Friday 24 July 14:05
- 15:35
Hall: 24 - Room 3 SPT
Chair and Presenter:
Rainisio Nicola
Discussant:
Bonaiuto Marino
Division: Division 4: Environmental Psychology
The transition to more sustainable energy systems is widely recognized as a central challenge in addressing the current ecological crisis. Moving beyond technocratic paradigms, this transformation is increasingly framed as a process of social and community-driven innovation (Steg et al., 2015; Hoppe & De Vries, 2018). Far from being a neutral shift, it raises critical questions concerning social justice, public participation and acceptance, place-based and group identities, and the capacity of communities to envision and shape their own energy futures (Jenkins et al., 2016; Perlaviciute & Steg, 2014; Walker & Devine-Wright, 2008). A just energy transition involves not only the outcomes of change, but also the broader discourses, the processes through which change is enacted, and the ways in which power asymmetries are recognized and addressed.
This symposium brings together psychological contributions that critically examine how individuals and communities interpret, negotiate, and engage with the energy transition. Ricardo Garcia-Mira examines the psychological consequences of decarbonization in carbon-intensive European regions, showing how economic insecurity and weakened place attachment can negatively affect well-being and increase migration intentions. Mauro Sarrica and Sonia Brondi address epistemic injustice in Italian energy debates, showing how technocratic framings sideline community perspectives and limit public engagement. Gonzalo Palomo-Velez, Jelle Loonstra, Goda Perlaviciute, and Linda Steg investigate how the type of hydrogen and the level of development of the exporting country shape perceptions of distributive fairness, trust in government, and public acceptability of hydrogen import policies in the Netherlands. Finally, Nicola Rainisio and Marco Boffi review how the academic community frames gender in domestic energy practices research, revealing a predominant focus on binary categories and individual behaviors, while often neglecting social and intersectional dimensions. Together, these contributions demonstrate how psychological research can illuminate the social, symbolic, and emotional dimensions of energy transitions. By attending to issues of justice, identity, and participation, they call for a more inclusive and reflexive approach to sustainability-one that recognizes communities not just as targets of policy, but as active agents in shaping just and livable energy futures.
