The urgency of addressing climate change has pushed governments across Europe to devise ambitious policies aimed at drastically reducing carbon emissions. Yet, despite the heavy emphasis on technological innovation and economic incentives, many climate strategies stumble upon an often overlooked but critical ingredient: public trust. Researchers from Radboud University have now spotlighted this gap, warning that climate policy, if divorced from societal engagement, risks losing the crucial support it needs to succeed. Their recent paper, published in the renowned journal Earth System Governance, argues that social factors and citizen involvement must be central to the European carbon market’s effectiveness.
Climate policy discussions predominantly revolve around groundbreaking technologies and market-driven solutions. These techno-economic frameworks prioritize innovations like carbon capture and storage (CCS), which promise to sequester emissions and thus serve as vital tools for achieving mid-century climate goals. However, CCS and similar technologies face significant challenges—not just technical or financial, but societal. Despite CCS’s pivotal role, its implementation remains sluggish, largely due to an unresolved trust deficit between governments, industry, and citizens. This stalemate forms a vicious feedback loop: industries seek public funding and regulatory support; governments hesitate without visible public backing; meanwhile, communities demand accountability and caution from corporate players before giving their consent.
At the heart of this conundrum is a myopic focus on market value as the primary yardstick for climate solutions. Vincent de Gooyert, the sociologist leading this research, points out that while economic viability is indispensable, it is not sufficient. Unlike renewable energies or energy efficiency measures that generate tangible market returns, the benefits of CCS are often indirect and long-term, complicating efforts to attract private investment. Without simultaneous public endorsement and supportive regulatory frameworks, even the most technologically mature solutions fail to progress beyond pilot stages. This highlights an urgent need to recalibrate our understanding of value in climate policy to include social legitimacy alongside techno-economic metrics.
The team behind this research includes notable experts Senni Määttä, Sandrino Smeets, and Heleen de Coninck, whose collective experience spans extensive stakeholder dialogues throughout Europe. From Finland’s forests to Spain’s energy landscapes and Belgium’s industrial sectors, their work has underscored the complexity of navigating conflicting interests among governments, businesses, environmental organizations, and everyday citizens. These interactions reveal that the climate debate cannot be unilaterally dictated by expert knowledge or top-down policy mandates. Rather, it demands interactive, inclusive platforms where citizens can engage meaningfully and grapple honestly with policy trade-offs and uncertainties.
Trust emerges as the cornerstone of effective climate governance. De Gooyert emphasizes that historically, attempts to secure public support through one-way communication — merely explaining policies or technologies — frequently backfire. Instead of fostering credibility, such “information dumping” can breed skepticism and resentment, as people feel their perspectives are marginalized. A climate policy perceived as arrogant or coercive is bound to encounter resistance. Therefore, creating dialogue spaces where voices are genuinely heard, and where policy choices are transparent and debatable, is essential for nurturing mutual trust.
Recognizing this, the authors advocate for the establishment of independent, scientific advisory councils functioning in conjunction with well-structured citizens’ councils. These bodies serve dual purposes: scientific advisory groups provide rigor and objectivity, while citizens’ councils democratize the decision-making process by empowering laypeople to form informed opinions free from ideological or political manipulation. Such hybrid models acknowledge the inherent complexity of climate issues and resist simplistic narratives, instead embracing nuance and acknowledging uncertainties. This openness to complexity is fundamental if climate policies are to gain legitimacy and resilience over time.
Moreover, the paper stresses that citizens must not only be informed but also empowered to influence decisions that impact their environment and communities. This requires governments and industries to embrace transparency and ethical responsibility, openly presenting the potential consequences and necessary sacrifices that any serious climate policy entails. The willingness of public institutions and private enterprises to prioritize social welfare over narrow economic gain can build the bridge of trust needed to accelerate climate action.
The current approach, often dominated by technological determinism and market calculus, falls short in fostering these conditions. The researchers caution that maintaining this status quo will leave Europe trapped in a stalemate where no substantial steps are taken due to mistrust and paralyzing political hesitancy, precisely at a moment when rapid and far-reaching action is indispensable. As the climate crisis intensifies, the failure to integrate public trust into policy frameworks could erode democratic support for necessary transformations, jeopardizing the continent’s climate ambitions.
Interestingly, the challenge is not unique to CCS but broadly applicable across the climate policy landscape. Whether it’s transitioning to renewable energy, implementing carbon pricing, or adopting energy-efficiency measures, each initiative depends fundamentally on social acceptance and participatory governance. The research underscores that the European carbon market, a central mechanism for emission reductions, can only function smoothly if trust is deeply invested in its design and operation. Hence, investing resources in fostering trust not only complements technical and economic strategies but may be the linchpin for their overall success.
Pragmatically, the study highlights that fostering trust requires sacrifices on all sides. Governments may need to slow down certain policy ambitions to allow genuine deliberation, businesses might need to share more of the financial burden or demonstrate responsibility proactively, and citizens must be willing to engage constructively with the complexities of climate mitigation. This shared commitment can pave the way for breakthroughs that exceed purely technological or economic solutions, fostering a climate governance system that is adaptive, equitable, and enduring.
In conclusion, the Radboud University researchers’ findings offer a compelling call for reimagining climate policy beyond cold calculations and techno-economic optimism. Trust, they argue, is the indispensable foundation for any climate policy that aims not merely to be designed well but to function effectively in real-world social contexts. As Europe accelerates its carbon market reforms and advances toward its climate targets, embedding trust-building mechanisms and deep social engagement into the policy fabric will be more than a strategy — it will be an imperative. The future of climate governance hinges not just on what technologies emerge, but on how societies embrace and shape these transformations together.
Subject of Research: Trust and public engagement in European climate policy, focusing on carbon capture and storage and the European carbon market.
Article Title: Investing in trust is crucial for a well-functioning European carbon market
News Publication Date: 25-May-2025
Web References: 10.1016/j.esg.2025.100261
Keywords: Climate policy, public trust, carbon capture and storage (CCS), European carbon market, social acceptance, climate governance, citizen engagement, techno-economic solutions, environmental policy, stakeholder dialogue
