Mesure citoyenne de la qualité de l'air et action publique locale: enquête sur le projet Ambassad'air

International audienceLes projets CASPA (CApteurs et Sciences PArticipatives) représentent un nouveau type de projets transdisciplinaires, au croisement de la recherche scientifique, de la démocratie participative et de l’innovation technologique, permettant de répondre simultanément à ces deux priorités. En vue de sensibiliser et impliquer les habitants, la Ville de Rennes, la Maison de la Consommation et de l'Environnement, et plusieurs partenaires locaux ont imaginé sur le territoire une démarche expérimentale de captation citoyenne de données sur la qualité de l'air : le projet Ambassad'ai

Ambassad'Air: A French example of how citizen sensing can fuel the smart city

International audienceLow-cost sensors are considered as a promising tool to contribute to urban air quality policies. In some initiatives, based on citizen sensing, they are used to gather data and gain a better understanding of the problem, thus fitting in a technology-oriented smart city model. In others, closer to citizen science, they are used to engage citizens in finding solutions, therefore fueling a more citizen-oriented smart city model, the smart enough city. Although important, the political effects of such initiatives have not been widely analyzed so far. To address this issue, we have studied Ambassad'Air, a citizen sensing initiative led in Rennes since 2016: What are the political consequences of this project? And which smart city model does it fuel?Based on a littterature review, we built an analytical framework for the two smart city models. Then, we realized 81 interviews with Ambassad'air's volunteers and managers to analyze the initiative's strategy, its implementation (participatory mechanisms; use of data) and its political effects (change in political agenda or projects; citizen mobilization).Initially, micro-sensors were lent to volunteers with the aim of turning them into peer-educators able to raise awareness around them and into empowered citizens able to influence local air quality policies. However, the initiative faced implementation barriers (persistent blurring between citizen science and citizen sensing; limitations to produce problem-oriented, scientifically validated, mass data) that limited its short-term political effects. It has sparked a local interest, though, for micro-sensors, and it is questionning the management of citizen-produced data.With no political mechanisms that transform citizen sensing from a practice to an input for risk regulation, Ambassad'Air is not quite yet a tool of a smart enough city. But as a way to produce sensitive environments that any citizen can interact with in real-time, it is a step towards a more senseable city

Mesure citoyenne de la qualité de l'air et action publique locale: enquête sur le projet Ambassad'air

International audienceLes projets CASPA (CApteurs et Sciences PArticipatives) représentent un nouveau type de projets transdisciplinaires, au croisement de la recherche scientifique, de la démocratie participative et de l’innovation technologique, permettant de répondre simultanément à ces deux priorités. En vue de sensibiliser et impliquer les habitants, la Ville de Rennes, la Maison de la Consommation et de l'Environnement, et plusieurs partenaires locaux ont imaginé sur le territoire une démarche expérimentale de captation citoyenne de données sur la qualité de l'air : le projet Ambassad'ai

Screening in health impact assessment: issues and practice in France

International audienceBackgroundHealth impact assessment (HIA) is a method aimed at anticipating the potential effects of proposals on health prior to their implementation in order to include health issues in decisions made outside the health sector. It is structured in several steps. The first one (screening), aimed to decide if a full assessment is required or not, is poorly documented. In France, the interest shown for HIA has led to a growing number of experiments, which questions the quality of practices linked to this step and its capacity to fulfil its purpose. This study describes how screening is implemented, explores the main issues at this stage, the decision-making process and to what extent it conditions the HIA's success.MethodsAll HIAs undertaken between 2011 and 2019 were listed in order to provide a picture of the process. Then, we focused on the 3 most involved regions to describe the screening process (reports, interviews, observation). Drawing on quality standards and literature review, we built an analytical framework to analyze practices, the interface with other approaches, the influence of the local context and the HIA's success factors.Results59 HIAs were identified. Among them, 54 have gone beyond screening. HIAs are applied to land use planning (72%,) policies (19%), equipments (9%) and are carried out by public organisations (37%), private firms (35%), universities (15%), municipalities (13%). 11 regions (out of 18) conducted at least one HIA and practice varies significantly across regions. Case studies in 3 regions (36 HIAs) show that screening length and depth vary greatly. Its features depend on political commitment to HIA, advocacy for HIA, guidance, relationship with local authorities, technical skills. Overall, screening is more dedicated to promote HIA and select a pilot project than to study the HIA's relevance and feasibility.ConclusionsSince screening is methodologically poorly underpinned, it weakens HIA's quality and efficiency whatever its duration

Les enjeux de la première étape de la démarche d’évaluation d’impact sur la santé

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Comment travailler avec les habitants dans le cadre d’une évaluation d’impact sur la santé (EIS) ? L’exemple du quartier du Port du Rhin à Strasbourg

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Using mixed methods to better assess the effects of citizen sensing on individual behaviors

International audienceCitizen sensing initiatives have multiplied in recent years as a way to better understand and act upon urban air pollution at the individual level. However, assessing their effects on behaviors remains a challenge. In 2019, a multidisplinary academic team conducted a research on a French initiative where volunteer citizens were equiped with fine particle micro-sensors, and mobilized mixed methods to assess its impacts on individual practices. A cross analysis of quantitative data from the micro-sensors (3001 measure sessions from 73 sensors) and qualitative data from the volunteers (70 interviews and 49 questionnaires) was performed to analyze the strategies of capture deployed by the volunteers and the impact of the initiative on individual behaviors. Each data set analysis established a relationship between the ways in which volunteers use the sensors and the evolutions of the initiative. Their cross analysis strengthened this relationship and enriched its understanding by identifying the mechanisms at play: volunteers’ capture behaviors over time and space are determined by their initial drive to participate in the initiative, the support they receive to use the sensor, understand the data and relate it to personal concerns, and their sense of belonging to a community of clean air ambassadors. The confrontation of data sets also helped nuance the declarative statements of volunteers regarding behavior change and identify common patterns in the process of adoption (types of new behavior, triggers and maintenance over time). This research confirms that mixed methods are relevant to evaluate the effectiveness of citizen sensing initiatives since they can be used to both assess their effects on individual behaviors and try to explain those changes. The work also highlighted the current limitations of mixed methods implementation (methodological issues and getting people from different disciplines to work together) and protocols for future research were recommended

Evaluation of the Health impact assessment (HIA) deployment process in a French region

International audienceBackground Health impact assessment is a method aimed at identifying the potential health impacts of policies and projects before their implementation and suggesting proposals in order to mitigate negative impacts and enhance positive ones. HIA is growing in France mainly at the local level. The Pays de la Loire Regional Health Agency (PDL-HRA) took an early interest in HIA and supported three experiments proposed by the town councils. An assessment was performed to judge its added value, identify success factors and draw lessons for the development of the practice. Methods An evaluation framework was built based on standards and literature. Using a qualitative multiple case study design, a cross-sectional analysis of the HIAs was carried out in order to compare the implementation process in their respective contexts, the governance arrangements and the changes introduced as a result of the HIA. Evaluation draws upon HIA reports, workshops, field observation and 40 interviews that were analysed with NVivo. Results While the conduct of HIAs is generally in line with standards of practice, the analysis of the relevance of HIA and impact characterization remain insufficiently documented. Implementation and success factors depend on the political context, the culture of institutions, actors and the purpose of HIA. Recommendations have been taken into account and changes are emerging. The stakeholders indicate their interest in HIA insofar as it is a meeting point between the concerns of institutions regarding health equity and democracy and it provides tools for action. Conclusions Although the approach is unanimously valued, it faces time, resource and competition with other activities. The continuation of the approach depends on the HRA policy specifying the aims, resources, fields of application and positioning with regard to the partners.These findings are consistent with other French work and literature data. French experience coulfd benefit from that of other countries

A New Framework for Monitoring and Evaluating Health Impact Assessment: Capitalising on a French Case Study with the Literature in Evaluation

International audienceHealth impact assessment (HIA) is a prospective approach that aims to identify the potential consequences of policies or projects on health in order to propose measures to make them healthier. Initiated in the late nineties, the approach emerged over ten years ago in France. However, the evaluation of HIA effectiveness remains seldomly practised and its theoretical background should be deepened. The aim of this article is to generate a discussion on how to evaluate HIA effectiveness and contribute to its methodological tooling, drawing on an evaluative experience of multiple French HIAs. Our work is based on an iterative approach between an analysis of the evaluation literature and a critical look at an HIA evaluation. We first carried out the evaluation of three HIAs in 2017-2018, combining a normative approach and qualitative research in order to explore each HIA as a phenomenon in its own context. Two years later, we conducted a self-assessing expertise on this evaluation, supported by an analysis of the literature in the field of public policy evaluation, in order to refine the theoretical framework for evaluating HIA effectiveness and ultimately to enhance professional practice by evaluators. This work led to the production of a logic model that identifies, through three dimensions (context, implementation and governance), the multiple pathways that HIA may take to bring about change. It also seeks to show the interdependence of these pathways towards change and helps identify the key drivers and mechanisms of HIA success. In this respect, it complements existing HIA evaluation models as it can serve both as a generic framework for evaluating HIA effectiveness and as an instrument for monitoring HIA implementation

Évaluation d'impact sur la santé en Pays-de-la-Loire : quels enseignements pour les acteurs de la promotion de la santé ?

International audienceEn Pays-de-la-Loire, deux programmes de renouvellement urbain à Nantes - Saint-Herblain et à Angers et le programme de prévention des inondations de l'île de Noirmoutier ont fait l'objet d'une évaluation d'impact sur la santé (EIS). Une équipe de chercheurs a analysé le processus de déploiement de la démarche EIS et ses effets. Si le recul n'est pas suffisant pour en apprécier tous les résultats à long terme, les EIS ont d'ores et déjà permis à la santé de s'inviter dans quelques-unes des politiques qui déterminent l'état de santé de la population : urbanisme, habitat, transports, services publics. Des premiers résultats encourageants