This document establishes a project-wide handbook aimed at ensuring that all partners adhere to a common European set of societal values. It outlines key ethical principles for both human and non-human ethics in research and delineates guidelines to:

• Prevent harm ݀

• Ensure well-being ݀

• Respect human and non-human (flora/fauna) rights ݀

• Promote equality for all stakeholders ݀

• Guarantee equal representation of diverse social groups, particularly vulnerable ones

This aligns with the project’s objective to prioritise vulnerable groups in pilot cities.

The deliverable is a public document addressed to:

• All GreenInCities consortium members ݀

• The European Commission (EC) and CINEA - European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency ݀

• The General Assembly (GA), Technical Management Team (TMT), and Advisory Board ݀

• External stakeholders interested in the GreenInCities project

This deliverable provides an in-depth analysis of the ethical considerations that all partners must take into account when conducting and disseminating research involving:

• Humans

• Non-humans (flora and fauna)

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems

It draws from key ethics documents, such as the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity, to ensure integrity and ethical research procedures.

To develop the core of the deliverable, a questionnaire was distributed to all project partners to gather information on the data collection methods and research tools they plan to utilise. Based on their responses and a review of relevant literature, this deliverable offers practical guidelines to ensure ethical compliance when conducting and/or disseminating research.

Ethical guidelines and recommendations are incorporated in Section 6 of the deliverable to provide practical support for research partners and ensure ethical conduct during:

• The preparation of research

• The execution of research

• The dissemination of research and interventions

This deliverable ensures the integration of ethical considerations across all project activities by:

• Collaborating with the Technical Management Team (TMT) and the Project Coordinator to monitor ethical dimensions

• Ensuring research integrity and accountability

• Promoting well-being and environmental justice

• Fostering equitable and inclusive co-creation environments that align with the project’s objectives

The deliverable promotes ethical practices that:

• Safeguard human rights

• Ensure well-being

• Uphold environmental justice

This benefits both human and non-human communities engaged in the GreenInCities project.

• Figure 1: Screenshot of the questionnaire (URBANA) ݀

• Table 1: Ethical considerations for research involving human participants ݀

• Table 2: Ethical considerations for research involving non-humans (flora and fauna) ݀

• Table 3: Ethical considerations for partners utilising Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems