A transdisciplinary educational platform helping communities collect evidence, manage conflicts, and drive change in polluted and vulnerable areas.
Across Europe and globally, many communities are exposed to environmental pollution and social impacts linked to industrial, extractive, and infrastructure projects. Contaminated air, polluted water, and degraded soils are not only environmental issues. They are public health concerns, social justice challenges, and human rights matters. Yet, communities affected by environmental harm often lack the technical, legal, and methodological tools needed to collect reliable data, interpret scientific evidence, translate findings into advocacy strategies and engage effectively with institutions, companies, and decision-makers. Over the past decade, community-based monitoring and citizen science initiatives have demonstrated that local communities can play a crucial role in documenting environmental and social impacts. However, knowledge remains fragmented and access to structured educational tools is limited. MARMOT was conceived to address this gap, consolidating field experience into an accessible, transdisciplinary educational platform that strengthens civic engagement and community-led action.
MARMOT – Monitoring and Acting for Human Rights, environMent, and sOcial impacT – is a three-year Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership in Adult Education.
The project brings together universities, NGOs, legal experts, training providers, and digital developers from across Europe. Its main objective is to develop an accessible, co-designed educational platform that empowers communities affected by pollution and human rights abuses to independently monitor environmental and social impacts and use collected data to drive change.
The platform will be developed collaboratively with end users, tested in five national pilot sites, and supported by a dedicated facilitators’ training programme. Beyond the technical output, MARMOT aims to foster a European community of practice where knowledge, experiences, and strategies can be shared across borders.
The first phase of the project focuses on identifying the needs of affected communities and practitioners. Through interviews, participatory workshops, and the analysis of previous monitoring experiences, the consortium will map:
- technical and methodological barriers; training needs;
- challenges in accessing and interpreting data;
- difficulties in engaging with duty-bearers and institutions.
This participatory approach ensures that the MARMOT platform is grounded in real-world challenges and tailored to diverse socio-environmental contexts.
Based on the insights collected, the consortium will develop the MARMOT digital platform, including:
- educational modules on environmental and social impact monitoring;
- practical tools for data collection and interpretation;
- guidance on human rights frameworks and conflict management;
- structured materials for facilitators.
In parallel, a dedicated facilitators’ course will be delivered to ensure that local actors are equipped to support communities in using the platform effectively. A beta version of the platform will be released and tested before final adjustments are made based on user feedback.
The platform will be implemented and tested in five national pilot sites across Europe. These pilots will allow the consortium to evaluate the usability of the monitoring tools; the effectiveness of the educational materials; the applicability of conflict management approaches; and the capacity of communities to use data for advocacy and dialogue. Testing the platform in real-world contexts is a crucial step to ensure that MARMOT is practical, adaptable, and impactful.
The final phase of the project focuses on dissemination and long-term sustainability. Through national and international events, workshops, and knowledge-sharing activities, MARMOT will promote peer learning between communities and practitioners, bottom-up civic engagement, stronger inclusion of citizens’ voices in policymaking processes. The goal is not only to deliver a platform but to establish a durable European network that continues to exchange knowledge and support community-led monitoring beyond the lifetime of the project.
