Mapping Hope: Citizen Science and the Triple Planetary Crisis

Humanity today faces what the United Nations calls the triple planetary crisis: the interlinked emergencies of biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution. These global challenges are already shaping everyday lives of the people in Thailand and across Asia—whether through the silent disappearance of wildlife, the spread of transboundary air pollution, or the hazards of industrial accidents.

At the same time, solutions are emerging from unexpected places, as ordinary citizens work hand in hand with scientists and activists to collect evidence, raise awareness, and push for accountability.

This approach is known as citizen science—the active involvement of people in monitoring and analyzing their environment, their communities, and their health alongside experts.

Far from being a niche pursuit, citizen science has evolved into a practical tool for communities to understand the risks they face and advocate for meaningful change.

The three videos featured here demonstrate how this movement is unfolding in Thailand, where the power of data and the power of people converge to confront the triple planetary threat.

The first story, “Science of Inclusivity,” explores the problem of biodiversity loss. Dr. Rongrong Angkaew of King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi and her friend, bird guide and eBird reviewer Wich’yanan Limparungpatthanakij , are using the global platform iNaturalist to monitor illegal bird trapping.

Their project, called Tangled and Trapped, documents mist nets in the Pak Pli area and invites citizen scientists to help identify and report these practices. By opening the process to the public, Dr. Rongrong is not only revealing a hidden conservation issue but also showing how science can become inclusive, engaging communities in protecting birdlife across Thailand and East Asia.

The Second video, “The Tools of Empowerment,” documents how citizen action exposed the truth about an industrial disaster. When the Wind Process chemical depot in Rayong province caught fire, government agencies initially dismissed the smoke as harmless. But the NGO Ecological Alert and Recovery Thailand (EARTH), led by Penchom Saetang, deployed low-cost sensors at night and recorded hazardous levels of volatile organic compounds.

Their evidence forced officials to admit the risks and take corrective action. Penchom reflects on the struggle to make science serve the public interest, stressing the urgent need for laws such as a Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) to guarantee people’s right to know about toxic chemicals in their communities.

The Third video, “Citizen Science for Health,” turns to the problem of transboundary pollution.

With support from the Health Systems Research Institute (HSRI), Thai researchers have teachers and students collect data from rivers, trees, soils, and even their own health indicators, transforming classrooms into centers of environmental inquiry.

This case illustrates how citizen science can strengthen local resilience and inform policy. Yet it also raises critical questions: how can such projects be sustained over time, and how can policymakers ensure that the voices of local communities are heard?

Together, Science of Inclusivity, The Tools of Empowerment, and Citizen Science for Health reveal how citizen science can turn observation into advocacy and data into change.

They demonstrate that the triple planetary crisis is not only a story of threats—it is also a story of possible solutions being built from the ground up.