periodically. In this way all our partners learnt from each other about what had or had not worked in the other demonstration sites. The section below briefly summarises these meetings and describe the lessons learned from each pilot from these meetings. As detailed in the Grant Agreement, the activities of these meetings focused on some of the following points: - Meet your partners: These meetings provided an opportunity to connect with others interested in AURORA's initiatives. - Presenting the latest data on local demos: These meetings served as platforms to showcase AURORA's implemented actions and share lessons learned. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 17 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. - Introduction of videos from participants: Videos featuring people involved in the actions were introduced. - Receiving feedback on implemented interventions: These meetings aimed to gather user feedback, helping AURORA identify the community's needs and expectations. - Debating future interventions: Discussions were held on the types of interventions that should be promoted next. - Graduation of Zero-Emission Citizens and Near-Zero Emission Awards: Such events Recognized individuals and awarded achievements in emission reductions. A number of demonstration sites organized dedicated citizen research meetings, others integrated the purpose of these meetings with other activities. As a result, it can be challenging to categorize an event as a purely citizen research meeting. To avoid redundant information in our deliverables, we have chosen not to list these events separately. Instead, we report on the lessons learned from them. 2.1.2 Experiences and lessons from each pilot Aarhus pilot experience In the course of the AURORA project, multiple Citizen Researcher Meetings have been held in Aarhus, each with a different theme. In general the theme of the meetings was relevant to the stage of the project development (Figure 1). The 1st meeting was held in December 2022, when setting up the solar cooperative was a priority, so the discussion focused mainly on specific terms of energy communities, specifically how we ensure fair and democratic operation of the community. The 2nd meeting spanned across 2 sessions in the spring of 2023, where students at an engineering course at Aarhus University were given the beta version of the AURORA App to test for a month. Later, feedback was gathered from the students on the App and the labelling system names, and the results from their input were analysed. On 3 Feb 2024, the 3rd Citizen Researcher Meeting was jointly held by project AURORA and a citizen association, The Common Good, with a theme on consumption and lifestyle. In this meeting, a wide range of topics were covered, from setting up more local energy communities such as the one from AURORA, to ideas for activities which promote recycling of clothes, to proposed changes to the public transport system. The collaboration with The Common Good led to another Citizen Researcher Meeting in June 2024. At this meeting, we focused on the newly established energy community Universitetets Energifællesskab F.M.B.A (UEF) to share challenges and lessons learnt in the process of crowdfunding and establishing the rooftop solar installation. Two more Citizen Researcher Meetings took place in November 2024 and April 2025. During these two meetings, we joined other organizations such as Vedvarend Energi (“renewable energy”)and Aarhus Wind Cooperative to discuss frameworks of energy communities in Denmark and the challenges of setting up energy communities AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 18 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. It is noteworthy that other activities and events, such as visits to existing energy communities, together with findings from some of these Citizen Researcher Meetings contributed to the development of the civic roadmap (described in detail in D4.1). Figure 1. Pictures from the Citizen Researcher Meetings in Aarhus. From our experience of these Citizen Researcher Meetings, there is an active group of citizens who care about topics tackling climate change even though one can argue that people who attend are already environmentally conscious. These groups have become our Ambassadors advocating for change. An important lesson learnt was to keep the topics at Citizen Researcher Meetings relevant to what is happening. For example, when we were setting up the solar cooperative, it was naturally more intuitive and effective to discuss topics on energy democracy, and when the AURORA App was being tested and eventually rolled out, the topic of such meetings shifted slowly to consumption. Even though AURORA adopts a “bottom-up” citizen science approach to tackling climate change, we can observe from the Citizen Researcher Meetings in Aarhus that certain actions need to be implemented by the local or regional municipality. For example, suggestions such as a car-free city centre or cheaper public transport systems to encourage higher usage of public transport require not only citizens’ advocacy but also commitment from the politicians. Our actions have been compiled in 3. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 19 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Debates/Dialogue/Co-Creation/Excursions Date Number of people Public discussion: preparing for the next winter 25th April 2022 30 Meeting with the Future’s Lab team at our Aarhus Municipality 2nd September 2022 5 1st Citizen Research Meeting December 2022 10 High school student day 1st March 2023 120 2nd Citizen Research Meeting: App co-creation, two sessions 22/03/23 & 25/04/23 90 Round table discussion: what is your role in the green transition? 31st May 2023 45 Visit the Avedøre Energy Community 14th September 2023 5 iClimate Workshop Aarhus University 2023 14th November 2023 80 Case presentation to BSC course on user driven design project 21st February 2024 120 3rd Citizen Research Meeting – Joint event with the Common Good February 2024 10 High school student day 16th April 2024 90 Visit to Samsø energy Academy and energy community on Samsø 3rd May 2024 12 4th Citizen research meeting – Joint workshop with the Common Good theme: energy communities and energy consumption June 2024 8 Visit to the solar installation by a group of AU staff and students 27th March 2024 5 Visit to the solar installation by energy community members 15th May 2025 10 Workshop in collaboration with climate justice group 2nd April 2025 10 Workshop – how to get started with Citizen Science a case study 19th August 2025 15 Total 665 Table 3. Full list of actions performed at the University of Aarhus AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 20 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Ljubljana pilot experience In Ljubljana most of the citizen research meetings were focused on students, both at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering as well as at the university level. Our citizens researchers’ meetings started in 2022 and continued throughout the project period. Citizen researcher meetings had several different forms, either a classical meeting with presentations and discussions, as a workshop with more hands-on experience or as an excursion. During citizen researcher meetings we addressed several objectives: starting with climate change, personal energy behaviour and change thereof, the use and purpose of the Aurora Energy tracker app, as well as co-creation of the app and how the app can help change individual energy behaviour. Our actions have been compiled in 4. Debates/Dialogue/Co-Creation/Excursions Date Number of people Citizen Research Meeting with citizens from Ljubljana: Future Zero 15/02/22 200 Sustainable living and e-mobility 16/02/23 91 ŠEK at the Extracurricular Activities Day 10/23 50 Introducing the AURORA Energy Tracker app to students in the classroom as part of a lesson 6/11/23 28 Thermography Workshop 14/02/24 6 Wattoteka & Thermoteka Workshop - Thermography 14/05/24 4 Show me your carbon footprint and get a beer 23/09/24 70 ŠEK Professional excursion to the East (Zlatoličje – hydro & solar power plant) 01/10/24 50 ŠEK at the Extracurricular Activities Day 10/10/24 50 Citizen Research Meeting on the presentation of AURORA app 25/11/24 53 PV&EC Winter School incl. Excursion 27-31/01/25 11 RES Photography Contest 19/02/25 6 ŠEK & EMC Workshop – Co-ordination 3/03/25 25 ŠEK Professional excursion to the West (Kolektor & Avče pumped storage plant) 22/05/25 9 ŠEK Professional excursion to the East (Bisol – PV module producer & Gorenje / Hisens 26/05/25 14 Total 667 Other engagement activities Date Number of people Presentation of the AURORA project to students of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Ljubljana 24/05/22 40 Mladi za energetski prehod – Gremo v ŠEK / Young people for the energy transition – Let’s go to ŠEK 27/05/22 40 Day of Extracurricular Activities 20/10/22 200 ŠEK At The Extracurricular Activities Fair Of the University of Ljubljana 21/12/22 85 ŠEK Invites you to Coffee and Donuts 21/12/22 80 Presentation of ŠEK 7 AURORA to students 23/05/23 45 ŠEK at the Extracurricular Activities Day 20/10/23 350 The premiere of the AURORA mobile application 23/11/23 180 ŠEK at the Extracurricular Activities Day 10/10/24 50 Total 1,070 Table 4. Full list of actions performed at University of Ljubljana AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 21 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Further details on key actions are detailed in D4.1 since they were used as input for creating the local civic roadmaps. In our experience, events like Citizen Researcher Meetings of various kinds, are attended mainly by people who are already aware of the need to make changes in our current behaviour towards nature and energy. Most of them were looking for peer support and confirmation that their thinking was correct. It was clear some attendees had already taken the first steps to change behaviour and address the need to reduce carbon emissions. Their participation was important because they were able to present their solutions and interact with others, sharing their experiences. Our role in this became one of a facilitator or professional supporter, justifying and supporting sustainable solutions that had been undertaken so they could be shared with others as best practice. The participants of the AURORA project in Ljubljana organized or co-organized twenty citizen engagement activities, which all provided valuable insights into residents' perspectives on energy generation and environmental attitudes. The key element of these events was interaction, aiming to gather feedback from residents through their active involvement. During these events, the AURORA project, along with its key approaches and objectives, was presented. Following the introduction of the AURORA Energy Tracker mobile application, participants were also invited to use it and provide feedback. Many users reported that the app helped them quantify how much energy each activity consumes and what is its carbon footprint. This is a confirmation that the app provides the right information, which can be used to stimulate behaviour change. In addition to the events listed above, a monthly prize draw was held for active Aurora Energy tracker app users. This was a great way to encourage use of the app and to build an active user community. Madrid pilot experience At the Technical University of Madrid, various meetings have been held within the framework of the AURORA project, to engage the community in the project's objectives, fostering continuous commitment, and establishing effective communication channels to understand the expectations, needs, and feedback of our communities. UPM has held 20 meetings during the project to address one or several objectives of the citizen researcher meetings. The reason for increasing the number of meetings regarding the planned ones 3-4 per year was also a communication strategy to keep the Campus and our community engaged during the whole academic year. This way, and combined with the workshops, every 15 days an AURORA event took place. This was important to create and maintain interest in the project and develop our community whilst the community energy installation ideas were being developed. Table 3 describes all actions completed with different excursions and other debates that served to different purposes of the hubs such the creation of D4.1 during the RP2 or certain task related to the exploitation plan. Next, we moved on to reviewing the events which are summarised in Table 5. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 22 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Table 5. Full list of actions performed at University of Madrid On February 14, 2024, around 150 people from the campus gathered at a key Citizen Researcher meeting. The event, part of the AURORA Project, was supported by the European Climate Pact Ambassadors Network, the Spanish representation of the European Commission Office, and the Technical University of Madrid. The aim was to promote reflective dialogue AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 23 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. through a roundtable discussion with engineering students, highlighting how information and communication technologies are linked to the European objectives of the Green Pact. (Figure 2) Figure 2. Meeting on the 14th of February 2024 together the European Climate Pact Ambassadors – Madrid Pilot. The session was moderated by Ana Belén Cristóbal and César García Aranda, both professors and researchers at UPM, as well as ambassadors of the European Climate Pact. In the first round of interventions, the speakers highlighted key aspects of European climate policy and its impact on Spanish regulation, opening new opportunities as well as changing the future economic and professional landscape. Paula Ceballos emphasized the EU's leadership in the fight against climate change and the challenge it represented for companies and citizens, emphasizing the importance of participating in the upcoming European Parliament elections. Jesús Iglesias shared his professional experience, as a telecommunications engineer to his current commitment to the transformation and recovery of rural areas. Elena López-Gunn contributed her experience in climate change negotiations and the crucial role of technology companies in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Manuel Lira highlighted companies' ability to align their objectives with climate goals and the importance of cooperation in technological development and innovation for sustainability. Subsequently, students participated with questions and reflections, addressing aspects such as the effects of measures on older people or those with fewer resources, agricultural mobilizations -strikes in France and Spain-, the complexity of transitioning to a new model, and the need to use technology as a tool, to avoid biased information. In conclusion, the session highlighted the opportunities and challenges posed by the European Green Pact, as well as the importance of aligning engineering and technology with these objectives. On October 16th, 2024, we held a very enriching session with students aged 16 to 18 — younger than our usual university community — to discuss the energy transition and the future AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 24 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. of sustainability. During the session, these young participants showed great interest, curiosity, and a strong sense of commitment toward environmental challenges. They brought fresh perspectives and asked thought-provoking questions. Events like this highlight the importance of engaging younger generations and involving them in building a more just and sustainable future. Figure 3. Student Session Ages 16-18 – Energy Communities – Madrid Pilot. On December 10th, 2024, we hosted a very special event focused on energy communities, bringing together various members of the university and local community. We had the pleasure of welcoming students and teachers from the Centro Cultural Palomeras school, who joined us to officially launch our crowdfunding campaign. The event was a moment of shared learning, where participants deepened their understanding of the energy community model. It also served as a powerful networking opportunity, connecting people who don’t usually engage with AURORA’s activities — such as faculty and administrative staff — and strengthening the community bonds around our shared goals. Figure 4. Joint University Local Community Session - Energy CommunitiesMadrid Pilot. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 25 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. On February 27th, 2025, we organized a casual yet meaningful session called "AURORA & Pizza", held at the South Campus. This gathering provided a space to talk with students, faculty, and staff about the need to support climate-related research programs and to continue investing public funding in innovative actions for the environment. The relaxed setting, combined with deep and strategic conversations, made the event a memorable and motivating experience for all participants. Figure 5. AURORA & Pizza South Campus Session – Madrid Pilot. Meetings were also held with the university community to strengthen their commitment, linking the energy transition with other relevant areas of their academic activities. One of them took place on March 7, 2024 in commemoration of International Women's Day (celebrated on March 8), where we organized a session focused on gender perspectives in energy. We designed this activity to be interactive, setting up a booth where various activities were carried out, such as the dissemination of research work by UPM female researchers in energy areas such as transportation, batteries, and photovoltaic energy, as well as a questionnaire based on conclusions drawn from scientific articles and European reports on this topic. Figure 6. Energy student sessions Event and Flyers – Madrid Pilot. Participation in the event was significant with circa 150 people who attended the booth, with many members of the university community involved. To illustrate the impact, on that same day, 68 people started using the AURORA app due to the generated discussion. However, the conclusions of the event revealed that, although there is awareness of concepts such as energy justice and energy poverty, there is still a need to reflect on the gender AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 32 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. All these actions add to the citizen’s meetings: Coffees on the energy community and sessions on Energy Crisis and Energy Transition, joining around 520 people Évora pilot experience The AURORA team in Évora has hosted 14 events promoting awareness and capacity building to generate debate and retrieve feedback from the participants, to understand the questions and the needs of the local community in energy matters. Using that feedback as information for the definition and organisation of new events. Those events are thoroughly described in Deliverable 4.1 to avoid duplication, as they were also used to generate the local civic roadmaps. For all these events the team took the opportunity to promote AURORA and its objectives, focusing on the energy transition and sustainability as well as introducing the AURORA ENERGY TRACKER mobile app. Briefly we can summarise them in Table 6: Table 6. Full list of actions performed at University of Évora. These events were also used to introduce specific topics, explain them and then to invite discussion with the participants to understand their principal concerns and vision regarding the future. Individual experiences were shared, about the use of photovoltaic systems at home, their experience using batteries to store energy along with questions about funding. In these talks, many participants made clear that energy is a difficult topic and that more capacity building is necessary. The team used this feedback to create new events, either in the format of workshops or citizen-researcher meetings to promote capacity building and define the local AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 33 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. civic roadmap with interventions to improve efficiency in energy use to help create more sustainable citizens. Forest of Dean pilot experience Lydney and Oxenhall Community Drop Ins – November – December 2022. Two community drop ins were run at the start of the project in Lydney and Oxenhall, reaching 50 people - both of these were open to the public and interested residents were asked to provide feedback on Figure 14. AURORA Forest of Dean team speaking and gaining views with residentsUK Pilot. their vision for citizen-led energy projects and the energy transition in the Forest of Dean. At these events, the AURORA Forest of Dean (FoD) team had open discussions with members of the public, encouraged debate and showcased examples of other community energy projects in the UK to inspire residents. These initial meetings were a crucial part of the whole AURORA project as it was the first time that we met key citizens that would later become active members of our energy community. The informal nature of the drop in made it easy for people to engage (without having a long formal meeting that is bound by a start and finish time). This way anyone could come in for a longer period of time and have a chat with the team and other citizens, provide feedback on what is important to them for the development of energy projects in the district. Forest Community Energy meetings – October 2023 – July 2025 Early meetings with our energy community were focussed on progressing WP3 (business model selection, crowdfunding, incorporation of our energy community). The meetings then changed focus to discussing more widely how the energy community and the AURORA FoD team intended to co-design and deliver other aspects of the AURORA project. Our regular meetings then focused on updating the volunteers on the AURORA programme, and discussing the challenges for energy projects in the district and the priorities for the council and the energy community. From January 2025, the meetings shifted focus to planning for after AURORA and supporting the energy community to self-organise. The ongoing monthly meetings are now being facilitated by the energy community members themselves, with support from FoDDC and CSE, and focus on updates and development on AURORA and other replication projects being AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 34 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. progressed by the energy community roadmap as well as details on incorporation and branding for the group. Meetings occasionally bring in guest speakers to focus on a topic - for example, in October 2024, two speakers from Octopus Energy came to discuss their new Electrifying Britain campaign and the role it can have working with community energy, and in June 2025, a speaker from a local renewable energy company came and spoke about a shared ownership opportunity for a large commercial solar farm locally. We are therefore including these as citizen research meetings. There have been seven in person meetings and nine online meetings. Attendance varies by a significant amount with the highest attendance at in person events (ranging from 1720) and lowest at online meetings (ranging from 3-5). Our main lessons from running these meetings is that in person is always more successful, with more people attending. In general, having the ability to have informal networking and food is a hook to get more people to attend. Online meetings are hard to generate interest in, and it’s also difficult to ensure that everyone can come as evening meetings often coincide with members of our energy community’s other commitments such as the Forest Climate Network meetings or parish council/Forest of Dean district council meetings. Figure 16. Forest Community Energy meeting where citizens were split into three discussion tables to discuss: energy advice provision, thermography and retrofit and rooftop solar PV. Forest Community Energy public engagement event – September 2023 This was a public event of workshops and talks about community energy and the AURORA project. It was attended by 40 residents. The event kick started with an introduction and update on the AURORA project from the FoD District Council and included a keynote speech from Janine Michael, a local resident and Deputy Chief Executive from CSE, on the power of community energy. During the event a number of different games and activities were used to focus on different aspects of the energy transition. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 35 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. At this event, attendees were asked to sign up to Forest Community Energy (FCE) if they wanted to continue being involved in the project, and they were also asked to feedback on what they’d like to see FCE achieve in the long-term. Examples included: 1. “Retrofit stories”: this activity got local people to share their stories of retrofitting to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. 2. “Watt’s the Deal”: this was an interactive energy trading boardgame to get people to learn about generating and selling renewable electricity. 3. “Future Energy Landscapes”: this was an activity run by CSE to get local people to start developing a visual map of potential renewable projects in Lydney. Figure 17. Images showing breadth of activities to engage citizens at this event - top left is showing our “retrofit stories” table, top right is showing people playing our energy trading game and bottom is showing a visual map of landscape values to establish where renewables could go in Lydney. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 36 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. A key lesson from this event was that by providing a variety of engaging activities, this was a good hook for getting people interested and talking about different aspects of the energy transition. This event led to the recruitment of a lot of new members to our energy community and was a good opportunity to move away from the less engaging discussions about legal incorporation structures to something more tangible and fun. Training and workshop on delivering energy advice at a community level – January 2024 To support the thermography activities being delivered under WP4, members of the Energy Community took part in a training workshop covering how to deliver energy advice to citizens at a community level. The training and workshop was delivered by the Centre for Sustainable Energy and a talk was provided by a local advice organisation called Severn Wye Energy Agency. Following training, a discussion took place on the challenges and opportunities for households accessing (or not accessing) energy advice locally, and how best to support households to act based on thermographic image results. This training was attended by 5 FCE members. The main takeaway from delivering this is that training is required to ensure that our energy community members are all providing good quality and consistent advice on energy behaviour change to other citizens. It was also the first time that they had encountered Severn Wye Energy Agency - a key player in energy advice provision locally. The connection made between our energy community members and this organisation will be crucial for the ongoing legacy of the energy community’s delivery of energy-related advice events in their communities into the future. Having a more discussion aspect of the training was crucial for understanding the challenges that are unique to households in the Forest of Dean. The WP1 events are summarised in Table 7 below: Dialogue/Debates/Excursions/Co-Creation Date Attendees Lydney and Oxenhall Community Drop Ins (2 events) November and December 2022 50 Forest Community Energy Meetings (16 events) Numbers shown reflect unique individuals to avoid double counting as the same individual will have attended several meetings. October 2023 - July 2025 25 Forest Community Energy Public Engagement event 23/09/2023 40 Basic energy advice and energy efficiency training 15/01/2024 5 Total 120 Table 7. Full list of actions performed by the Forest of Dean. 2.1.3 Summary of know-how acquired and key lessons learnt to support the Ambassador programme Know-hows and key lessons learnt: The various Citizen Researcher Meetings in the 5 AURORA demonstration sites illustrated, there is generally a high willingness among people to participate in actions that support the Climate AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 37 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Pact. We are aware that the people who are actively engaged in these meetings usually have prior bias towards taking actions against climate change. At the same time, they have the biggest potential to become ambassadors for AURORA, if we demonstrate through continuous engagement that the approach in AURORA is a part of the solution to the climate crisis. One of the challenges we have observed from multiple demonstration sites is that the Citizen Researcher Meetings compete with participants’ other engagement, for example, workload of students, participation in other community initiatives. This inevitably hinders the participants’ continuous support or ongoing presence in the activities organised by AURORA, since such activities usually require participation in their free time. It was noted that this could lead to a challenge of getting people to sign up as AURORA ambassadors. A key take-away from this observation is that the activities need to stay rooted in the local community and stay relevant to people, so that they attract citizens’ continuous participation and support. A good example is that the focus of such Citizen Researcher Meetings in Forest of Dean differs from those in the other demonstration sites, which are universities. Keeping the relevance to the status of community development is also important, as noted by the team in Aarhus. Another lesson learnt from these Citizen Researcher Meetings is that these meetings can be held in various formats and styles. Generally, offline informal and fun activities help to engage participants more and are well attended, but sometimes we should ensure online delivery so that people can engage. Certain formats, such as discussions are easier to undertake using offline and online engagement options, compared to events that require hands-on activities. In addition, collaboration with other organisations and existing activities is essential. To avoid confusing people with many simultaneously ongoing activities and to avoid competing with them for citizens’ time and attention, we can try to join activities with existing networks and organisations. Leveraging on the resources in existing networks and other organisations not only saves time and effort for the organisers of similar events but also helps us to reach different audience groups. For example, in Aarhus, the team decided to work with the citizen association, The Common Good, under the Citizen Driven Transition in Aarhus framework, which has an older age group of participants than the student group at the university. Working together allows us to touch upon both groups. Another strategy to attract and engage people in the Citizen Researcher Meetings is incentives or rewards. For example, a give-away of plants or other merchandising products has been shown to work well in the demonstration site in UPM. Nevertheless, we need to be careful about how such incentives can be sustained in the long run. 2.2 Creating AURORA Ambassadors for Sustainable Energy Behaviours through hands-on activities at Individual and Collective level (WP4) 2.2.1 Lessons learnt from Individual and Collective Interventions defined by the communities Monitoring and Awareness. The AURORA Energy Tracker has been available for download since late September 2023 and had its first update on November 22, 2023. As of August, 2025, the project has 1667 users, AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 38 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. across 25 EU Countries and 163,103 individual consumption data point had been entered. The app had also been downloaded by 216 potential international users, illustrating the European and International interest in the app. This achievement is thanks to the communication strategies of the various partners, although there is an uneven distribution of users across different countries. Figure 18. Extract from Web Based Data on AURORA Energy Tracker App Data. This achievement is thanks to the communication strategies of all our partners, although there is an uneven distribution of users across different countries. This is driven by each partner's communication strategy emphasis. For example, while in Aarhus, the main efforts have been dedicated to securing collective funding for the solar installation, in Madrid, while acquiring all the necessary legal permissions for the installation in the primary school, the team focused more on the activities of WP4 to engage and keep the community active. According to interviews and data obtained in the project's early months (D1.2 and Cristobal 2023 3 ), 21% of citizens approached were willing to participate by sharing their data through the application. We also noted an uneven distribution of entered data. While it is ideal for all participants to register complete data on electricity, heating, and transportation, due to the reasons mentioned previously, and given that most participants are students, it is easiest for them to share transportation data, as they often do not have easy access to information from the electricity /heating. Thus, there are 1008 electricity records, 463 heating records, and nearly 161,632 transportation behaviour records. Indeed using the app challenged students to understand what their energy consumption was for their accommodation, something that was not preciously on their radar. The challenges on awareness and education we observed when engaging people with the app? 3 Cristóbal, A.B., Sanz-Cuadrado, C., Zhang, Z. et al. Delving into the modeling and operation of energy communities as epicenters for systemic transformations. Univ Access Inf Soc (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-023-01056-0 AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 39 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. • Citizens face significant challenges accessing and interpreting heating data. Although there is often controversy surrounding electricity bills—particularly regarding the clarity of the terminology and concepts used, making them difficult for the average user to understand—workshops conducted with the AURORA app have shown that tools such as periodic consumption graphs included in the bills, help citizens quickly to identify their regular electricity usage. This allows users to understand the metrics used to measure their consumption, making it easier to respond to calls for reducing energy use. However, the real challenge lies in the fact that many users lack access to their thermal consumption data, which has led to difficulties in certain regions. For instance, users have difficulties identifying the source of district heating or accessing consumption data on a granular level, especially if they live in rented apartments. In such cases, a default district heating value was calculated, but a specific emission factor was applied if information about the energy source was available—though this was rarely the case. In Spain, a different issue related to thermal data emerged. Many users have central heating systems in their apartments, making thermal data inaccessible to them. While most users knew the type of fuel powering their systems (typically natural gas), their invoices only showed their share of the total cost, without providing energy units. This led to confusion about their actual consumption, hesitating whether the number reflected is a combination of energy costs and other associated expenses like maintenance, operation, and insurance. There was significant frustration when they realized that the invoice did not provide any clear information on the actual amount of energy consumed. • Electric heating and electric mobility data are challenging for users. The labelling system is based on the amount of energy consumed by individuals in 2015 for electricity, heating, and mobility, as well as the reductions expected in Europe by 2030 for residential and transport sectors. This means that if the user’s electricity consumption is higher than average due to an electric heating system, it doesn't impact the overall calculation, as the thermal consumption category remains empty. However, this poses a challenge: the application’s ability to provide a detailed label for each category is lost. Even though it is capable of allocating the energy used by electric heating systems within the thermal consumption category, allowing for a more accurate sub-label for each category, people find it difficult to assign the consumption due to their heating systems. The issue arises because electricity bills consolidate all uses of electricity—whether for heating systems or charging an electric vehicle—leading to a significant gap in the average user’s understanding of how much energy these systems consume. Users tend to rely on vague notions such as "my electric heating uses a lot of energy" or "my electric car takes a long time to charge, but I’m not sure how much energy I'm paying for.” One respondent specified that in their house they have three heating systems: electric heating (with PV installation and from the grid), bio-LPG and biomass. Again, this is not a major challenge to the app if the user has proper information on the consumption assigned and provided by each source. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 40 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. A similar challenge occurs when charging electric vehicles at home. To avoid double counting, users—who are now a minority—must decide whether to categorize this consumption under mobility or residential electric consumption, leading to confusion in some situations. Considering these experiences and user feedback, having access to this information would be an excellent educational tool. Technologically, it is just as feasible as asking manufacturers of these systems to include clamp meters connected to a display system, as inverter manufacturers already do to provide real-time information on the production of photovoltaic panels. • There are no major challenges to recording electric consumption for users owning a photovoltaic domestic facility. Building on this previous point, the information systems associated with domestic photovoltaic installations have led us to encounter highly informed users. These individuals understand that the consumption reflected in their electricity bills—which also includes energy exported to the grid—must be combined with the energy they have generated from their systems. This data is readily accessible in real-time and at various intervals through applications provided by their inverter manufacturers. However, the situation is more challenging for those who have invested in shared renewable energy facilities. While the application can incorporate these investments as part of the energy citizenship framework, users generally find it more difficult to locate this information in reports or emails compared to the more immediate and effective management capabilities offered by mobile applications. • Discrepancies between theoretical transportation calculations and real data. Regarding passenger transport, users were able to select the vehicle they used and the number of kilometres; for the UK users, miles were available. Different transport choices were observed since the main results show that most users use fuel cars as their main transport choice, but other users combine public and private transport using more public vehicles than private ones. Other users also combine private and public transportation means such as fuel cars and trains, or buses, bikes and trains, or walking and biking. Respondents were able to note anything they found interesting or missing from the calculator, but some comments were not registered. One user observed that the calculated energy consumption for the electric vehicle was nearly double the actual electricity reported by the vehicle. This discrepancy underscores the trade-off involved in simplifying methodologies to enhance user engagement by requiring a minimal set of inputs rather than a comprehensive list of inquiries. The AURORA calculator currently accounts for factors such as occupancy, fuel type, and consumption for various vehicles, including motorcycles, cars, and buses. However, it is crucial to recognize that compact cars consume significantly less energy than full-size cars, and older vehicles are often less fuel-efficient than newer models. Additionally, driving behaviours and the type of route—urban versus highway—can greatly impact a vehicle’s actual fuel consumption. For electric vehicles, external factors like temperature also play a critical role in influencing energy usage. With our primary goal of translating actual consumption data into an informative label rather than building a flawless energy and CO2 calculator, the application offers flexibility. It provides AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 41 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. an option for users who may struggle to obtain precise data, while also allowing those with accurate information to input their real electricity or fuel usage for daily trips. • Public transport fuelling should be better informed. Some users have experienced challenges in identifying the type of fuel used for public transportation. In cities where public buses are powered by a range of technologies, this variety can lead to confusion and uncertainty, causing users to hesitate when entering fuel-related data. • Automatic data entrance Some users pointed out that while they find the information system developed to be innovative, different, and useful, maintaining the commitment to regularly input data is a barrier. In some cases, they mentioned that they are not the primary holders of the electricity or heating bills and must rely on third parties to obtain the necessary data. Others expressed that manually entering data is a time-consuming task they simply don’t have the capacity for, especially when it comes to tracking all their consumption. Data management and privacy challenges should not be underestimated, especially when considering the implementation of a system like the one suggested by users, which would need to integrate data from hundreds of energy providers across Europe, or involve tech giants who, in some cases, are the only entities with concrete and detailed information about citizens' travel habits. To address these concerns and minimize user time spent on the app, the strategy implemented allows for a recurring consumption system. This feature at least eliminates the need for users to input daily travel data manually. In the coming months, we will continue to promote the app as we seek to scale up the AURORA approach through our work with the AURORA led global working group on citizen science and climate change mitigation. We firmly believe that the AURORA approach and the AURORA app will become an essential part of the 3-4 methods that will be proposed to develop a European/Global scale citizen science project on climate change mitigation. We have made provision for the AURORA app to remain live for at least 18 months beyond the project completion date of 30th November 2025, whilst we seek further strategic partners and funding to grow a global citizen science project on climate change mitigation. The communication campaign has already expanded beyond the campuses to reach citizens who can provide a more homogeneous consumption profile. However, we will continue our campaigns on campus to raise awareness, even if it is more subjective, due to the lack of access to some data by the community. Similarly, now that , Aarhus, UPM, and Ljubljana, are operational, we believe this will support efforts to mobilize their communities and lead to increased use of the application. The app is now linked to the production profiles through the Webapp and it is possible to see daily power outputs from Aarhus University, and Ljubljana University . This work has been completed by our partner QPV and the two pilots. The same arrangement will follow with the Palomeras Cultural Centre School Madrid when construction work (which is underway) is finished in August 2025 and the solar installation is commissioned in September 2025. That will leave only the Forest of Dean to complete AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 48 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. hand-out to the students before the workshop and 3 workshop facilitators provided on-site assistance during the workshop. Students collaborated with each other to solder and assemble solar panels. They were also given multi-meters to measure the working voltage and current of the assembled solar panel at the end of the workshop. Figures 22. Solar Cell Assembly – Aarhus University Pilot. Ljubljana pilot experience In Ljubljana we have organized several workshops of different kinds. • Workshops: Track your energy consumption for a month This workshop was designed as one of the compulsory lab courses at two courses in the undergraduate study programme. Students were introduced climate change, a description of the Aurora project, with emphasis on individual action, followed by a guide on how to install and use the Aurora Energy tracker app. The main focus of the lab course for students was to track their own consumption for one month and then provide feedback. The feedback was both on their own consumption, observations and actions that they are going to take, as well as on the user experience of the app. The feedback on user experience was used to improve the app. This workshop was carried out as Citizen Research Meeting on the presentation of AURORA app (6 November 2023, 23 November 2023, 25 November 2024). Some students continued to track their consumption and also participated in monthly prize draws for App users. • Excursions to renewable electro-energetic facilities around Slovenia The excursions were organized to various electro-energy facilities around Slovenia, extended by visits to larger companies that are potential employers of the students, while the time on the bus was spent explaining the rationale of the Aurora project, the Aurora Energy tracker app, its installation and its use. Several excursions were organized under the “brand name” of ŠEK Excursion: • ŠEK Excursion - Zlatoličje (1 October 2024) o Hydro power plant Zlatoličje and 2,5 MW PV power plant as its fourth production generator AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 49 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. • PV&EC Winter School Excursion (30 January 2025) o 3 MW PV power plant Prapretno • ŠEK Excursion - West (22 May 2025) o Largest EU PV module producer Bisol and home appliance produced Gorenje/Hisense • ŠEK Excursion - East (26 May 2025). 14 people o Pumper hydro storage facility Avče and Kolektor holding Figure 23. Examples of Ljubljana University Excursions and Workshops. • Thermography workshop Thermography workshops were organized in winter-time, when buildings can be most effectively checked for bad practices in thermal insulation. A walk was organized around the part of Ljubljana and public buildings were inspected by thermal cameras. This is a powerful way to illustrate how energy is being wasted. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 50 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Figure 24. Ljubljana Thermography Workshop – Ljubljana University Pilot. • Wattoteka & Termoteka instrument borrowing service Wattoteka and thermoteka workshops were inspired by the interest in thermography workshop shown by the students. The workshops arranged an instrument borrowing services for the students. Students could borrow a thermal camera (Thermoteka) or energy meter (Wattoteka) and take it home to inspect their accommodation for thermal leakage and to inspect the energy consumption of their electricity appliances. This again supports efforts to reduce energy consumption and carbon footprints. Technical University of Madrid pilot experience All UPM workshops listed below were included as part of extra-curricular activities, awarding 0.5 European credits to students who attended and completed all required tasks. Although this required a bureaucratic process within the schools, student attendance was fostered with this extra motivation. • Workshop: Build Your Energy Sensor with Arduino In this workshop, students constructed temperature and luminosity sensors using Arduino boards over a period of 6 hours (Figure 14). The construction of an energy consumption meter was discarded to avoid risks during the subsequent experimentation phase. This approach combined learning programming skills with Arduino and gaining knowledge about energyrelated matters. After the workshop, students took home the sensors and monitored and collected data for a week. They then filled out a form designed to help them reflect on their heating and lighting habits. Subsequently, the students gathered for another discussion session where they shared the individual reflections they had reached. The entire sensor fabrication AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 51 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. process is publicly accessible (Zuñiga 2023 4 ; UPM 2023 5 ). In total, three workshops were organized ( 18th April 2024, 29th September 24, 16th November 24) with 147 participants. The second one, matched with the European Researchers Night Event and attendance came mainly from outside the Campus. In one of them, we had the honour of hosting the Education Counsellor of the. Figure 25. Various moments from the Arduino workshops – Madrid Pilot. Community of Madrid and the UPM Rector The interest evoked by policymakers in our region and the Rector propelled AURORA into the spotlight, culminating in a high-profile interview on the National Television Channel during prime time (TVE1) with current viewing figures of over 1 million people. The interview, strategically positioned during peak viewership hours, served as a pivotal platform to disseminate our initiatives and underscore the significance of our endeavours to a broad national audience. This exposure not only amplifies our visibility but also solidifies our position as frontrunners in our field, showcasing our commitment to driving impactful change. For those seeking further insight, details can be accessed here: https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0ccfdWFGlBqsbZvIvM7tl0Rzg#NAHT1215 . Such media coverage not only elevated our profile but also fosters dialogue and engagement with diverse stakeholders, fostering a dynamic discourse surrounding our initiatives. Furthermore, our reach extended beyond television, as evidenced by a live radio interview broadcasted during the morning news summary at 8:00 am on a prominent national channel, Cadena Ser. (https://cadenaser.com/audio/1695968191_6526/) at 8’30”. This radio channel typically reaches over 4 million people. This additional exposure underscores the widespread recognition and relevance of our endeavours, affirming our status as thought leaders within our domain. As we continue to navigate the evolving landscape of policymaking and societal engagement, leveraging such opportunities for public discourse and dissemination remains paramount. 4 Zuñiga Carrillo, H.R. Cristobal Lopez, A.B., Lorenzo-Navarro, C. (2023). Code and files for building a energy awareness sensor workshop. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7944408 5 UPM. You Tube Channel: Build your energy sensor. https://youtu.be/KQTjjz1AwQg?si=2CqD5xRdcMYMoJjh AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 52 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Through strategic media engagements, we can fortify our position as catalysts for change, driving forward our collective vision for a more equitable and sustainable future. • Workshop: Build Your USB Charger for Bicycles In this workshop, participants constructed a Universal Serial Bus (USB) charger for bicycles. The learning in this workshop combined the subject matter of basic electronics and soldering with new concepts about energy, its conversion, and reuse (Figure 15). This workshop required a time commitment of 6 hours from the participants. A total of 10 people participated in this workshop. Figure 26. Workshops on building a USB chargerMadrid Pilot. • Workshop: Build Your Solar Bug (kids) + Energy Transition Session (adults) We have focused on bringing this hands-on education to a younger audience. To achieve this, a workshop was designed where children were taught the principles of renewable energy and then each of them built their own "solar bug." In total, 21 children participated in the workshop, accompanied by 19 adults. The workshop was structured like a playroom, so while the children were engaged in the activity, the adults enjoyed an informational session on the "Energy Crisis and Climate Change." Later, they went up to the campus terraces where they were shown the photovoltaic installations, including the oldest bifacial solar panel facility worldwide, sparking a rich debate where doubts and curiosities arose among the attendees. Figure 27. Workshop on solar bugs and the activity for adults – Madrid Pilot. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 53 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. • Workshop: Training on Domestic Solar PV Energy This activity took place between September 24 to May 2025(Task 4.2.3). It built on the momentum from earlier hands on activities for students and requests to repeat the workshops. In these workshop, participants build a photovoltaic panel from scratch and evaluated its operation. The learning in this workshop combined knowledge on basic electronics concepts, such as soldering, and semiconductor materials, along with new concepts about renewable energy. The workshop required a time investment of 10 hours to complete and involved 18 participants (figure 17). It was repeated in RP3 with a further 15 people taking part. Figure 28. Workshop on photovoltaic module constructionMadrid Pilot. Évora pilot experience • Solar cooking workshop: build your own solar cooker (25/06/2023) On June 25, 2023, the Sustainable Action Group of Project AURORA hosted a solar cooking workshop, providing participants with the unique opportunity to build their own solar ovens. The event, held in cooperation with the “Circles of Transformation Association” and the Évora Municipal Council, aimed to promote sustainable practices and raise awareness about the power of solar energy in culinary pursuits. The workshop attracted a diverse range of participants, and under the expert guidance of the Sustainable Action Group facilitators, they were led through the process of constructing their own solar ovens. Throughout the event, participants gained practical knowledge regarding solar cooking technology and were encouraged to reflect on the positive impact that sustainable practices can have on the environment and local communities. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 54 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Figure 29. Solar cooking workshop – Évora Pilo.t • Espressif32 (ESP32) Microcontroller Workshops The ESP32 Microcontroller workshop was held in 3 separate courses. The first course was split into 3 different sessions/days and was held internally with the students and Researchers of the Renewable Energies Chair as an internal run to assess the accessibility of the contents and the time the participants would take to realise all the exercises. The 3 sessions engaged 20 individual participants who provided feedback on the contents and highlighted what could be improved. The 3 sessions were held on the 4th, 8th and 30th of January 2024. All participants received an electronics kit as part of their participation to allow them to further learn and develop their solutions upon receiving basic training during the workshops. In April 2024, the AURORA team held 2 separate courses, with 2 sessions each, for the members of the University of Évora and had the participation of students, researchers and professors at the University of Évora with a great demonstration of interest from the participants. One course took place during the afternoon of the 15th and 22nd of April 2024 and the other session took place during the afternoon of the 16th and 23rd of April 2024. In total, both courses had participation from 30 people. The course was repeated on the 13th and 20th of May 2025. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 55 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Figure 30. ESP32 workshop and electronics kit offered to the participants – Évora Pilot. • Workshop Do-it-Together In partnership with the SEYN, a workshop on the construction of small solar energy equipment was held on the 7,8 and 9th of June 2024. During this do-it-together workshop, equipment such as a solar dehydrator and sound system powered by the sun was constructed. Figure 31. Announcement of the event – Workshop Doing It Together – Évora Pilot. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 56 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Figure 32. Photographs Workshop Do-it-Together – Évora Pilot. • Thermophotography Workshops In collaboration with the EU GREEN ALLIANCE, three thermophotography workshops were held. The several sessions took place on February 25th, March 11th and April 1st 2025, bringing together participants interested in exploring tools to promote energy efficiency. These hands-on sessions focused on the use of thermography as a tool to diagnose issues related to heat loss in buildings. Participants had the opportunity to use thermographic cameras connected to smartphones to identify heat loss, air leaks, and insulation failures, contributing to the optimization of energy consumption. This approach aims to empower citizens to make informed decisions that promote more efficient, comfortable, and sustainable buildings. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 57 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Figure 33. Thermophotography Workshops – Évora Pilot. Forest of Dean pilot experience • Thermography demonstration event – December 2023 Following an initial introductory talk (at a citizen research meeting – referred to in 2.1), an energy advice organisation called Cwm Arian Renewable Energy were invited to the Sling & District Recreation Club (a community centre in the Forest of Dean) in December 2023 to run a hands-on demonstration event for Forest Community Energy (FCE) and interested local community members to learn how thermography works. Thermographic cameras were used in the community centre to identify where heat was being lost through the fabric of the building. This was a successful event, attended by 12 people. The results of the survey were used by the community centre to develop a ‘Building Energy Sustainability Plan’ and apply for grant funding to pay for double glazed windows. Following this event, and an energy advice training workshop (referred to in 2.1), the FCE members were then involved in running a thermographic camera loan service. The cameras were loaned out from the community centre (the Sling & District Recreation Club) with information and resources to around 10 local people to use in their own homes. As well as the community centre itself, thermography was then used by 10 local people on their own homes. The camera models that were used in this scheme were the Flir One Edge Pro and the Flir C3-X. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 64 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Figure 39. Winners of the thermal photography contests – Aarhus Pilot. • AURORA Power Challenge (Feb 2025 to April 2025) Joining the AURORA Power Challenge activities at the other demonstration site (e.g. Ljubljana and Evora), a challenge was hosted in Aarhus to promote the use of the AURORA Energy Tracker App. Participants were encouraged to submit their entries in the AURORA Energy Tracker app to enter a weekly draw of prize (detailed information about the challenge can be found on the AURORA website). Considerable effort was invested in promoting the challenge, including displaying information on building entrance screens, putting up posters, and running campaigns on social media. However, despite these efforts, participation remained low. The number of app users increased only slightly during the campaign period, from 54 to 69. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 65 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Figure 40. AURORA Power Challenge in Aarhus Pilot. Ljubljana pilot experiences • HACKATHONS Hackathon 1.0: Solar energy held on 19 April 2023. This event was, organised by the AURORA Energy Community, named the Student Energy Club ŠEK, in cooperation with the renominated EESTEC (Electrical Engineering Students’ European Association). The competition included several challenges prepared by three laboratories of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering: the Laboratory of Electrical Networks and Installations (LEON), the Laboratory of Energy Strategies (LEST), and the Laboratory of Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics (LPVO). The event attracted 36 students (twelve teams of 3 students) who competed to create innovative solutions in the field of solar energy. Each group was faced with tasks stemming from these areas. The competitors had to demonstrate their knowledge, innovation and ability to work as a team. After the competition, the teams presented their projects and ideas, which was an important part of the evaluation. The presentations were an opportunity for the students to showcase their achievements and explain how they tackled the challenges. The whole event, including the presentations, went on into the evening. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 66 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Figure 41. Ljubljana University – Hackathon – Ljubljana University Pilot. Hackathon 2.0: Green Energy Transition of Slovenia (13/12/2023 and 14/12/2023); In the following academic year, when a new generation of students joined us, we repeated the very successful Hackathon. Once again, it was organised jointly with EESTEC (Electrical Engineering Students' European association) and with the professional support of the three laboratories of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering: the Laboratory of Electrical Networks and Installations (LEON), the Laboratory of Energy Strategies (LEST) and the Laboratory of Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics (LPVO). Compared to April, interest in the hackathon had grown. Again 36 students took part (12 teams of 3 students). The April hackathon was a full-day event, but the December event took place over two days. One day was dedicated to presenting the challenges and solving them. The second day was used to present the solutions developed by each student group. This was followed by the meeting of the evaluation committee, the announcement of the winning groups and the award ceremony in the main foyer of the Faculty. • Photo competition FotOVE Two cycles of photocompetition of renewable energy sources photography as well as thermography was organized twice. These contests were inspired by the Thermography Workshop and Thermoteka and Watoteka borrowing services. • Cycle A finished on 18 January 2025 • Cycle B finished on 12 May 2025 • Doughnut draws for Aurora Energy Tracker app users In order to constantly engage with students, to draw general attention and finally to popularize the Aurora Energy Tracker app we created two sessions of monthly doughnut six-pack draws for the users of the app. The users had to apply for the draw. We made a draw at interesting locations around, on and in the faculty to create an engaging social media video. We have held two 6-month sessions: • Cycle 2023-2024 AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 67 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. • Cycle 2024-2025 Madrid pilot experience • Thermophotography Contest The comprehensive information about this activity, which has contributed to the creation of civic local roadmaps, can be found in D4.1. Here, we solely focus on detailing the actions taken by UPM. UPM opted to leverage thermography as a contest to raise individual awareness about energy efficiency among citizens, allowing them to scan whatever they desired. Additionally, another co-creation activity was designed: a painting exhibition and expression panel - carbonsequestration gameaimed at gathering inputs for the civic local roadmaps. This is why we only report the UPM “thermophotography” action here. The objective of this activity, which involved 22 participants, in two sessions, was to introduce the participants to the concepts of energy efficiency. For this purpose, thermal cameras with USB-C connection for mobile phones were purchased. Participants received an informational session on thermography and camera usage and were invited to scan their surroundings with them. Participants were required to submit a photograph that had allowed them to learn something they didn't know. Figure 42. Explanation session during the thermography contest – Madrid Pilot. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 68 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. After that, UPM organized a mini exhibition where the five best images obtained were displayed in the main corridor of the school for three weeks. Winners of the contests received a basket of local bio-products. The action was repeated in February 2025 engaging with 20 new participants. Figure 43. Competition Finalists and winners - Madrid Pilot. • Best bachelor’s Thesis Award The Madrid team decided to collaborate with other companies such as Vodafone, Cruz Roja España, SAT, the European project EELISA, and the non-governmental organization Engineers without Borders (ONGAWA), to give recognition to the best bachelor’s thesis defended the previous year, that contributed to reducing environmental impact. This event took place during the graduation ceremony of the cohort and was presented by the UPM Rector. The aim of the event was to incentivize and encourage future students to focus their work on sustainable actions and to encourage professors to offer thesis related to such a topic. The awarded thesis was: “Deployment in a real UPMGo environment: Shared Travel System 6 ” by Yamel Fonseca García. 23 people presented their thesis for the award. Figure 44. Pictures of the contest for the best bachelor thesis – Madrid Pilot. In the academic course 2023/2024 we repeated the experience with greater participation. 32 theses were submitted, with Alejandra Barco Blanca winning for her work titled ‘Energy Analysis and Monitoring of Java MVC Applications Support with PowerAPI’ 6 https://oa.upm.es/76007/ AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 69 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Évora pilot experience • “Energy: Focus on Just Transition” Photo Contest In partnership with SEYN, a photography contest was held until the 31st of July 2024, in which participants were invited to submit photographs representing their vision of a fair energy transition. In October 2024, the University of Évora and SEYN hosted a Good Energy Party at the University of Évora, where the winner was announced and the 10 best photographs were exhibited. Figure 45. Announcement of the event – Focus on the Just Transition – Évora Pilot. • AURORA Power Challenge The AURORA Power Challenge was launched as a monthly contest to encourage the use of the AURORA Energy Tracker app. Participants were invited to track their energy consumption at least three times per month and submit their usage data to enter the prize draw. For every seven valid entries, one winner was selected to receive a surprise gift along with an official University of Évora sweatshirt. The initiative aimed to promote energy efficiency through technology, rewarding users for adopting more sustainable habits. Figure 46. Event announcement and June winner of the Power Challenge – Évora Pilot. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 70 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. • Thermophotography Contest A Thermography Contest was organized and ran until the end of May 2025. The initiative aimed to highlight creativity and innovation in capturing thermographic images, showcasing thermal differences made visible through specific cameras. The contest allowed participants to borrow a thermal camera for up to three days. Each participant could submit one original, unedited photograph that preserved the thermal reading. Submissions were evaluated by a panel of experts in energy and communication, and the winner was announced on June 12, 2025. Prizes included a basket of sustainable products for first place and a University of Évora product kit for second place. All participants received a certificate of participation. The contest promoted awareness of energy efficiency while encouraging the creative use of thermographic technology in support of sustainability. Figure 47. Thermophotographies awarded first and second place – Évora Pilot. Forest of Dean pilot experiences • Rural Climathon webinar and workshop – April 2024. In April, AURORA FOD took part in a “Rural Climathon” organised by the Forest of Dean District Council. This took place over two events: one webinar and an in-person stakeholder workshop. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 71 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. The events focused on developing locally appropriate solutions for decarbonising electricity and heat at scale in the district. The team presented the AURORA project, successes and challenges in the webinar and attended the in-person event where challenges and opportunities were discussed with key stakeholders. The event was attended by 40 people (33 of which attended the initial webinar as well). Several FCE members attended as well as important enablers and stakeholders in the Forest of Dean. The outputs of this event have feature in our roadmap and will be referred to in D4.1. Figure 48. “Rural Climathon Playbook Process Model”used in the Forest of Dean. Credit: Countryside and Community Research Institute. UK Pilot. OTHER ACTIONS Aarhus pilot experience • Lecture about energy, 21st February 2023 The lecture was held at Aarhus HF & VUC, which is a local high school in Aarhus. The lecture focused mainly on energy transition and renewable energy. About 120 students attended the lecture. • Presentation and discussion with high school students at Citizen Science seminar, 1st March 2023 and 16th April 2024 For 2 years in a row, we were invited to present project AURORA as a case study of citizen science projects, where we interacted with high school students and invited them to participate in the project in different ways, for example: AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 72 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. • participating in the survey to understand barriers and opportunities of energy communities; • joining the solar cooperative; or • testing the AURORA App. During these seminars, we first introduced the benefits of rooftop photovoltaic installations compared to ground mounted photovoltaic installations, despite higher cost. We then explained what energy communities are and demonstrated how citizens, especially the young generation, could contribute to the green transition. The first seminar in 2023 had 120 participants, and the seminar held in 2024 had 90 participants. Figure 49.Interacting with High School Students – Aarhus Pilot. 2.2.2. Summary of know-how acquired and key lessons to support the Ambassador Programme These two activities present project AURORA with a cohort of people that can in effect become local ambassadors The hands-on activities reported through this deliverable D4.2 confirm that education, through technology workshops, competitions, and co-creation activities with the community, will yield potential local ambassadors. Students, academic staff, support staff and citizens are drawn to and clearly enjoy such practical opportunities to learn through doing. At a time when social cohesion and social sustainability are critical to tackling environmental sustainability they are an important way to mobilise support from climate mitigation actions that are at the heart of the AURORA project. Throughout the implementation of these activities, several critical aspects have been identified that influence the effectiveness and impact of this approach. Preference for In-Person Workshops It is clear that after the traumatic influence of Covid19 communities have a clear preference for in-person workshops over online ones. Participants value face-to-face interaction, the opportunity to ask real-time questions, and the ability to collaborate directly with other attendees and facilitators. The need to rebuild community bonds and community cohesiveness is clear. This preference highlights the importance of considering the human and social components in the design of educational programs. In-person sessions not only facilitate a better understanding of the topics covered but also foster a more dynamic and engaging learning environment. This is therefore one of the best ways to engage with and convert citizens from merely participating in project AURORA events, to becoming enthusiastic AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 73 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. champions for the project and the concept that citizens can make a difference to tackling climate change. Challenges in Maintaining Engagement Any citizen science project has to tackle the issue of maintaining and fostering a long term engagement with the project. Today there is great competition for people’s time. This issue is particularly pronounced among students and professionals who must balance their academic or work commitments with extracurricular activities. To address this challenge, offering concrete incentives has proved an effective method to maintain engagement. For students, the inclusion of tangible rewards, such as ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits, has significantly increased participation and commitment. These credits not only motivate students to participate but also officially recognize their efforts and contribute to their academic progress. Additionally, we have successfully engaged with a broader audience through well-known public events such as Science Fairs and National Events, including the European Researchers' Night. By offering our activities as part of these events, promotion becomes easier, and we have been able to boost engagement significantly. Tapping into existing well-supported events and their associated social networks is therefore an obvious way to interest citizens to become AURORA ambassadors. Once initial links are established with citizens, project AURORA will only be able to maintain long-term relationships with those who agree to become our ambassadors if we continue to provide them with tangible benefits that can be used in everyday life. They will then be able to effectively communicate their findings within their local environments and strengthen our overall programme. This is where the learning through doing approach will be enhanced by ensuring our ambassadors also benefit from the community energy schemes we set up and we can demonstrate that the personalised guidance and advice that is provided via the AURORA Energy Tracking app delivers tangible benefits. This requires the development and implementation of effective strategies tailored to our local communities that can be copied and used by similar communities across the EU. Establishing these strategies is essential for sustaining engagement and maximizing the impact of our initiatives. Community Partnerships for Dissemination Developing alliances from within the community is crucial for the effective dissemination of workshops and activities. Local community members, including community leaders, educators, and local organizations, play a vital role in promoting and spreading the project's activities. These people are our natural local ambassadors. These allies not only have a better understanding of local dynamics and needs but also hold the trust and respect of the community, facilitating greater participation and engagement. Collaboration with these key actors expands the project's reach and ensures a deeper and more meaningful connection with participants. Moreover, we have learned that effective communication and a well-planned outreach strategy are essential for the project's success. It is vital to use multiple communication channels to reach a diverse audience and ensure potential participants are well informed about the AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 80 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. While individual actions have a small impact, they are important in increasing collective awareness of the problem - Prof Hiroyuki Enomoto, at Japan’s National Institute of Polar Research. Project AURORA takes a more optimistic view, highlighting that up to 30% of carbon emissions can be tackled by citizens. That between 10-15% of citizens can be encouraged to take part in citizen science programmes and that to ignore this cohort of people in climate change programmes makes no sense. The ambassador programme we have established is designed to encourage more people to take the view that citizens can accelerate the energy transition. We believe that if 10-15% of the European population can be encouraged to take up the AURORA approach some 50 – 75 million people could not be ignored. Citizens will only become engaged in such a programme if they can see real economic advantage from so doing and real benefits for the climate. The AURORA pilots are giving a glimpse of how that can be achieved and the ambassador programme is designed to get that message out to a wider community who want to accelerate change in the face of the daunting evidence of the impact of climate change that is now emerging. In the summer of 2025, we have been presented with crystal clear evidence why Europe needs to change, and needs to change fast, if the worst effects of climate change are to be avoided, right across the continent. We can no longer wait for others to change; we need to convince people that they need to change. The AURORA ambassador program, linked to the global Citizen Science community, and to the European programs the EU Climate Pact and Education4Climate can make a difference and set in motion Citizen Science programs at scale that can tackle climate change mitigation. 3.4 Creating an Open Call for External Ambassadors 3.4.1 Identifying Potential Target Groups. In setting out our approach to recruiting AURORA Ambassadors we identified the following external target groups to expand our influence beyond the 5 pilot areas and secure influential supporters willing to promote the AURORA approach: · University communities – Senior staff, student leaders and senior administrators · Municipal authorities – Senior local authority staff, politicians and leading community members; · Leaders in the European citizen science community; · Leading National and European policy makers and politicians; AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 81 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. · Leaders in the global citizen science community including representatives from the Australian, African, American, Asian and Ibero American Communities; · Leaders within the UN Community promoting global Open Science and Citizen Science policy approaches We agreed our first priority was to reach out to the main trade bodies representing the European universities and municipalities, to seek their support in recruiting ambassadors to promote the AURORA approach. Our aim was and remains to encourage the uptake of the AURORA approach across the 5000 universities and the 140,000 municipalities that exist in Europe. Linked to this effort a second aim remains to expand from the European to the international academic and municipality arena and secure ambassadors from this wider group. Organisations identified as critical to this approach included the: · European University Association (EUA) representing 870 Universities and national rectors conferences in 49 European Countries; · Global University Associations Forum (GUAF) · Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) representing 60 member associations in 40 countries; · The EU Mission: Climate-Neutral & Smart Cities and the Net Zero Cities programme; · C40 Cities, representing nearly 100 cities worldwide; and · Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy representing 13,371 cities with a population of 1.2 billion people. Project AURORA set out to secure ambassadors through these organisations. Preliminary discussion were held with the EUA and the CEMR and joint activities took place with the Net Zero Cities Programme and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. Special provision was made to allow citizen scientists to attend the UNEA 6 Global Cities and Regions Summit where we started to build a working relationship with Andy Deacon, the Co-Managing Director for the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM). At the Global Cities and Regions Summit an intervention was offered and taken to illustrate how citizen science can support the work of GCoM and in particular how the approach adopted by project AURORA could be used in cities across the world. In Europe we set out to work with Thomas Osdoba, Programme Director NetZeroCities EU and Senior Advisor, Climate KIC, and his colleagues to see how project AURORA can support their work. We also reached out to Pedro Bizarro Project Officer Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy and part of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 82 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. The second priority we set was to secure ambassadors from the European and global citizen science community who will be able to promote and replicate the AURORA approach. Organisations critical to this approach were identified as the: · European Citizen Science Association (ECSA); · Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences (AAPS) · CitSci Asia · CitSci Africa · RICAP · Australian Citizen Science Association (ACSA) · Citizen Science Global Partnership (CSGP) The Citizen Science Associations are promoting citizen science in their regions and building relationships with the Science Community, National and International organisations. ECSA in particular operates EU Citizen Science a developing Citizen Science Platform for Europe and distributes nearly 2,300 copies of its monthly newsletter. It has 6,000 followers on Twitter (X), 3,000 followers on FaceBook and 2,300 followers on LinkedIn. Project AURORA has already been highlighted in the ECSA Newsletter and a taster was included about the AURORA ambassador programme in the May Newsletter which has generated a response. AURORA was also highlighted at the last two ECSA conferences in Berlin and Vienna. We have a strong and growing relationship with ECSA which is being exploited to secure ambassadors from the European citizen science community and to gain their support for our international activities. The other key organisation is the CSGP. Through the CSGP AURORA has been highlighted at side events as part of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 6) held by the UN NGO Major Groups, Major Group on Science and Technology and the United Nations Science Policy Business Forum (UNSPBF). Through the CSGP potential ambassadors were approached who are leaders in the Regional Citizen Science Associations. The Third Priority was to secure ambassadors from within the European Union Climate Pact and across the political spectrum of the European Parliament. Project AURORA remains one of the 48 EU Climate Pact Partners, and continues to take part in Climate Pact events, and has run webinars for the EU Climate Pact Partners and Ambassadors on the AURORA programme. We set out to secure ambassadors for the project from within this community. We have also built up a dialogue with the National EU Climate Pact Coordinators and have now organised joint events with them on the AURORA project, not only linked to our pilot areas but also in Ireland where we are forging a relationship with the National Team and with the University College Dublin. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 83 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. We identified great potential to secure AURORA ambassadors from within the EU Environment Committee, across the political spectrum, and opened discussions with Esther Herranz Garcia, Vice Chair of the European Parliament on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) with the aim to secure a meeting for Parliamentarians on the GDSO developed Policy Paper on Citizen Science and EU Regulations – A New Approach. As part of this idea we also proposed to focus on ambassadors from within the Nation Member States where the current pilots are running in order to secure their support. Finally the fourth priority we set was ambassadors from within the international community and in particular organisations connected within the United Nations. Through the CSGP connections, project AURORA has links to the UN Major Groups Science and Technology Major Group, and the United Nations Science Policy Business Forum (UNSPBF). Project AURORA aimed to seek ambassadors from within these organisations able to promote the project within the international community. As referenced earlier project AURORA is one of only 9 climate change citizen science programmes referenced by the Stockholm Environment Institute research paper, about how citizen science can be used to tackle climate change mitigation. As such we remain well placed to secure international ambassadors prepared to promote the project and to link to some of the largest commercial interests on the planet who are members of the UNSPBF. WP5 leader Martin Brocklehurst has worked closely with Dr Mohamed Abdelraouf (Gulf Research Centre) and Stephen Stec (Democracy Institute), the Co-Chairs of the Science and Technology Major Group for several years. Since 2017 he has also advised Shereen Zorba, Head of the Global Secretariat and part of the Science Policy & Knowledge Network at UNEP, on the developing opportunities for citizen science to support UN Programmes. Most recently he acted as Senior Rapporteur at the UNSPBF Event – Towards A Big Data Revolution for the Planet From Uncertainty to Opportunity and took a key role in the drafting of what will be known as the Frascati principles on environmental data as we outlined earlier. Details from this meeting will influence the Global Environmental Data Strategy (GEDS) being developed by UNEP, that will be reported to UNEA7 in December 2025, where support from member states will be critical to its ongoing implementation. Both at the meeting and subsequently commenting on the GEDS he has made a strong representation for the inclusion of Citizen Science data as now an emerging major influence on the provision of data on the three great AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 84 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. environmental challenges of our time, biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change. Figure 51. Flyer for UNSPBF Big Data – Experts Meeting Italy – Frascati. Strong links are also being developed with the UNEP Chief Scientist Dr Andrea Hinwood, and with senior staff in UNEP and a case is being made for the inclusion of citizen science as a new and critical implementation method to track the implementation of international environmental agreements (multilateral environmental agreementsMEAs), at a time when many member states are struggling to provide the data required. Project AURORA set out to get support from within these groupings able to promote the project within the international community. We also saw great opportunity to secure international ambassadors prepared to promote the project and to link to some of the largest commercial interests on the planet through the membership of UNSPBF. We have since set out a work programme to support our longer term aspirations to develop global citizen science programmes tackling climate change mitigation. Again details of this work were outlined earlier. 3.4.2 Developing a supporting structure for the AURORA Ambassador Programme Critical to the success of the AURORA Ambassador Programme was the establishment of supporting structures and documentation that can be used to recruit and retain ambassadors. The following steps were taken to identify what was required and to develop these materials: • agreement with all AURORA partners on the approach to be adopted for the recruitment of ambassadors, including: o how to apportion the recruitment process to ensure a good cross section of ambassadors is secured; o the different types of ambassadors we were seeking to recruit; and o the supporting materials that would be required to recruit ambassadors; • the establishment of a Google drive where potential ambassadors could be listed and progress tracked in their recruitment, to avoid multiple approaches to the same individual; AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 85 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. • review of a sample of existing citizen science programmes that have developed an open call for ambassadors; • agreement to share, use and modify existing documentation such that it can be applied to the AURORA programme (applying the UNESCO open science principles); • the development of: o a Guide for Applicants (Appendix 1); o an application form to become an AURORA ambassador (Appendix 2); o a short “Flyer” for distribution to interested parties (Appendix 3); and o a press release to announce the programme (Appendix 4); • modifications to the AURORA Website to create a section for ambassadors that contains details on: o the Open Call for ambassador, with associated guidance documents applications forms etc; o our ambassadors where details about the AURORA ambassadors can be listed . 3.4.3 Launch of the AURORA Ambassador Programme and Associated Publicity Details about the launch of the AURORA Ambassador Programme were carried in the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) May 2024 Newsletter. Figure 52. ECSA Newsletter Article – Call for Ambassadors. The AURORA Ambassador Programme was finally launched on the 14th May 2024 with the new section about the programme added to the AURORA Website containing all the details, with links to key documents and application forms. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 86 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. INSCICO launched the central press release at the same time, and in the UK copies were circulated to all media outlets at local, regional and national levels The press release and “flyer” were also shared across the AURORA social media channels. In addition details were shared with the 300 European Citizen Science Association Members and the following LinkedIn Social media channels: Figure 53. 1st Group -Social Media Groups where calls for Ambassadors were made. • EHS Professionals – 237,000 Members; (Active Membership Group); • Renewable Energy Experts – 278,600 Members; (Active Membership Group); • Sustainability Green Tech – 213,200 Members; (Private listed for group members); • European Climate Pact Ambassadors – 719 Members (Private listed for group members); • Royal Society of Arts (RSA) – 5,000 Members (Private listed for group members); and • Citizen Science – Climate Change Group – 145 Members (Public Group). Details were therefore posted to groups with up to 0.75 million members. Figure 54. 2nd GroupSocial Media Groups where calls for Ambassadors were made. Details on the ambassador programme were shared with all partners at the AURORA management meeting in Ljubljana, Slovenia to ensure that everyone was focused on what needed to follow next. The material that was circulated created an awareness of the AURORA project that supported personal follow through from team members to sign up quality ambassadors that believe in the idea or can be convinced to accept the idea that citizen science, and AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 87 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. the AURORA programme can become a powerful tool to engage and empower communities, not only in the energy transition, but also in personal carbon reduction and cost saving programmes. 3.4.4 Next steps to bring the Ambassador Programme alive We then laid out the next steps to bring the ambassador programme alive as follows: • To sign up the limited number of volunteers that are coming forward and want to join the AURORA ambassador programme as a result of the open call; • To use all the Partner networks and personal contacts to sign up and grow the potential ambassador network and confirm or otherwise the leads we have identified ; • To populate the webpage with our growing number of ambassadors; • To prepare a series of briefing and support packages for those ambassadors who see potential to develop the AURORA approach in their community or institution; • To set up both face to face meetings and online webinars where ambassadors can meet and exchange views and experiences about the AURORA programme; • To establish targeted training programmes about the AURORA Business Models and the AURORA Energy Tracker App. • To seek volunteers from the Ambassador programme prepared to set up joint national and international events with project AURORA, to explore how the AURORA project and its ideas can be embedded as a long term approach to tackling climate change mitigation; • To identify a limited number of ambassadors prepared to volunteer to work on the development of a European and or global citizen science programme on mitigating climate change. We recognised that the global citizen science community was and remains at a key stage in its discussions with EU and UN policy makers on the role of citizen science in supporting EU legislation, the EU Green Deal and International Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). We saw a window of opportunity opening up within UNEP on the role that citizen science could play to support international climate change agreements. We set out to explore these opportunities for our ambassador network to work with the AURORA project on exploiting these opportunities. 3.4.5 Testing possible Twinning Programmes through a pilot As well as these International opportunities we sort to explore possible Twinning arrangements between Universities in the programme and other Universities with similar AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 88 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. aspirations. A lecture given by Martin Brocklehurst, Chair of the Board of the Citizen Science Global Partnership, on May 3rd 2023 to the University College Dublin (UCD), Citizen Science Community of Practice on “The Decade of Citizen Science is here – Be part of it” opened a discussion on how the AURORA project may work more closely with UCD. The AURORA project was introduced during the lecture as an example of best practice in using citizen science to undertake research on the impact citizens are having on climate change, and how, the gathering of data using citizen science could not only lead to a change in citizen behaviour but engage citizens in, and allow them to benefit from the energy transition. Figure 55. Presentation to University College Dublin Citizen Science Group. As a result of these discussions a joint meeting was held in September 2023, between the WP3 team leader, Aarhus University, and UCD (the parties) to discuss how we might set up an agreement to share confidential data, on the issues of establishing effective energy communities within university structures, able to fund, install and supply renewable power to the university. Figure 56. Joint Meeting University College Dublin to explore twinning possibilities. The parties were all working to tackle similar issues and in the case of UCD the challenge was how to move beyond the establishment of the UCD Sustainable Energy Community AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 89 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. (UCD SEC) into a Local Energy Community (LEC), part of the Irish drive to give citizens a commercial stake in the energy transition. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is encouraging the establishment of Sustainable Energy Communities and from there Local Energy Communities 8 , that can bid for support from the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS). A separate community category is reserved within the RESS auction to give a route to market for community-led renewable energy projects. UCD was exploring how to develop a UCD based Local Energy Community, comprised of academic staff, students, and ancillary staff similar to the AURORA model able to supply renewable energy to the university, which if it were a municipality would be one of the biggest cities in Ireland. Discussions also took place on the benefits of such an approach in that it would allow the university to support the work underway in Dublin, one of the selected 100 EU cities, developing concrete solutions to be climate neutral and smart cities by 2030. It was clear that the experience of the AURORA project and in particular the Aarhus Pilot would be directly beneficial to the work envisaged at UCD. A route map was planned to comprise the following elements: · The development of a Twinning Agreement or Memorandum of Understanding between UCD and the AURORA project focused on Aarhus University; · A simple confidentiality agreement to allow the parties to share unpublished material from both project AURORA and UCD; · A 12 month programme for joint webinars and or site workshops to explore common issues; · A simple communication system to allow informal discussions between the parties; · The development of a template document that could be used for future Twinning arrangements with other leading European universities. Inherent in this approach is the idea key Members of UCD would also become ambassadors for the AURORA approach. Further action on the idea was held back to allow the development of the Aarhus Energy Community as a legal entity, the completion of legal agreements for the installation of the 8 “Local energy community” means: an association, a cooperative, a. partnership, a non-profit organisation or other legal entity which is effectively controlled by local shareholders or members, generally value rather than profit-driven, involved in distributed generation and in performing activities. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 96 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Documents however are not enough; it requires personal contact and discussions with individuals to convince them to put their names forward as ambassadors for the program. All the project partners have played a major part in recruiting ambassadors within their respective member states. Detailed discussions and briefings have been critical to the recruitment process before high profile individuals will allow their name to be used in support of the AURORA programme. As the project achieved success at the pilot level it became easier to recruit Ambassadors, whilst at the international level the clear exploitation plan with aspirations to develop a global Citizen Science climate change mitigation program has undoubtedly helped us to attract high profile experienced international negotiators prepared to work with the program. 3.4.6.3 Supporting AURORA ambassadors post recruitment. The AURORA ambassadors have been recruited through the AURORA pilot sites and internationally by the communication lead Martin Brocklehurst. Each of the partners takes responsibility for the ongoing relationship with the ambassadors that have been recruited and the work they undertake to support the project. We are now including details on our Ambassadors in our quarterly newsletters, which is widely distributed through social media channels with membership in excess of 1.2 million members. We are therefore building the awareness of our Ambassadors and the roles they are playing in our exploitation plans. We have ensured our Ambassadors are fully briefed on the success and challenges of the AURORA program. A detailed briefing session was held for our ambassadors following the bulk of the recruitment process on the 24th of March 2025. This was an online webinar that was recorded and distributed back through the social media channels and the AURORA website. The material shared through the webinar is therefore available for all ambassadors to access as required. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 97 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Figure 60. Flyer for Ambassadors Welcome Meeting. A second briefing session for AURORA ambassadors and users of the AURORA energy tracker app is planned on October 2, 2025. This session will cover why the app was created, how the app operates and our long-term plans for its ongoing development once the project reaches conclusion at the end of November. We intend to invite all app users to take part in the session alongside our ambassadors and to allow substantial time for question and answer from the users of the app. We will also outline to all concerned our plans that the AURORA energy tracker app will be active for 18 months post project whilst discussions continue about the development of a European/ Global Citizen Science program. We also plan to explore with users of the app, improvements that could be incorporated into the next phase of the development of a scaled version of the AURORA program that can be promoted across the European and Global Citizen Science community. The relationship is building between our Ambassadors and the AURORA program. It operates both at local level where our ambassadors champion the program and at international level where they are now taking part in our long-term exploitation plans to develop a global Citizen Science program on climate change mitigation. Our ambassadors are far more than simply names on paper; they are people that are now actively supporting these exploitation plans. Some examples are given below of the type of contribution that our ambassadors are making. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 98 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Examples of Activities by AURORA Ambassadors Local Ambassadors - Aarhus 1. Iben Underbjerg, student ambassador Iben is one of the founding members of the local solar cooperative Universitetets Energifællesskab F.M.B.A (UEF). In her role as the AURORA Ambassador, she has helped to lead the communication of the initiative to students. She attended the Studiemesse, the biggest event for welcoming new students at Aarhus University, on behalf of UEF, where she engaged with new students face-to-face. In addition, she led the 2-day take-over of social media on Aarhus University’s official Instagram channel to promote the association using Instagram stories. Iben appeared in local news (e.g. Omnibus and TV2Østjylland) to share her motivation of joining the others to found the local energy community. 2. Andreas Stounbjerg, institutional representative Andreas is the Program Leader for Climate Action at Aarhus University, driving initiatives to meet carbon reduction targets and identify new CO2-reduction projects. He was instrumental in promoting the AURORA project to the senior management of the university and acted as the bridge between the project team and AU administration. Andreas helped the project team to get in touch with the decision makers in university administration and actively promoted AURORA to visitors from other universities. 3. Erik Christiansen, policy and citizen Erik has been co-founder of several citizen-led energy initiatives in Denmark. In the AURORA project, he acted as advisor to provide his expertise on the Danish legislation about energy communities. He provided valuable input and feedback to the AURORA project: both in terms of legal framework and the practicalities of operation and management of the energy community. Erik supported the AURORA project from the very beginning, and he is still encouraging others to adopt the energy community approach demonstrated in AURORA. With the experience from AURORA, we produced a civic roadmap to document the challenges and proposed actions to be taken by municipalities and national legislators. Erik is actively involved in the process of co-developing this document. Local Ambassadors - Ljubljana examples Marko Jankovec, professor Marko is a highly enthusiastic and committed professor who actively shares his knowledge, insights, and latest research findings with his students in an engaging and inspiring manner. Among the faculty at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, he stands out as one of the most actively involved professors in working with the Student Energy Club (ŠEK), where he regularly mentors students, supports their initiatives, and fosters a strong connection between academic knowledge and practical application. Through his close collaboration with ŠEK and his dedication to student engagement, he is ideally positioned to promote the achievements of the AURORA project and ensure its key messages are passed on to the next generation of engineers and energy experts. He initially proposed the idea to organize excursions to renewable energy facilities around Slovenia, which attracted many students and enabled the Ljubljana team to spark interest between students to start using the Aurora Energy Tracker. He also raised some critical questions of how and why the students should participate in Aurora, which encouraged a different perspective on student engagement and helped improve the engagement strategy. Bojana Bogičević, student ambassador Bojana is a very committed student, active in several fields at the same time and therefore has a wide network of contacts, through which she can share the results of AURORA with many people. She was one AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 99 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. of the first students to join the Aurora project, also contributing by critically evaluating the AURORA mobile app. She remains one of the most active students in the ŠEK Student Energy Club, thereby contributing significantly to the dissemination of the project results. As a regular user of the AURORA mobile app, she almost always participates in the monthly raffles among AURORA app users organized by ŠEK. She has been drawn several times and has won a six-pack of Trojan doughnuts. Local Ambassadors - Forest of Dean Examples 1. Helen Jeffrey Citizen AURORA Ambassador Forest of Dean UK Figure 61. Ambassador Helen Jeffrey with Mike Butcher, Former Editor of Tech Crunch, and Kevin Marks, Software Engineer/Consultant taken at the Octopus Tech Energy Summit 2025 where she attended representing Forest Community Energy. UK Pilot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KliF6Abpee8 Helen is a local Forest of Dean resident who became an AURORA ambassador in early 2025. Helen has been instrumental in ensuring a legacy for our energy community in the Forest of Dean. In April 2025, she became the official chair of the Forest Community Energy group. In her role as chair, and AURORA ambassador, she has helped with the leadership and coordination of the energy community and will continue to do so after AURORA ends. She has also created several strategic links with influential stakeholders such as Octopus Energy, the South-West Net Zero Hub, Eden Renewables and Gloucestershire County Council and the UK government. Through these links she is putting Forest Community Energy on the radar, ensuring that policymakers are aware of the strength of energy communities for driving forward carbon reduction projects and creating opportunities for collaborative working. She is also creating communication and PR materials to raise awareness of the energy community locally and more broadly. She is driving forward replication projects in the Forest of Dean, including solar installations at the Sling Community Hub (installed in June 2025) and Soudley Community Centre. In June, Helen attended the Octopus Energy Tech Summit where she represented Forest Community Energy to a wider group of stakeholders, and learnt about technical developments AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 100 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. in the energy space to bring back to the energy community. She wrote a blog about her experience at this event for the AURORA website. In July, Helen attended the South-West Net Zero Hub organised “Seeing is Believing” tour to speak to local authority officers about the experience and challenges of developing community energy in the Forest of Dean. 2. Peter Boait Citizen AURORA Ambassador Forest of Dean UK Figure 62. Peter Boait explaining the community solar model on a video created by Forest Community Energy about the Sling Community Hub project – UK Pilot. Peter Boait is a Director at Gloucestershire Community Energy Co-op Ltd., as well as a core member of the Forest Community Energy group. He is an experienced community energy practitioner and electrical engineer. As an AURORA Ambassador, he is supporting the growth of community owned solar in the Forest of Dean through progressing replication projects with Forest Community Energy. Peter is supporting the energy community with technical expertise and access to community financing through Gloucestershire Community Energy Co-op Ltd. to progress replication projects in the Forest of Dean. In June 2025, he was able to support the financing and installation of community owned solar for the local Sling Community Hub in Forest of Dean, working closely with Forest Community Energy. 3. Katie Clubb Policy AURORA Ambassador Forest of Dean UK Figure 63. Ambassador Katie Clubb Receives an award for work on community travel – UK Pilot. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 101 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Katie, as the Climate Change Community Programme Advisor at Forest of Dean District Council has actively supported several key areas of AURORA in recent months. To replicate the AURORA approach, Katie has worked with village and town communities and communities of interest throughout the District to help them with carbon reduction, climate action planning and becoming near net zero citizens. Katie has also worked with several building owners of community centres and village halls to advise them on community solar and put them in touch with our energy community (Forest Community Energy) and our partners. Katie is the author and publisher of Forest of Dean Climate Action Newsletter with a readership of approx. 400 people. ‘AURORA Project and Forest Community Energy News’ is a regular feature in this newsletter. Pictured above, Katie recently received an award on behalf of FoDDC for work collaborating on a grant scheme for community active travel. 4. Sam Clarke - Policy AURORA Ambassador Forest of Dean UK Figure 64. Ambassador Sam Clarke -Thermal Camera Loan Scheme established through the AURORA programme in the Forest of Dean – UK Pilot In his role as Retrofit Engagement Officer at Forest of Dean District Council, Sam has embedded the AURORA core messages of carbon reduction and energy efficiency by implementing a District wide thermal camera loan scheme, raising awareness throughout the community to help people become near net zero citizens. Sam had provided advice and support to residents and owners of community centres and public buildings on this topic. Sam has attended many local, regional and national events and conferences and has promoted the AURORA message at all. Sam has also helped building owners with community solar advice and has referred potential projects to the AURORA Energy Community - Forest Community Energy, now established as a lasting legacy from the AURORA project in the Forest of Dean. Local Ambassadors – University of Evora 1. Cesaltina Pires Cesaltina is the EU GREEN Alliance (https://eugreenalliance.eu/) local coordinator at UÉvora. EU GREEN is built around a true perspective of sustainability, encompassing the economic, societal, cultural and environmental dimensions of the term and their impact on one another. The EU GREEN approach is closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals across all four of our core missions: education, research, innovation and service to society. Therefore, Cesaltina Pires has helped the AURORA local team in setting up several joint events such as The Good Energy Party, in which several activities around energy were put AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 102 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. in practise to engage with citizens and ended with a round table on Renewable Energy Communities; Thermophotography workshops and other events. Figure 65. Ambassador Cesaltina at Thermal Workshop – Évora Pilot. 2. Rodrigo Amaro e Silva Rodrigo is a Postdoctoral researcher with extensive experience in the fields of solar and photovoltaic modelling and forecasting. He has a strong belief in the values, skills and strategy that the AURORA project aims to deliver with all the activities it organises. Together with Rodrigo, a seminar was organised dedicated to “Regional Modelling of Photovoltaic Production: from Local Scale to Aggregate Profile”. A synopsis of the seminar: Modelling photovoltaic production has traditionally focused on the scale of individual installations, using detailed technical data and localized meteorological profiles. However, for applications in energy planning, grid operation, or public policy evaluation, understanding the variability and patterns of aggregated production at a regional level is essential. This shift in scale raises a set of specific challenges: from identifying and georeferencing the installed fleet, to representing technological and operational diversity, to integrating meteorological data at resolutions compatible with the problem at hand. The seminar focused on the scientific and technical aspects whilst simplifying for the common citizen to be able to understand the difficulties that energy management entails. Figure 66. Ambassador Rodrigo Amaro el Silva – Évora Pilot. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 103 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. 3. Henrique Sim-Sim Henrique Sim-Sim, has a career focused on social and sustainable development, he has extensive experience in social innovation projects, entrepreneurship, and rural development, particularly in the Alentejo region. Since 2006, he has played a key role at the Fundação Eugénio de Almeida, coordinating various initiatives, including the Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program, which led to the creation of the Social Innovation Centre. He was also a member of the Portugal Social Innovation Mission Structure and has mentored and served as a jury member for various entrepreneurship projects nationwide. Additionally, Henrique is the Chairman of the Management Committee of the Social Innovation Incubators Network and Alentejo de Excelência, an organization dedicated to the strategic development of the region. Through Fundação Eugénio de Almeida, Henrique invited AURORA to deliver a keynote speech at the Social Innovation and Partnerships for Climate Justice conference. The presentation was titled Climate Change: What Comes Next, and What Can We Do?, highlighted AURORA’s initiatives to tackle climate change. Key focus areas included the creation of Renewable Energy Communities, citizen empowerment, and the innovative AURORA Energy Tracker app, which is designed to help individuals engage actively in the energy transition. Henrique has promoted the dissemination of AURORA through Fundação Eugénio de Almeida channels and distribution of flyers in their facilities. Figure 67. Ambassador Henrique Sim – Sim – Évora Pilot. International Ambassadors 1. Professor Jacqueline McGlade - Policy AURORA International Ambassador Figure 68. Ambassador Jacqueline McGlade Successfully negotiated agreement for a joint application to the UNEA Secretariat for a member state lead side event on AI big Data and global Citizen Science programs. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 104 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Jackie McGlade has used her extensive contacts built up from her period as UNEP chief scientist to convince the Kenyan government and the Estonian government to jointly submit a proposal for a formal site event at UNEA7 on AI, big data and global Citizen Science programs. She drafted the proposal which will include a presentation on the AURORA PROJECT and convinced the member state governments along with the European Citizen Science Association and the Citizen Science global partnership to join the consortium. She has also convinced the government of Thailand to support the application. We still remain hopeful that the European Union will also support this initiative as it moves to an evaluation process to decide whether it will be approved. 2. Ram Dayal Vaishnav - Policy AURORA International Ambassador Figure 69. Ambassador Ram Dayal Secretary to the CSGP Delegation Team and the Aurora led Working Group on Citizen Science and Climate Change Mitigation. AURORA Ambassador Ram Dayal Vaishnav from, Hyderabad India, has fully engaged with the AURORA programme and taken on the role of Secretary to both the AURORA led Working Group on Citizen Science and Climate Change Mitigation and the Citizen Science Global Partnership delegation to UNEA7. As a senior member of Citizen Science Asia he has also disseminated information about the AURORA program to Citizen Scientists across Asia. This has included setting up an online webinar during which full details of the AURORA program were presented to members of Citizen Science Asia. Citizen Science is growing rapidly particularly in India and in China and their support for the work we are trying to do in scaling up the best examples of Citizen Science and climate change mitigation from Europe to the European and global scale is warmly welcomed. He has also briefed the regional organiser of the World Wildlife Fund WWF about our work. She is now tracking the AURORA Project. Finally we are exploring with him if the AURORA approach can be replicated in India and funding partners can be found to modify the AURORA energy tracker app to make it applicable in the expanding cities of India. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 105 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Directors and Senior Representatives of the Regional Citizen Science Associations Fig 70. Ambassadors -Mendel Wong, Maina Muniafu, Dorte Riemenschneider, Libby Hepburn, Jennifer Shirk & Karen Soacha – Regional Citizen Science Associations. AURORA ambassadors Mendel Wong, Citizen Science Asia; Maina Muniafu, Citizen Science Africa; Dorte Riemenschneider, European Citizen Science Association (ECSA); Libby Hepburn, Australian Citizen Science Association (ASCA); Jennifer Shirk ,The Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences (AAPS) and Karen Soacha, Iberoamerican Participatory Science Network (RICAP) are all working to support a strong delegation of citizen scientists able to attend UNEA7. To take the AURORA message on Citizen Science to UNEA7 requires that all participants are nominated by UNEP registered organisations. Currently only Citizen Science Asia, the Australian Citizen Science Association, ECSA and AAPS are registered with UNEP. Only by all the Directors and senior staff working together can we put together a 30+ delegation that will make an impact at UNEA7. We are seeing an amazing coordination effort being put together to develop standard Citizen Science methods for climate change mitigation that can be scaled up to both the European and global scale along with the development of a substantial delegation of Citizen Scientists to carry a message to UNEA7. Our ambassadors are critical to the exploitation plan implementation that builds on the work that the AURORA program has undertaken. Through our ambassadors, AURORA is tapping into the global Citizen Science community and taking a combined message to UNEA7 that is quite unique. At a time when global multilateral environmental agreements are under increasing stress from the current political situation Citizen Science is offering a new way to breathe life into these agreements. This can be achieved through the deployment of citizen scientists across the planet, who can implement consistent methods to tackle the three great challenges of our time biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 112 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. 1. Introduction The purpose of this guide is to support applicants of the Call for Citizen Science Ambassadors issued by the AURORA Project – Tackling Climate Change. All relevant information about the call including how to apply is contained in this guide, intended to be the main source of information regarding the call. In case of conflicting information being provided by other sources, the content of this guide should be deemed authoritative. In case you have any questions after reading this document, you can contact us at [email protected] 2. The AURORA Project: Acting on Climate Change The AURORA project is an EU-funded project with the overall objective to champion the development of energy communities, transforming existing social groups associated with schools, community centres, Universities and Municipalities into vibrant energy communities able to effect substantial change in the way energy is generated and used. We have developed business models that will allow participants to become citizen scientists able to take part in work to reduce their own climate change emissions, lower energy costs and divert profits away from fossil fuels companies into their own communities. Too good to be true – well we will share with you, business models that show you how you can invest in your own community’s solar energy schemes and: • Gain a rate of return on investments greater than you will receive from your bank; • Lower energy costs to community buildings in your University or Municipality; • Divert profits that would have gone to the fossil fuel industry back into your communities; and • Lower your climate change emissions. With over 140,000 Municipalities in the European Union and the United Kingdom and over 5000 Universities, the opportunity to develop renewable energy programmes in this way and divert funding back into local communities is vast. In addition, by engaging citizens through citizen science in the reduction of their own personal climate change emissions we can make a material change to the What is citizen science? Citizen science is a term that englobes activities that involve citizens in scientific endeavour that generates new knowledge or understanding. In citizen science activities and projects citizens may act as contributors, collaborators, or as project leader and have a meaningful role in the project. Through citizen science, all people can participate in many stages of the scientific process, from the design of the research question to data collection and volunteer mapping, data interpretation and analysis, and to publication and dissemination of results. Citizen science is also an approach of scientific work that may be used as a part of a broader scientific activity. Learn more about citizen science by referring to the 10 Principles of Citizen Science and to the ECSA Characteristics of Citizen Science. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 113 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. 30% of all climate change emissions that we the citizens are responsible for. With over 500 million citizens living and working in the EU and the UK, we the citizens can drive this change and do not need to wait for Governments to act, we can drive this change. AURORA will support a Network of Ambassadors for the project across the EU, the UK and beyond. If you step up and join us, we’ll be: • your dedicated partners, sharing our wealth of knowledge gained in creating energy communities in our pilot Universities and Municipalities; • offering you a clear roadmap to implement our business models in your own country; • standing by your side, offering unwavering guidance and support at every turn; • offer you access to the growing Regional and International Citizen Science movement; • open the door for you to be able to attend, experience and influence International United Nations events; and • encourage you to be part of a growing international community of citizen scientists who want to tackle climate change and make a difference. You will be able to use, modify and develop all the tools and techniques we have developed in project AURORA including: • Our Energy Community Business Models from Portugal, Spain, Slovenia, Denmark and the UK; • Our AURORA Energy Tracker App; • Our communication and promotional materials available in 5 languages; • Our Quarterly AURORA Newsletter; • Introductions to a range of organisations now starting to work with us; • Introductions to a range of other EU Green Deal Citizen Science Projects; and • Training and networking opportunities with like-minded individuals who are on this journey with you. The AURORA project lasts for four years. It started on 1st December 2022 and will end on 31st May 2025. By that date you will be linked to the Citizen Science Global Partnership who are pioneering the development of global citizen science programmes and championing them through the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) World Environment Situation Room – Citizen Science Portal. The AURORA Consortium consists of 9 partners and a growing number of affiliated and partner entities from 7 countries across the EU (see Annex 2). 3. Scope of the Call Role of AURORA Ambassadors The Call for Citizen Science Ambassadors is aimed at creating a network of AURORA Citizen Science Ambassadors able to influence the thinking and action of Universities, Municipalities AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 114 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. and Community Groups across the EU and the UK in the way they tackle climate change, develop Energy Communities and lower citizen climate change emissions. We envisage three groups of Ambassadors: • Academics (Including staff and students); • Citizens (Including young people under the age of 18); and • Policy makers and institutional representatives (including NGOs). Supported by the AURORA project, we look for AURORA Citizen Science Ambassadors to champion and promote: • The idea of, transforming existing social hubs like schools, community centres, community groups, and universities into vibrant energy communities; • The idea of community solar energy programmes on public buildings using the business models developed in project AURORA that will allow a diversion of profits from energy generation away from the fossil fuel industry and into local communities; • The adoption of the AURORA Energy App and other tools developed by the project to support citizen scientists on their journey to reduce their own climate change emissions; • The collection of citizen science data that can be added to the AURORA data systems on progress being made to reduce citizen climate change emissions; • The use and further development of the AURORA communication and training materials; • AURORA webinars and international events, to influence the uptake of the AURORA citizen science techniques to reduce climate change emission and facilitate a move away from fossil fuels; • Opportunities to network and support the growth of a network of citizen scientists working to tackle climate change; and • The AURORA Newsletter, social media channels and LinkedIn discussion group communicating the progress and issues being tackled Details on the collaboration between project AURORA and it’s Ambassadors • All the tasks and activities mentioned above are linked to tasks and activities carried out in the AURORA project. The AURORA Consortium will provide CS Ambassadors with material, information and training (see section 4) to facilitate the implementation of the tasks. • Strong support from the AURORA project will be provided in the areas of communication and dissemination to guarantee the strength of the actions and messages shared. • The AURORA Consortium will also closely collaborate with CS Ambassadors and offer to involve them in AURORA activities where relevant so CS Ambassadors can gain a better insight and learn lessons from work within the project. • Links between CS Ambassadors and AURORA partners and affiliated Universities, Municipalities and other supporting groups entities will be sought to increase the capacity AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 115 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. of both sides, especially in the countries where AURORA partners and affiliated entities are located. • AURORA will encourage Twinning arrangements between Universities and Municipalities as a way of strengthening working relationships with the AURORA pilot programmes. Important notice Depending on the state of Energy Communities and Citizen Science activities in each country where AURORA Ambassadors join the programme, AURORA Ambassadors will be able to take and develop the materials produced by project AURORA that are most appropriate to their local circumstance. All we ask is that in doing so the UNESCO Open Science principles are applied and that what is produced is shared with others at the same stage in their development, either through the AURORA website, the UNEP WESR Citizen Science Portal or the relevant regional citizen science platforms such as EU Citizen Science. 4. Benefits, training and capacity building opportunities for AURORA Ambassadors Being part of the network of AURORA Ambassadors will provide several benefits, such as: • Being part of the AURORA citizen science community with access to networking opportunities with regional citizen science associations, visibility at international events where AURORA takes part, and access to other citizen science projects/initiatives that are part of the EU Green Deal Citizen Science Programme; • Unique opportunities to contribute to the development of global citizen science programmes on climate change through links to the Citizen Science Global Partnership and the United Nations Environment Programme; • Peer-learning and networking, facilitated through AURORA internal channels; • Training and capacity building opportunities as described below; • Promotion via social media channels operated by project AURORA including a unique global LinkedIn discussions group that has been started on citizen science and climate change; • Presentation opportunities at AURORA public (online and in person) events; • Access to meaningful insights generated within the context of the AURORA project and an ability to influence the further development of AURORA tools and techniques; and • Access to and involvement in AURORA project activities including formal twinning arrangements with the AURORA pilot Universities and Municipalities. Training and capacity building opportunities for CS Ambassadors Part of the efforts in project AURORA are dedicated to increasing the participation of citizens in social communities that develop into Energy Communities able to influence the speed of transition from fossil fuels to renewable solar energy. AURORA Ambassadors will be invited to a series of national participatory capacity building session in the pilot countries on a range of AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 116 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. topics to promote energy communities and the AURORA Energy App. The sessions will share lessons learnt. The AURORA project aims to create strong links with the regional citizen science associations, and particularly the European Citizen Science Association, so that lessons learnt can be shared with the growing European Citizen Science community. Links are also being developed with the Citizen Science Global Partnership and UNEP so that a strong international network of citizen scientists tackling climate change can be developed. Through these networks all the tools and infrastructure developed by project AURORA will be shared and training sessions developed so that project AURORA can apply and develop the principles of the UNESCO Open Science Principles. To assist AURORA Ambassadors open-source code on the AURORA Energy App will be available so that they can build on and further develop our ideas, subject to sharing the results with the global citizen science community. In this framework, online training sessions will be offered to developers seeking to use and modify the AURORA Energy app. The AURORA project will also share all its training and communication materials with Ambassadors in order that they can modify and use them for their own citizen science energy community projects subject to reciprocal arrangements being put in place. As the formal project draws to a close all the AURORA materials will remain available through the AURORA website and regional and international platforms, and we will be seeking ways to continue to promote the ideas we have developed. You can be part of that journey with us. 5. Duration, eligibility and formalities Duration of the activity It is expected that AURORA Ambassadors will contribute till project completion (currently 31st May 2025). Support will be provided till that date and thereafter project AURORA will be working closely with the Citizen Science Global Partnership (CSGP) and Regional Citizen Science Associations to create a European and global scale citizen science climate change programme based on outputs from project AURORA. Ambassadors will be invited to join these forming groups. Eligibility criteria – Who is eligible to become a CS Ambassador? As outlined earlier project AURORA is seeking three groups of Ambassadors: • Academics (Including staff and students); AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 117 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. • Citizens (Including young people under the age of 18); and • Policy makers and institutional representatives (including NGOs). We are particularly looking for Ambassadors from our pilot countries: • Portugal • Spain • Slovenia • Denmark • United Kingdom In such cases we will seek to build strong links with the pilot projects taking part in the Universities and Municipalities in those countries. We are open to establishing formal twinning arrangements in such circumstance where institutions are interested in building close collaborative partnerships. Secondly, we are looking for Ambassadors with the ability to influence Universities, Municipalities and Communities across the EU and the United Kingdom to apply the AURORA business plans, tools and techniques to accelerate the switch away from fossils fuels to renewable solar energy. We are also looking for citizen Ambassadors able to promote the further development and uptake of the AURORA Energy App and associated tools into the European Citizen Science Community and to encourage its uptake in the wider community. Thirdly we are prepared to support Ambassadors from outside the EU and in particular in Africa in partnership with CitSci Africa. Project AURORA recognises that both experience of citizen science and the concept of energy communities differs across countries within the EU and is very different in the international perspective. It will be for Ambassadors to decide which of the business models, tools and techniques is right for their individual circumstances. Project AURORA will, however, facilitate discussions between Ambassadors about how we accelerate the transition from fossils fuels and how the different business models developed for that purpose in our pilot countries can be developed and amended. Each of our pilots operates in a different culture and legal framework and we are exploring with a variety of partners how to modify and develop our ideas so that they may be useful to our Ambassadors. In that respect we have developing partnership with both the Red Cross and the NetZero Cities EU that should be of interest to Ambassadors not only in the EU but across Africa. 6. How to apply • All relevant information to apply to the call is contained in this guide, intended to be the main source of information regarding the call. Please, read it carefully. • Applications must be submitted through the initial application form available here. Details can also be found on the AURORA website. • Applications through means other than the online form will not be accepted. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 118 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. • As part of the online application form, you will be asked to outline how you envisage promoting the AURORA approach in your community and in particular how you intend to use the AURORA Business Models, the AURORA Energy App and the associated tools. Please indicate which Municipality, University or Community Group you are active in or intend to target. Please be as concrete as possible in your answers. • Fill in the form in English and submit it online. • Please, submit the form only once. In case you do multiple submissions, we will consider only the last one received. Project AURORA is inviting applicants from the three main groups identified in this document to apply to be project Ambassadors. All applicants will be reviewed to ensure compatibility with the aims and objectives of the AURORA project to accelerate the transition from fossils fuels to renewable solar energy and to reduce citizen climate change emissions. Project AURORA will be investing project resources into building a strong relationship with our project Ambassadors and sharing the developing tools and techniques from the project. Therefore, and in exceptional circumstance project AURORA reserves the right to decline applicants who will be informed as to the reasons such action is taken. This decision will be final and will be made within 1 month of receiving an application. Annex 1 in this guide provides all the questions in the application form in case you would like to work on them offline first. Please note we plan to have a section of the AURORA website about our Ambassadors. Please confirm in the application form that you are content we list who you are, add your photograph and your biography. Please indicate what contact details we can add to the website. If you are under 18, please ensure you have parental consent to allow details to be included on the AURORA Website. Contact details for under 18s will not be displayed on the AURORA website. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 119 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Annex 1 – List of questions in the application form a) Initial application form An initial application form is available to register your interest in becoming an Ambassador. QUESTION ANSWER OPTIONS MANDATORY Please, select your Country Dropdown menu Yes General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) consent • Yes, I hereby give my informed consent to use of my data. • No, I do not agree with the above and do not wish to participate. Yes Name and surname Short Text Yes Organisation Short Text Yes Your position in the organisation Short Text Yes Your E Mail address Short Text Yes Your phone number Short Text Yes b) Follow-up application form Upon receipt of the initial application form we will contact you to complete and agree the full list of questions shown below. QUESTION ANSWER OPTIONS MANDATORY What Ambassador Group are you part of Confirm which group: • Academics (Including staff and students); • Citizens (Including young people under the age of 18); • Policy makers and institutional representatives (including NGOs). Yes Gender Identification List of possible answers: male, female, prefer not to disclose, other gender identity if you wish to specify No Applicant website, LinkedIn or work-related social media accounts. Long text (max. 1.000 characters) No AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 120 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Please confirm we can use your personal information on the AURORA Website. Short text - please confirm which items we cannot use Yes Please confirm what contact information we can use on the AURORA website Short Text Please note contact details for under 18-year-old Ambassadors will not be displayed on the AURORA website. Yes Please, explain why you want to become an AURORA Ambassador. Long text (max. 1.000 characters) Yes Please, add a biography of yourself that we can use on the AURORA website. Long text (max. 2.000 characters) Yes Confirm your University, Municipality or Community Group Short Text Yes Do you have basic communication skills in English to be able to communicate with the AURORA Consortium? Yes / No Question Yes Please confirm your native language and confirm if you have communication skills in other languages. Languages. This will help the project to understand how we might use your skills at National events. Yes Please upload a Passport style photograph for use on the AURORA Website Image File Upload (jpg, png, etc.) Yes Other Information. Please tell us any other information you think might be useful Long Text 100 words maximum No Annex 2 – Participants in the ECS Consortium Participant Country Universidad Politéchnia De Madrid Spain Aarhus Universitet Denmark Centre for Sustainable Energy United Kingdom Forest of Dean District Council United Kingdom INSCICO Germany KempleyGreen Consultants United Kingdom AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 121 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Qualifying PhotoVoltaics Spain University of Evora Portugal Univerza v Ljubljana Slovenia Affiliate Country University College Dublin Ireland Produced by Working Group 5 – Project AURORA. Original draft by Martin Brocklehurst based on earlier work by the EU Funded EU Citizen Science Project. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 128 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Appendix 5 Terms of Reference for the AURORA/CSGP Working Group – Scaling up Citizen Science and Climate Change Mitigation Programmes. AURORA/CSGP Working Group Scaling up Citizen Science and Climate Change Mitigation Programmes Applications are to be emailed to [email protected]; [email protected] and copied to ra[email protected] This document outlines the goals and operation of the proposed joint CSGP/AURORA Working Group– effective from May 2025 and as discussed by both the CSGP Board and the AURORA Management Team 1. APPLICANT DETAILS Name of Working Group Scaling up citizen science project–Climate Change Mitigation (carbon reduction) Contact Names Martin Brocklehurst Ana Belén Cristóbel López Ram Dayal Vaishnav Phone Nos +447500043485 +34 658 930 625 -+91 8186 962916 Emails martin.brocklehur[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 2. BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES CSGP/AURORA Working group…………… Date May 20th, 2025 This Working Group is being established to explore and plan for a collaborative project to scale up existing citizen science projects tackling climate change mitigation (carbon reduction). Through this work we will develop a proposal for the structure of the project and project management, an approach that seeks to collaborate with all existing citizen science climate mitigation / carbon monitoring projects, to create a portfolio of tested methodologies and to propose the use/creation of FAIR data repositories, or harmonisation of existing data. The group will also develop a costing for modules of the project to be able to seek funding and support. If you are interested in learning more as a group and contributing to further advances at both a European and global level, please be invited to join this CSGP WG by signing up here. Below, you can find more information on the rationale of the WG, how we work and how you can become engaged. Background & rationale for the CSGP Working Group on scaling up citizen science projects tackling Climate Change Mitigation The CSGP Board and the AURORA Management Team have identified in their Strategies, the need to scale up citizen science projects tackling climate change mitigation to fully exploit work funded by the EU Horizon research programme. A window of opportunity exists to scale up pilot projects to a European and Global scale. With the rapid acceleration of climate change it is time AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 129 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. for citizen scientists globally to step up and make a difference. We must build a partnership with Governments to integrate citizen science projects tackling climate change mitigation into National Development Plans. This will only be possible when we have 3-4 agreed standard methods, tools and data base systems in place that citizen scientists can use anywhere in Europe and across the globe. We will be seeking to motivate young people to put their efforts behind practical measures to tackle the 30-70% of carbon emissions that citizens of the planet are responsible for emitting because of their actions. The drive behind the programme is well summed up by the words of Leo Tolstoy – “Everyone thinks of changing the World, but no one thinks of changing themselves”. Until this issue is tackled we cannot create the momentum needed to drive carbon emissions down. Initial Terms of Reference of the CSGP Working Group for scaling up existing citizen science climate mitigation / carbon monitoring projects. WHY The creation of the WG will notify and invite existing practitioners, to come together and share ideas about their own projects and seek agreement on the establishment of a collaborative and inclusive approach to an overarching project proposal. This work is important to the CSGP Strategic objectives of developing citizen science networks, which share the goal of addressing global sustainability issues through citizen science; and offer strategic guidance and support for the exchange of knowledge, practices and lessons learnt and encourage the scaling up of citizen science initiatives. It is also crucial to the exploitation strategy of the AURORA project and to the goals of the EU Green Deal and associated programmes including the EU Climate Pact which has also offered to support this work through matchmaking with Climate Pact Ambassadors and or Climate Pact Partners.. Key priorities are to begin the process of seeking practitioners and potential collaborators for this work. Organising a first meeting to share experiences, discuss possible ways to approach the challenge of scaling up and harmonising data on this topic. Following this, plans and costings will be drawn up to seek support. Focus will be on existing practitioners of citizen science climate change mitigation programmes, secondary will be contacting those working to engage through a “whole society approach” to encourage community energy programmes and engage society in the energy transition. Energy communities share many of the same objectives that we are seeking to achieve but the link for this work will be to leverage the financial opportunities from energy communities to motivate citizens to reduce their personal carbon emissions. Only by reducing personal carbon emissions through the choices individuals make will the programme be able to drive behaviour change and increase commercial opportunities for those businesses working to meet the global climate change goals. Short & Medium-term goals of the WG (subject to discussions with WG Members) ● By September 2025 a draft set of methods, tools and data base systems will be outlined. ● By November a detailed resource plan for a global programme will be in place. ● Details will be presented at the Seventh Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA7) where a pitch will be made for partners within the UNSPBF to come forward to support the programme with funds and or help in kind. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 130 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. ● The programme will be launched in the late winter/spring of 2026 and will be supported by a Global data base system with the potential to capture and share the carbon footprint of all participating citizens. ● The programme will seek to recruit high profile celebrities, politicians and sports men and women to promote the programme. WHO This WG brings together an international group of citizen science practitioners who are interested in exploring and encouraging the scaling up of citizen science climate change mitigation measures and who want to better understand and facilitate opportunities for collaboration between citizen science communities at the global level. WHAT The activities of the WG in its first phase shall initially be to a timescale of about 7 months, that is targeted with delivery at UNEA7 and the linked UNSPBF event. Input from experts on different topics and geographic areas will be invited to join the group, including pioneers in community energy programmes. Post UNEA7 the group will review its forward programme and reset based on the success of the pitch at UNEA7 to take account of potential new partners joining the programme from global business, philanthropic organisations, Member States and the UN. HOW The structure for this Working Group will initially be: Interim Joint Chairs - Martin Brocklehurst from the CSGP Board, and Ana Belén Cristóbel López Coordinator of the AURORA Project. Interim Secretary of the Group - Ram Dayal Vaishnav from Citizen Asia who will send out invitations and organise the initial symposium. Our next steps are: ● Circulate the invitation to join the WG as widely as possible through the CSGP, Regional Citizen Science Association networks and social media, the EU Climate Pact, the EU Education4Climates Group, the EU Green Deal Network, the UNSPBF Members and the UNEP Chief Scientists office. ● Establish regular meetings (once every month). ● Hold hybrid symposium/workshop to share experiences and to discuss the approach, ways of working and the action plan of the WG; and, ● Make decisions together on the aims, objectives and plans of the WG via a collaborative process among WG members, the CSGP Secretariat, the AURORA Management team and the EU Climate Pact. 3. WORKING GROUP MANAGEMENT The Working Group proposes a management structure consisting of: ● Co-chairs – Martin Brocklehurst (CSGP/AURORA), Russanne Lowe (GLOBE) Ana Belén Cristóbel López (UPM/AURORA) AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 131 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. ● Secretary – Ram Dayal Vaishnav Citizen Asia Association ● Members – [TBD] The Working Group will decide amongst themselves the various positions individuals will hold. Terms of office will also be agreed by the group. Terms of Reference will be shared with the CSGP Board and the AURORA Management Team. The Working Group will hold 6-7 meetings before UNEA7 and will work at pace with the CSGP Delegation to UNEA7 to create opportunities to promote the programme at a UNEA Green Room event; a formal side event with National Member State support, and at the UNSPBF event planned at UNEA7. The CSGP Delegation and the Working Group will seek opportunities to engage Member State teams attending UNEA7 to build support from Nation States. 4. STRATEGIC ACTIONS a) Please outline how the Working Group proposes to contribute to or align with the CSGP Strategic Plans and the AURORA Exploitation Strategy. ● The outline of activities the WG will undertake will be developed and agree as the WG is co-created – at the initial workshop/s. 5. COLLABORATIONS Networks and collaborations of the WG members with existing groups and organisations with similar aims will be gathered as the WG is established. The WG will also identify those which the WG wishes to work with in the future. Acknowledgement Please tick: ☐ I acknowledge that management of the Community of Practice will be pursuant to the CSGP Working Group Protocols and to the AURORA Project Exploitation Plans and any additional details provided in this document and updated from time to time. Name: ………Martin Brocklehurst………………………. Date: ………May 20th 2025………………………………. Signature: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………… Name ………. Ana Belén Cristóbel López ……… Date ……..May 20th 2025…………………………… Signature ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………… AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 132 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Appendix 6 Flyer Promoting the new AURORA Led Working Group Citizen Science & Climate Change Mitigation. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 133 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Appendix 7 Objectives for the CSGP Led Delegation to UNEA7 AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 134 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Appendix 8 First Citizen Science Blog from the CSGP for the UNSPBF Website – Citizen Science has Changed the world. The Citizen Science Global Partnership can be contacted at: [email protected] citizenscienceglobal.org @CitSciGlobal A Personal Citizen Science Blog – by Martin Brocklehurst Chair of the Citizen Science Global Partnership and Project Partner, the EU Citizen Science Horizon Research Project AURORA – Tackling Climate Change. CITIZEN SCIENCE HAS CHANGED THE WORLD People from outside institutional research groups, including Indigenous Peoples, have always had a part to play in scientific research. What is different today is that we have the technical ability to connect with almost every person on the planet and to tap into their local knowledge in way that was not possible before the era of modern communication tools. Linked to AI systems we can gather data from people, ensure it is validated, and then presented back as information that they can use to manage risks and enhance their daily lives. Many definitions, (see below from the European Commission) exist for citizen science, but what really matters is that scientists and the public are reaching out to jointly engage in scientific research. And millions of people are showing that they are prepared to join citizen science programmes across the AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 135 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. planet. In the USA research by the Pew Research Centre suggests 1 in 10 of the US Population has taken part in a citizen science research project. Such programmes are also not confined to the global north. In the global south, active participation in scientific inquiry has long taken place through community-led monitoring, intercultural research, and locally rooted knowledge systems. What recent developments in citizen science contribute is increased visibility, institutional recognition, and the use of digital technologies to strengthen and connect these practices. From tiny Pacific Islands to the Amazon Rainforest, these initiatives, often led by Indigenous Peoples and other local actors, are not only advancing scientific understanding, but also transforming lives. They empower people with new skills, and knowledge, that directly enhance their health, food sovereignty, and future prospects that can enhance their life chances. In the early part of this century, when the modern citizen science movement was developing almost nothing was written about citizen science. Today the scientific literature is full of papers on citizen science as we advance our thinking on how citizen science can contribute to the global triple planetary crisis. We still hear claims that citizen science data is unreliable, that many programmes are little more than hobbying, that data sets and projects are too time limited to be of real value, that they do not address the global challenges of our times, and that they are only applicable to the global north. In reality all these arguments have been shown to be outdated, out of touch with the rapid development of citizen science across the planet, as people realise that they can drive change through citizen science. Scientists are embracing citizen science as they realise they can tap into a data source that is unattainable by any other method. That they can obtain research data at a scale, speed and accuracy that cannot be matched by traditional means and when linked with remote sensing data opens up new opportunities to track and understand the changes that are happening to our planet. The United Nations throughout this journey have remained a stalwart supporter of citizen science and continues to evaluate is role in delivering global environmental benefits. Early work with the European Environment Agency, and the emerging European Citizen Science Association was supported by UNEP. Working with pioneers the community undertook to develop an early global programme to understand and map the changing patterns of mosquito species capable of carrying disease into new areas of the planet. Today that work acts a blueprint on how to scale up local citizen science programmes into a truly global approach. Launched last year as part of the Global Mosquito alert programme people anywhere on the planet can now take part and see their data appear on the Global Mosquito Observations Dashboard . Understanding the location of mosquito species is a critical first step in tackling the disease risks they carry. The growth of data points on this platform continues to expand away from its traditional core in Europe, USA and Australia with a rapid growth in South-East Asia, and India followed by Africa and South America. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 136 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Supporting the growth of citizen science a network of associations have developed in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, South and Central America and the United States. These associations are in place to support people who want to take part in citizen science, and develop the skills sets that scientists need, to build genuine partnerships with public participants. With the rapid pace of global change citizen science offers a genuine opportunity to build a “whole of society approach” that not only gathers data but influences behaviour change, something that is now so essential if we are to succeed in mitigating the growing environmental challenges of our time. The Associations have developed the 10 principals of citizen science to guide participants and ensure people are not exploited simply as data gatherers, and that they receive effective feedback and information on how their data is being used and “what the research, policy or societal outcomes are” . They are now supported by a Data Ethics Toolkit essential when working with large numbers of people. These are the principles that the citizen science movement believe should underlie good practise in citizen science. As recognition has grown about the power of citizen science to support efforts to tackle the three global crises of our time, Climate Change, Biodiversity loss and Pollution, the United Nations Science Policy Business Forum encouraged the Regional Citizen Science Association to band together to form a global organisation. With a vision to advance the development of citizen science as part of international efforts to solve planetary issues the Citizen Science Global Partnership (CSGP) was formed in 2017, and became a registered NGO in 2022. It is a unique collaboration of the world’s leading regional and national citizen science associations and their members. The CSGP has an overarching goal to advance global sustainability efforts, and foster citizen science partnerships and initiatives at all scales across regions, particularly where support is most needed. A key role is “to coordinate actions with international organizations, national agencies, research institutions, public and non-government organizations, private companies, individuals and established and developing citizen science networks, which share the goal of addressing global sustainability issues through citizen science”. The CSGP has also worked closely to develop a citizen science component to the World Environment Situation Room (WESR) where information on key citizen science programmes that are operating at the global scale or have the potential to do so, are shared. The World Environment Situation Room is a digital platform managed by UNEP that provides a centralised source of environmental data, information and knowledge. It is designed as a resource to support anyone interested in environmental data, supporting decision making, policy setting and action. The citizen science component of this platform draws on information from regional and national citizen science platforms that are now available across the world. The WESR is now being integrated into the Global Environmental Data Strategy (GEDS) and discussions continue on how citizen science data can be integrated into this strategy. Further work is being undertaken by the Collaborative on Citizen Data to ensure citizen data can fit within national data ecosystems. Both these AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 137 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. initiatives are key to understanding how citizen science can support world environmental programmes. As the global citizen science movement grows in strength and confidence it is promoting the idea that citizen science needs to be integrated into the delivery of multilateral environmental agreements. The CSGP on behalf of the Regional Associations has developed a Charter for Citizen Science and multilateral agreements and is calling on Member States to incorporate citizen science into future and existing UNEA resolutions. Such an approach could mirror what has now been put in place for the Kunming Montreal Biodiversity Framework where citizen science is part of the implementation strategy, simply because so much of the global biodiversity data now comes from people participating in citizen science programmes. With the right investment from Member States and with a “whole society approach” we can accelerate the pace of global change through adopting citizen science into multilateral environmental agreements. We can genuinely make this the DECADE OF CITIZEN SCIENCE. Martin Brocklehurst Chair Citizen Science Global Partnership Note – This will be the first of a series of personal blogs produced by the Global Citizen Science Community in the lead into UNEA 7, explaining how citizen science can make a major contribution to the delivery of UNEA resolutions across the planet. The CSGP will be leading a major delegation to UNEA7 where we will aim to promote these ideas with Member States and through the UNSPBF with leading business, commerce, NGO’s and philanthropic organisations. The views expressed in these blogs are personal to the authors. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 144 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Appendix 11 Draft Concept note for UNEA7 Application for Green Room event by the Citizen Science Global Partnership working with the UN Major Group – Science and Technology. 1. Concept Note – Draft August 15th 2025 CSGP’s Green Room Event at UNEA-7 Proposed by: Citizen Science Global Partnership (CSGP) and partner entities Event Type: UNEA-7 Green Room Event Preferred Dates: 8–12 December 2025 Tentative Duration: 60–75 minutes Broad Format: High-level panel (4–5 speakers) with audience engagement 1. Prospective Event Titles ● Building Scalable and Inclusive Citizen Science Frameworks to Support MEA Targets ● Embedding Citizen Science in Environmental Governance for Effective MEA Delivery ● Institutionalising Citizen Science in Global Environmental Agreement Implementation Frameworks ● A Common Agenda: Scaling Citizen Science in Climate, Air, and Pollution ● People and Policy, Together: Building Global Citizen Science for a Resilient Planet 2. Introduction AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 145 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Across the world, communities, researchers, and institutions are already working side by side to monitor environmental change, share data, and inform action. Citizen science strengthens these efforts by linking local observations with national and global priorities, expanding both reach and relevance, and fostering strong community ownership of environmental outcomes. Evidence from multiple studies shows that, in many contexts, data gathered by trained volunteers can meet the standards of professional monitoring, making citizen science a trusted and credible partner to formal systems. To make the case at UNEA-7, the event will spotlight tangible examples, credible methodologies, and clear milestones that demonstrate how citizen science programmes can contribute meaningfully to the delivery of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). The Citizen Science Global Partnership (CSGP) is committed to connecting and amplifying citizen science capabilities worldwide so they can contribute more directly and effectively to MEA delivery. This includes developing and advancing global citizen science programmes on climate change mitigation and air quality, and exploring emerging opportunities such as chemical pollution monitoring. The Charter on Citizen Science and MEAs provides a practical route map for integrating citizen science into environmental governance, complementing official mechanisms, improving decision-making, and engaging people everywhere in achieving shared environmental goals. 3. Goals This Green Room event will gather major groups, NGOs, and citizen science leaders to explore how global citizen science programmes can be developed and supported in ways that complement existing initiatives and frameworks. The session will: ● Present the vision for two in-development global citizen science programmes — one on climate change mitigation, one on air quality and health — and open a dialogue on a third for chemical pollution. ● Show how these programmes will connect with existing MEA reporting processes, meet recognised data standards, and integrate with UNEP’s Global Environmental Data Strategy. ● Secure active interest and endorsement from all major groups by demonstrating clear entry points for their participation and mutual benefit to respective missions. ● Highlight practical pathways for scaling (from pilot activities to global roll-out) through collaborative partnerships that combine the strengths of communities, institutions, and the private sector. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 146 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. ● Commit to balanced participation between the Global North and Global South to ensure programmes are representative, equitable, and adaptable across contexts. ● Hold exploratory discussions on innovative and diversified funding strategies for longterm sustainability. The aim is to leave UNEA-7 with major groups aligned behind a clear vision, and a growing coalition ready to take forward global citizen science programmes that strengthen environmental action at every level. 4. Connection to UNEA-7 Theme The UNEA-7 theme, Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet, calls for approaches that are proven, inclusive, and scalable. This event contributes by: ● Connecting citizen-generated data to MEA targets in ways that complement and enhance existing data and monitoring frameworks. ● Engaging diverse major groups in shaping and supporting global programmes that align with their own mandates and with MEA delivery. ● Promoting sustainable and diversified models that ensure programmes remain viable and impactful across different governance and funding environments. ● Exploring alignment with UNEP’s data strategies to ensure interoperability, quality assurance, and recognition. 5. Objectives 1. Present CSGP’s statement of intent on integrating citizen science into MEA delivery, and invite Major Groups to consider supporting this position in their UNEA plenary statement. 2. Introduce the Charter on Citizen Science and MEAs as a practical framework for collaboration between communities, institutions, and governance bodies. 3. Share two proposed global citizen science programmes — on climate change mitigation and on air quality and health — and outline an emerging concept for chemical pollution monitoring. 4. Encourage balanced participation from the Global North and Global South to ensure approaches are representative and adaptable. AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 147 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. 5. Explore options for sustainable and diversified funding to support long-term implementation of global citizen science programmes. 6. Intended Outcomes ● Commitment Communiqué – Signed by major groups, NGOs, and partners, confirming support for the Charter and the launch of global citizen science programmes. ● Early Partnerships – Identification of potential multi-year collaborators, with discussions on next steps for engagement. ● Coalition Growth – A broader, more connected network of organisations ready to implement and support citizen science programmes post-UNEA-7. ● Proposed Programme Blueprints – Sharing of initial designs, approaches, and partnership opportunities for climate and air quality monitoring. 7. Tentative Format and Flow 1. Opening – Framing remarks on the Charter and the shared vision for global citizen science programmes. 2. Panel – Perspectives from major group representatives, NGOs, and citizen science experts on how to strengthen and connect existing initiatives. 3. Audience Dialogue – Discussion on opportunities, commitments, and integration with current frameworks (cafe style or speed networking proposed). 4. Closing – Presentation of the Commitment Communiqué and a clear roadmap for collaboration. Tentative speakers at the event: ● Martin Brocklehurst, Chair of the Board, Citizen Science Global Partnership (CSGP) and Board Member ECSA; Origin United Kingdom, Europe ● Dr Mohamed Abdelraouf Co-Chair of the UN Major Groups Co-ordinating Committee and Chair of the Major Group Science and Technology ● 3 other speakers still to be agreed AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 148 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. Appendix 12 List of AURORA Ambassadors not publicly declared – Working Behind the scenes to support the AURORA programme and its international aspirations. Agreed Ambassadors – Requested not to be publicly declared Name Organisation Area of activity Forest of Dean District Council - United Kingdom Pilot Ambassadors 1. Anya Hyndside Freelancer at Forest of Dean Climate Action Partnership Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Ongoing support through linking energy community to key stakeholders locally, support with creating plan for energy community beyond AURORA, facilitating and coordinating energy community beyond AURORA. 2. Lucy Holburn Facilitator at Holding the Space Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Support with creating plan for energy community beyond AURORA, facilitating and coordinating energy community beyond AURORA 3. Andy Bruce Local citizen Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Help with the leadership and coordination of Forest Community Energy beyond AURORA. As an exteacher has links to schools across the District to engage with for replication of engagement activities 4. Sammy Betson Local citizen Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Help promote and roll out thermal imaging projects in the Forest of Dean, help with leadership and coordination of the Forest Community Energy beyond AURORA. Linked to the Gloucestershire Rural Community Council so can support with engagement of community centres for the replication of engagement activities. 5. Andrew Darke Local citizen Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Help with the leadership and coordination of Forest Community Energy beyond AURORA. 6. Megan Blyth Project Manager at Centre for Sustainable Energy Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model within organisation and at regional and national level 7. Amy Staff Community Engagement Coordinator at Centre for Sustainable Energy Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model within organisation and at regional and national level 8. Andrew Knott Director of Finance & Resources at Forest of Dean District Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 149 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. commitments and at regional local government and national level 9. Andy Barge Director of Communities & Place at Forest of Dean District Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon commitments and at regional local government and national level 10. Jackie Fraser Cabinet Member for Environment at Forest of Dean District Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon commitments and at regional local government and national level 11. Alison Bruce District Councillor Bream Ward at Forest of Dean District Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon commitments and at regional local government and national level 12. Andy Moore Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance at Forest of Dean District Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon commitments and at regional local government and national level 13. Jackie Dale Cabinet Member for Thriving Communities at Forest of Dean District Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon commitments and at regional local government and national level 14. Sid Phelps Cabinet Member for Planning Policy and Local Plan at Forest of Dean District Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon commitments and at regional local government and national level 15. Karen Hill Senior Project Manager at Forest of Dean District Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon commitments and at regional local government and national level 16. Louise Croot Climate Change Officer at West Oxfordshire District Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon commitments and at regional local government and national level 17. Olivia McGregor Climate Change & Carbon Reduction Lead at Cotswold District Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon commitments and at regional local government and national level AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 150 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. 18. Afriqnmun Lovejoy Countywide Climate Change Coordinator at Gloucester City Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon commitments and at regional local government and national level 19. David Sharman Countywide Climate Change Coordinator at Gloucester City Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon commitments and at regional local government and national level 20. Marcus Perrin Climate Emergency Officer at Forest of Dean District Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon commitments and at regional local government and national level 21. Simon Richards Net Zero Innovation and Delivery Officer at Forest of Dean District Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon commitments and at regional local government and national level 22. Piers Cardiff Climate Change Community Delivery Lead at Forest of Dean District Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon commitments and at regional local government and national level 23. Jacqueline Wright Head of Communities & Sustainable Economy at Forest of Dean District Council Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Promotion of the AURORA business model as part of the Forest of Dean District Council Net Zero Carbon commitments and at regional local government and national level Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Aarhus University – Denmark Pilot Ambassadors 24. Gorm Bruun Andresen Senior Specialist, Added Value P/S Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. He has been a major supporter and promoter of the project. Contributed significantly to the establishment of the energy community. International Ambassadors 25. Andy Deacon Co-Managing Director at Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) Agreed to be an ambassador but not on the website. Global leader of the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy able to promote the idea of a global citizen science programme on climate change mitigation and able to encourage the world’s great cities to act and apply such a programme. Strong links to a wide range of city organisations such as C40. He has already facilitated a major intervention at UNEA6 where a short presentation about citizen science and AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 151 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. the AURORA programme was made. He remains a key figure for UNEA7 to promote the ideas of a global citizen science programme on climate change mitigation that builds on the AURORA legacy that can be integrated into the work of global cities tackling climate change. We will be seeking his support for a further intervention. to the cities meeting planned for UNEA7. 26. Austin Mast Leading academic Florida State University and former Chair of the Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences (AAPS) USA ( Citizen Science Association USA) Agreed to support the programme but not to declare as an Ambassador on the website for obvious political reasons in the USA. Technical University of Madrid – Spanish Pilot - Ambassadors Ljubljana University – Slovenian Pilot - Ambassadors 27. Peter Kumer President of The Slovenian photovoltaic association ZSFV and CEO of company Enertec Not included on the website As President of the Slovenian Photovoltaic Association, Peter Kumer can have a very strong influence on the dissemination of the AURORA project achievements, especially among business people or people involved in commercial photovoltaics. 28. Jorge Aguilera Tejero Universidad de Jaén Interested in pushing his university in a process to explore the challenge of setting up an energy community within the university Évora University – Portuguese Pilot - Ambassadors 29.Diamantino Conceição Director of AREANATejo - Agência Regional de Energia e Ambiente do Norte Alentejano e Tejo Not included on the website Director of North Alentejo Agency for energy and environment, working on energy efficiency and decarbonization 30. Susana Guerreiro SEYN – Sustainable Energy Youth Network Not included on the website Association dedicated to Sustainability - Director, focused on energy, fair energy transition. 31. Júlia Oliveira Pereira Researcher at EDP – LABELEC and POCITYF coordinator (H2020) Not included on the website Researcher able to promote the project. 32. Nuno Mateus Researcher at EDP – LABELEC and supporting POCITYF coordination (H2020) Not included on the website POCITIF is a project dedicated to positive energy districts, renewables incorporation in historical areas 33. Mariana Almeida DECO Proteste (consumer defense association) Able to promote the project with consumers 34. Helena Guerra DECO Proteste (consumer defense association) Able to promote the project with consumers Individuals who have agreed to support the development of a European/Global Citizen Science Project on Climate Change Mitigation – roles outlined International Individuals taking a leadership role 35. Frouke Wiarda EU Climate Pact Partner - Air ACSA. Frouke has taken on the role of Chairing the AURORA subgroup on communication, part of the AURORA lead working group on Citizen Science climate change mitigation. This follows AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 152 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. an expression of interest in developing a global program on climate change mitigation through the EU Climate Pact matchmaker exercise. She will also be able to support the promotion of the idea of a Citizen Science program on climate change mitigation to the EU Climate Pact community and take our messages into Belgium. 36. Vânia Serrão Sousa EU Climate Pact Ambassador Portugal Vânia has taken on the role of Chairing the AURORA subgroup on research, part of the AURORA lead working group on Citizen Science climate change mitigation. This follows an expression of interest in developing a global program on climate change mitigation through the EU Climate Pact matchmaker exercise. She will also be able to support the promotion of the idea of a Citizen Science program on climate change mitigation to the EU Climate Pact community and take our messages into Portugal. She will attend UNEA7. 37. Lisa Evans Co-Chair Citizen Science Association New Zealand Lisa has taken on the role of Chairing the AURORA subgroup preparing the final report and business plan, part of the AURORA lead working group on Citizen Science climate change mitigation. She would also be able to take details about the AURORA program into New Zealand. I need to get them morning to be honest 38. Russanne Low Deputy Director Science - GLOBE Programme and Institute for Global Environmental Strategies. USA Based Rusty Low has been integral part of the GLOBE program, a Citizen Science project supported by NASA for nearly 30 years. She has taken on the role of Joint a Chair of the AURORA lead working group on Citizen Science and climate change mitigation which is seeking to put together a global Citizen Science program on climate change mitigation. She provides a key link to infrastructure that can be used to support these ideas along with an extensive network across the globe that can promote the idea of a citizen size program on climate change mitigation. She is a key partner although not declared on the website. She will attend UNEA7. 39. Becky Boger Brooklyn College and GLOBE Programme – USA Based. Becky has joined the AURORA lead Citizen Science and climate change mitigation working group as an active member. She has many years’ experience as a Citizen scientist working on the GLOBE habit mapper project. She will help take the AURORA message into the USA as well as helping to develop and promote the Global Citizen Science climate change mitigation program which is based on the research undertaken during the AURORA program. She will support Rusty Low as the Co-Chair of the working Group. 40. Shereen Zorba Head of the Global Secretariat UN Science Policy Business Forum (UNSPBF) - UNEP Shereen is a key influencer in the UNEP, supporting the idea of developing citizen science programmes to improve implementation of AURORA – D4.2 Report on Creating AURORA Ambassadors Final version 153 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036418. international environmental agreements and build on the AURORA Project legacy. She will not declare as an AURORA Ambassador due to her role in the UNEP. For UNEA7 she has agreed to: • Supporting monthly blogs on citizen science on the UNSPBF website in the lead into UNEA 7. This will include a specific blog on citizen science and climate change mitigation that will include promoting project AURORA. • Provide a platform as part of UNSPBF events for the idea of a citizen science programme on climate change mitigation. She has already given the CSGP platforms at UNEA including, UNEA6 (where the AURORA programme was introduced to an International audience of key decisions makers including leading figures in global business, commerce, philanthropic and NGO leaders as well as senior Members of National Member State Governments) and at the Big Data Event in 2025 in Rome in support of the UNEP Global Environmental Data Strategy (GEDS). We will seek her advice on further efforts to impact UNEA7, She remains a key influencer in our attempts to secure funding and or support for a global citizen science programme on climate change mitigation that builds on the AURORA legacy as key part of our exploitation plan. Her staff including William Thornton, Rehana Velji and Margaux Abrieu are also key to our success at UNEA7. 41. Andrea Hinwood UNEP Chief Scientist Andrea is a major influencer in the UNEP. She will not declare as an AURORA Ambassador due to her role in the UNEP. She continues to support a programme of work to integrate citizen science into the UNEP World Environment Situation Room (WESR) including supporting the development of two real time global programmes on Air Quality and Climate Change mitigation able to provide live data feeds onto the platform. Her support for our work to exploit the legacy of the AURORA programme remains critical. She is also well connected to the Australian Government who could become a key ally in supporting our formal side event at UNEA7. 42. Esther Herranz and assistants Arturo Esclarin and Eduardo Descartin Dehasa European Parliament – Vice Chair of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Esther is a major influencer in the European Parliament. She will not publicly declare as an Ambassador due to her role in the European Union. Conversations have taken place to get her support to: • host an AURORA meeting at the EU Environmental