Cova Contro was born in 2013 as an unrecognized volunteer organization, based in Policoro in the province of Matera, with the sole purpose of studying and disseminating the implications of regional energy/oil issues: impacts, regulatory norms, legislative limitations, participation, and transparency in decision-making processes. Since 2015, the commitment to citizen science has begun, using social media to raise funds in order to carry out grassroots, private analyses on some environmental anomalies in the Basilicata region. Thanks to the significant results achieved with citizen science, we have expanded to the implementation of new technologies: satellites, drones, mobile air quality meters for indoor and outdoor environments, scientific collaborations with public and private entities in Italy and abroad. Today we engage in: environmental outreach and investigation (as well as other sectors), combating corruption and conflicts of interest, supporting the Aarhus Convention, consumer protection and food analysis, citizen science, environmental consulting for both public and private sectors, pollution victim support, and upholding press freedom.

Since its foundation in 1450, the University of Barcelona (UB) has been committed to providing a public service for higher education, with the highest level of quality, encompassing study, teaching, research, and effective knowledge transfer management. The values of the UB, include freedom, democracy, justice, equality, and solidarity, and are embraced by the entire university community. The University is comprised of 16 faculties, 10 affiliated centres and a doctoral school through which all its academic programmes are run. It also has a Science Park, a Science and Technology Centre service, 17 research institutes, over 5,000 research groups, nearly 6,000 researchers and more than 40,000 students. The UB team, led by Dr. Orta-Martínez and Dr. Muñoz-Garcia, demonstrates proven expertise in environmental monitoring of water quality and community-based environmental monitoring systems, which are key aspects to achieving the objectives of the ERICA. Expertise in environmental chemistry and forensics, technical legislation regarding permissible levels of the relevant pollutants, and understanding their toxicological profiles are crucial factors in identifying the most relevant pollutants posing environmental and health risks. The UB team also possesses extensive experience in designing and implementing community-based environmental monitoring systems. Specifically, Dr. Orta-Martínez and his team have contributed to establishing several near real-time environmental monitoring systems in the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazon.

Source International is an Italian organization with over ten years of fieldwork experience supporting communities around the world in environmental monitoring of air, water, soil, food quality and biomonitoring in critical areas. Composed of a team of environmental scientists and lawyers, it collects scientific evidence of the environmental, health and social impacts associated with industrial activities such as oil and gas, mining, agribusiness and any human activity with strong impacts on the environment and local communities. It conducts training activities for communities, associations and institutions on how to manage and monitor natural resources. It carries out independent environmental studies on water, soil, air, sediment, food and biological samples such as urine and hair for epidemiological research.