Components of motivating and socially just climate policy

Polarization and opposition are increasing in the public discourse on climate and environmental protection. Many people are asking: “Can I afford the energy transition? How will I move around in the future? Do climate protection and fairness even go together?" Uncertainty is growing and confidence in politicians to offer socially just solutions for a sustainable future is dwindling. The Oeko-Institut sees an urgent need for action here and, in its 2024/25 donation project, is investigating the conditions under which people perceive climate protection measures as fair and motivating. The project focuses on two central building blocks of the energy and transport transitions: energy-efficient building refurbishment and the switch to electromobility. Both areas play a crucial role in climate protection, but they are associated with costs, at least in the short term, which pose difficulties for households in lower income groups in particular. As part of the project, focus groups will be conducted with citizens in order to better understand their motivation and fairness expectations for climate protection measures. Based on the findings of the project and other preliminary work, the Öko-Institut will develop an assessment tool for climate protection measures. The online tool is intended to help stakeholders in politics, administration, civil society and research to consider societal aspects such as acceptance, motivation and fairness in the design and communication of proposed measures. In this way, the tool should contribute to public support for measures for a climate-friendly future.