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Short Abstract

Urban ReLeaf brings case-based insights on the practical, ethical, and institutional challenges of integrating citizen-generated data into urban information systems, contributing directly to discussions on data flow, ethics, and system readiness.

Abstract

Urban ReLeaf is an ongoing Horizon Europe project focused on integrating citizen observations with urban authoritative data across six diverse European cities. Our work directly engages with many of the workshop's core themes, including data interoperability, ethics, and institutional readiness. We have encountered critical challenges such as balancing opportunistic versus structured data collection approaches and ensuring ethical governance when handling socio-demographic data for inclusivity assessments. Cross-sectoral collaboration has also revealed gaps in institutional capacity for data integration and divergent ethical and legal interpretations across countries. These cases show real-world complexities that influence the integration and re-use of citizen science data. At the workshop, we intend to introduce Urban ReLeaf as a case, and share reflections from Urban ReLeaf’s data governance practices, including our approach to operationalising data flows across public authorities and citizen platforms. A specific focus will be on data ethics—exploring tensions between openness and privacy, informed consent, and participant recognition across varied institutional settings. We are also interested in contributing to post-workshop efforts, such as co-developing a publishable perspective article that summarises key insights and pathways forward as discussed in the workshop. This aligns with our ongoing interest in shaping inclusive, interoperable and ethically robust frameworks for urban citizen science data.