SCORE set out to improve data availability within the CCLLs to better monitor coastal changes, ultimately strengthening decision-making tools and increasing climate resilience. To achieve this, the CCLLs engaged their wider stakeholder networks through sensor selection workshops. These workshops helped identify the most appropriate coastal sensors based on each CCLL’s priorities, whether that meant using numerous low-cost sensors to involve more citizens or opting for fewer but higher-quality sensors to enhance institutional monitoring.
Oeiras Municipality – Communication Office
Oeiras CCLLs and Sensor Deployment
The selection of citizen science sensors was guided by the SCORE Sensors Catalogue, an online platform that compiles information on affordable, easy-to-deploy sensors designed to monitor key environmental factors in coastal cities worldwide. Once selected, the sensors were installed with the help of local citizen scientists, ensuring community ownership of the initiative. The data collected fed into the SCORE ICT Platform, making it accessible for CCLL use and for the development of tools such as the Digital Twin.
The Oeiras CCLL stands out as a strong example of effective collaboration between municipalities, universities, and civil protection agencies in deploying citizen science sensors. Through sensor selection workshops, the Oeiras CCLL worked with local actors to determine the most suitable sensors for their needs. However, challenges arose, including delays due to project timeline alignment and difficulties in purchasing certain sensors in Portugal. To navigate these issues, the team sourced similar sensors locally while ensuring they met environmental monitoring requirements. This adaptive approach not only allowed the project to proceed smoothly but also led to the inclusion of these alternative sensors in the catalogue, demonstrating the importance of flexibility in technology deployment.
“It was great to have the university because they have the scientific knowledge, the scientific point of view of the project, and the municipality has the… important connection with the schools… So, both the scientific and the practical.” – Teresa Carmo Vaz, Oeiras Municipality, Oeiras CCLL
Embedding SCORE in the Community
A key success of the Oeiras CCLL was integrating the deployed sensors into the existing municipal grid, enabling real-time data collection that supports civil protection agencies in monitoring inland and coastal flooding risks. Schools also benefited from the initiative, incorporating the sensors into educational programmes to raise awareness of environmental changes. While engagement with schools required navigating complex administrative procedures, the CCLL Core Team successfully established a formal protocol to ensure long-term collaboration.
This work in Oeiras highlights the value of continuous iteration between technical leads and CCLLs within SCORE. The collaboration between universities, municipalities, and SCORE technical experts has not only strengthened the Low-cost Sensors Catalogue but has also laid the groundwork for a lasting citizen science sensor programme beyond the project itself.
