- 1National research Council, Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological protection (CNR IRPI), Perugia, Italy
- *A full list of authors appears at the end of the abstract
Urban areas face a wide range of climate-related challenges, including air pollution, waste management, extreme weather events, and the need for sustainable mobility. These challenges demand need to be addressed through tailored (or customised) approaches that account for local socio-economic context and that empower citizens to play an active role in climate adaptation and mitigation actions.
This study compares the outcomes of multiple Living Labs (LLs) operating in diverse socio-economic and environmental contexts across Europe and other regions. Each LL focused on specific urban climate challenges, such as promoting sustainable transportation to reduce emissions or monitoring air quality through participatory science. To better understand what drives individuals to adopt sustainable behaviors, focus groups and surveys were conducted across the LLs. These tools allowed the identification of key factors - be they local or personal - that influence people's willingness to embrace pro-environmental practices.
Results reveal significant variability in how citizens respond to interventions, shaped by local conditions such as infrastructure, cultural factors, and environmental priorities. Across the LLs, the research sought to identify key drivers that encourage individuals to adopt more sustainable behaviors. Such drivers include experiencing climate-induced disasters, enhancing personal competencies, and gaining social approval. Barriers such as limited resources and skepticism toward systemic solutions were also identified and addressed.
This comparative analysis highlights the potential of participatory science not only to collect valuable environmental data but also to act as a catalyst for behavior change. By integrating citizen contributions into localized strategies, the LLs demonstrated how tailored interventions can effectively motivate sustainable practices.
The contribution highlights the critical need to understand the factors that motivate individuals to adopt sustainable behaviors across diverse local contexts. It provides actionable recommendations for designing interventions that empower citizens, reduce climate risks, and foster resilience in urban areas globally.
Debora Voltolina, debora.voltolina@cnr.it, National Research Council, Institute of Environmental Geology and Geoengineering (CNR IGAG), Milan, Italy; Umberto Mezzacapo, umberto.mezzacapo@gmail.com, National research Council, Italy; Teresa Carlone, teresa.carlone2@unibo.it, Department of Sociology and Business Law, University of Bologna, Italy; Selene Tondini, selene.tondini3@unibo.it, Department of Sociology and Business Law, University of Bologna, Italy; Erika Brattich, erika.brattich@unibo.it, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Bologna, Italy; Muhammad Adnan, muhammad.adnan@uhasselt.be, Hasselt University, Belgium; Janne Artell, janne.artell@luke.fi, Bioeconomy and Environment, Natural Resources Institute, Finland; Gabriel Campos, gabrieldensy@mail.tau.ac.il, Department of Environment, Tel-Aviv University, Israel; Carlo Cintolesi, carlo.cintolesi@unibo.it, Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi”, University of Bologna, Italy; Silvana Di Sabatino, silvana.disabatino@unibo.it, Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi”, University of Bologna, Italy; Laura Esbrí, lesbri@meteo.ub.edu (1) GAMA, Department of Applied Physics, University of Barcelona (2) IDRA, Water Research Institute, University of Barcelona, Spain; Antonella Galizia, antonella.galizia@ge.imati.cnr.it, National research Council, Institute for applied mathematics and information technologies (IMATI), Genova, Italy; Luca Lambertini, luca.lambertini@unibo.it, Department of Economics, University of Bologna, Italy; Antonio Parodi, antonio.parodi@cimafoundation.org, CIMA Research Foundation, Savona, Italy; Esther E.M. Peerlings, esther.peerlings@wur.nl, Wageningen University, Meteorology and Air Quality Section, P.O. Box 47, Wageningen 6700 AA, The Netherlands; Lara Polo, lara.polo@cimafoundation.org, CIMA Research Foundation, Savona, Italy; Juan Esteban Quintero-Marín, juan.quinteromarin@ucd.ie, School of Geography & School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, UCD, Ireland; Katriina Soini, katriina.soini@luke.fi, Bioeconomy and Environment, Natural Resources Institute, Finland; Simone Sterlacchini, Simone.Sterlacchini@cnr.it, National Research Council, Institute of Environmental Geology and Geoengineering (CNR IGAG), Milan, Italy; Titta Tapiola, titta.tapiola@luke.fi, Bioeconomy and Environment, Natural Resources Institute, Finland; Bio Mohamadou Torou, torou.b@wascal.org, West African science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL), Burkina Faso
How to cite: Marchesini, I. and the I-CHANGE D3.7 Team: Comparative Insights from Living Labs: Driving Sustainable Urban Behaviors through Participatory Science, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-4545, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-4545, 2025.
