D6.5 Summary report on public acceptance - Findings from second survey and citizen engagement

The PilotSTRATEGY Deliverable 6.5 report presents the results from the citizen engagement and public perception activities conducted across three European regions—Portugal, Spain, and France— between 2023 and 2025. These activities were designed to evaluate perceptions of geological carbon dioxide (CO₂) storage (CCS) and to identify conditions under which communities might support or oppose its development. The findings provide valuable insights into the social dimensions of CCS, which alongside technical and economic considerations are essential for its successful deployment. Methodological ApproachThe engagement activities combined qualitative and quantitative methods tailored to each study region’s specific context. Portugal employed format experimentation, including workshops and interactive exhibitions around a potential offshore storage site. Spain implemented reconvened focus groups in rural municipalities to enable informed deliberation over time. France adopted an organic approach, leveraging open-door meetings and community partnerships initiated during a seismic campaign to foster ongoing dialogue. Additionally, surveys were conducted across regions to assess public attitudes, familiarity with CCS, and influential factors shaping social acceptance. Key insights include: Social acceptance as conditional contract: Communities tend to express conditional acceptance of CCS projects, often emphasizing the importance of safety, tangible benefits, transparency, and meaningful involvement in decision-making. Trust through institutional design: Building trust may require credible mechanisms such as binding agreements, oversight committees, and open communication channels to address concerns rooted in historical experiences of unmet promises. Territorial justice concerns: Addressing fairness issues related to the distribution of local burdens and global benefits appears to be a critical aspect for fostering acceptance in affected communities. Technical and social feasibility: Alignment between technical viability and community willingness is likely to be an important factor for the successful implementation of CCS projects. Methodological diversity: Engagement approaches should aim to adapt to regional contexts and conditions, as standardized protocols may not address local specificities effectively. Low initial knowledge as opportunity: Limited familiarity with CCS may provide an opportunity for meaningful dialogue before positions become entrenched. Sustained engagement fosters evolution: Repeated interactions over time show how meaningful dialogue requires time while all relationships take place in a larger context which may hinder or delay such dialogue. Tangible, verifiable, and fair benefits: Communities generally expect benefits from CCS projects to be clear, measurable, and equitably distributed, with mechanisms in place to ensure their delivery.