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Citizen science, mobile technology, and environmental justice in Africa: rights-based legal pathways for community empowerment

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  • Inyang, Philippa Osim

Abstract

This paper critically examines the legal potential of citizen science, enhanced by mobile technology, as a tool for advancing environmental justice and enforcing the right to a healthy environment in Africa. In light of widespread environmental degradation and weak regulatory capacity, it explores how citizen-generated environmental data can bridge accountability gaps in both formal governance systems and judicial processes. Drawing on African communitarian traditions, international environmental law, and comparative jurisprudence, including landmark cases from the US and Europe, it interrogates the evidentiary and procedural barriers that currently undermine the admissibility of citizen data in legal forums. The paper argues for comprehensive legal reform encompassing constitutional interpretation, legislative innovation, regulatory clarity and judicial openness to non-traditional evidence. By integrating citizen science into the legal architecture of environmental governance, African states can democratise environmental monitoring, empower marginalised communities and strengthen compliance with environmental obligations. The study contributes to emerging interdisciplinary discourse at the intersection of environmental law, human rights and digital technology in the Global South.

Suggested Citation

  • Inyang, Philippa Osim, 2026. "Citizen science, mobile technology, and environmental justice in Africa: rights-based legal pathways for community empowerment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:200:y:2026:i:c:s0305750x25003407
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2025.107254
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    References listed on IDEAS

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