Collection Overview 

Scientific Reports has launched a Guest-Edited Collection on Citizen science for climate adaptation.

As climate change intensifies, communities are increasingly looking to involve the public in collection of data, such as weather events or biodiversity dynamics, which contribute to understand its impacts and inform mitigation strategies. A key strength of citizen science is its ability to connect scientific knowledge and community action, but challenges remain to ensure data quality and its integration into policy.

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to: SDG 13 - Climate Action.

This will be a Collection of original research papers  and will be open for submissions from all authors – on the condition that the manuscripts fall within the scope of the Collection and of Scientific Reports more generally. We are welcoming submissions until 12th August 2026.

Why is this Collection important?

"This Collection, "Citizen science for climate adaptation" is exciting as it brings together research and lived experience, while creating direct and indirect impacts on policy and climate adaptation planning. As science increasingly provides communities with the capacity to monitor their own environments, it generates locally grounded evidence on climate impacts, as well as strengthening science literacy. There are a wide number of examples where projects have empowered citizens to engage with scientific methods, and built trust in evidence-based decision-making. This Collection in Scientific Reports offers researchers a unique platform to showcase impactful, community-driven science that advances resilience and societal engagement."

- Dr. Steven Loiselle, Guest Editor

Why submit to a collection?  

Collections like this one help promote high-quality science. They are led by Guest Editors, who are experts in their fields, and In-House Editors and are supported by a dedicated team of Commissioning Editors and Managing Editors at Springer Nature. Collection manuscripts typically see higher citations, downloads, and Altmetric scores and provide a one-stop-shop on a cutting-edge topic of interest.  

Who is involved?

Guest Editors:

• Emma Ferranti, PhD, University of Birmingham, UK
• Christian Natale Gencarelli, PhD, National Research Council, CNR-IGAG, Italy
• Steven Loiselle, PhD, University of Siena, Italy; Earthwatch Europe, UK

Internal Team:

• In-House Editor: Ines Trindade, Scientific Reports, Germany
• Commissioning Editor: Nancy Rogerson, Fully OA Brands, Springer Nature, UK
• Managing Editor: Sarah Jane Hunt, Fully OA Brands, Springer Nature, UK

How can I submit my paper?

Visit the Collection page for more information on the Collection, and how to submit your article.