{
  "id": 676869,
  "title": "Community involvement essential for local decarbonization schemes to work, researchers say",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/community-involvement-essential-for-local-decarbonization-schemes-to",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-12T15:50:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-08-community-involvement-essential-local-decarbonization.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Researchers emphasize that successful community-based decarbonization schemes must prioritize early community involvement and acknowledge the diverse ways people perceive and experience their local areas. The Zero Carbon Rugeley project in Staffordshire, where Keele University played a crucial role, highlights the significance of this approach. The study, published in Energy Research & Social Science, reveals that a top-down, pre-branded project approach can create a disconnect between communities and project implementers, leading to varying levels of community support. By incorporating community insights into project design from the beginning, rather than treating engagement as an afterthought, these initiatives can better align technical solutions with local perspectives, ultimately enhancing acceptance and success.",
  "summary": "Place-based decarbonization schemes designed to help communities become more sustainable must involve local people earlier and consider the range of different community responses in their development if they are to be successful and gain fuller community support, researchers have said. Countries worldwide are exploring a range of ways to transition to low-carbon energy systems to reduce carbon…",
  "key_points": [
    "Community involvement crucial for successful decarbonization schemes.",
    "Top-down approach can create disconnect between communities and project implementers.",
    "Incorporating community insights from beginning enhances acceptance and success."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}