Bridging People, Policy, and Innovation: Understanding Social Adoption in Decarbonisation Pathways

The DeCO2 project continues to advance sustainable renovation across Europe with the delivery of D2.3: “Comprehensive analysis of social adoption for decarbonisation pathways,” led by NOVA Information Management School, Portugal.

Main results per country & Research Models

This report explores a key question: how can we ensure that innovative decarbonisation solutions are not only technically effective, but also widely adopted by people and communities? To address this, the study combines stakeholder analysis and consumer behaviour research, using a mixed-methods approach, across demonstration cases in Ireland, Spain, and Austria. Specifically it analyzes: (1) the adoption of sustainable renovation practices; (2) adoption of digital product passports; (3) adoption of cultural heritage protection practices.

Results show that awareness of environmental and social impact, empowerment, and perceived value of solutions are the most consistent factors enabling adoption across all countries analysed. Importantly, the findings reveal that behavioural patterns are largely consistent across contexts, suggesting that scalable strategies for social adoption can be developed at the European level. The deliverable also identifies key barriers, including regulatory complexity, limited resources, and challenges in stakeholder coordination. Addressing these barriers is essential to accelerate the transition from pilot projects to large-scale implementation.

A central outcome of this work is the Collaborative Research Framework (CRF), which translates these insights into actionable strategies. By linking stakeholder engagement, consumer behaviour, and policy alignment, the CRF provides a practical roadmap to foster participation, improve communication, and support long-term adoption of decarbonisation pathways.

These results reinforce that achieving climate goals is not only a technological challenge, but also a social one, where people play a decisive role.