Abstract

The paper investigates the complex relationship between contentious politics and the production of scientific knowledge, particularly in the realm of environmental monitoring data practices. Our analysis focuses on the role of non-experts in the production of environmental data outside environmental public authorities or on the periphery of environmental governance structures. Drawing on existing literature that positions environmental governance as a critical area for understanding the entanglement of scientific knowledge, innovation, and political power, the analysis engages with three case studies – Public Lab, RMAP, and Safecast. Each case highlights different aspects of data practices related to environmental monitoring and foregrounds a distinct phase of the process: data collection, data validation, and data accessibility. These initiatives challenge existing power asymmetries and illustrate how citizen participation can reshape the political dynamics of environmental governance. Using frameworks from Science and Technology Studies (STS), the paper sheds light on how data practices mediate issues of transparency, authority, and legitimacy in environmental science. Ultimately, it calls for further investigation into these practices to better understand their role in shaping power relationships and knowledge production in contentious political contexts