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Featured Projects & Blog Posts

Science in the City Returns – Tracking the Impact of Air Quality Measures

What impact have air pollution reduction measures introduced by The City of London Corporation over the past six years had? That’s exactly what we’re aiming to find out through Science in the City 2! With levels of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide remaining a concern in urban areas—especially those associated with fuel combustion from transport and heating—this project is more relevant than ever.

Assessing Impact and Strengthening Communities

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Project Overview

Citizen science was at the core of this initiative and we were fortunate, to once again, collaborate with residents of the Barbican, Golden Lane, and Middlesex Estates. The project centred on the co-design of research questions, monitoring of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels, and analysis of data. Engaging local communities, stakeholders, and policymakers was critical to ensure that the findings informed future urban planning decisions and contributed to a cleaner, more sustainable environment.

Our Role: Using Citizen Science to Evaluate Policy Impact

Mapping for Change facilitated a participatory process where residents played an active role in research design, data collection, and analysis. By using citizen science, we provided communities with the tools they needed to monitor air quality and understand the impact of ongoing interventions like the Low Emission Zone.

We also conducted workshops with local residents to explore how air pollution affects their daily lives and engage them in designing solutions. This collaborative approach ensured that the project’s findings were grounded in the lived experiences of the community.

Key Outcomes

  • Participatory Data Collection: Residents from the three estates collected data using low-cost air quality sensors, providing insights into the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing air pollution.
  • Policy Feedback: The project helped evaluate the impact of the Low Emission Zone and other environmental policies, providing valuable feedback to local authorities.
  • Community Empowerment: By engaging residents in data analysis and interpretation, the project fostered a sense of ownership over the findings and empowered the community to take action based on the results.
  • Awareness and Advocacy: Science in the City 2 raised awareness about the importance of reducing air pollution and encouraged residents to advocate for further environmental improvements.

For more information about this project and its impact, , which highlights how communities can use citizen science to drive change. Watch our documentary.

Visual Elements

  • Maps and Data Visualisations: Interactive maps showing the nitrogen dioxide levels across the two estates, illustrating pollution hotspots and trends over time.

  • Photos: Images of residents collecting air quality data, as well as group discussions and workshops where the findings were shared with the community.

  • Final report

Science in the City Community Map

Legacy of Science in the City

This project builds on the legacy of the original Science in the City project in 2014, where residents of the Barbican Estate were first introduced to citizen-led air quality monitoring. The success of that project laid the foundation for further community-driven environmental initiatives and helped shape policies like the Low Emission Neighbourhood and the Ultra Low Emission Zone. Science in the City 2 continues this important work, expanding the reach of citizen science to new areas and bringing communities closer together in the fight for cleaner air.

Call-to-Action (CTA)

Are you interested in how citizen science can help your community monitor and improve air quality? Contact us today to learn more about how you can get involved and make a difference in your local area.