National Study on Public Perception on Carbon Management in Romania

The GreenHorizon CEE project examines the social dimensions of deploying carbon management technologies in Central and Eastern Europe, with a focus on public awareness, trust, and acceptance.

Published by Energy Policy Group, this study analyses how citizens, local communities, industry, civil society, and public authorities in Romania perceive carbon management technologies, in particular carbon capture and storage (CCS). Drawing on a national representative survey, focus groups, and stakeholder interviews, the analysis finds that public awareness remains low but reflects an information gap rather than opposition. Acceptance is shown to depend strongly on trust in institutions, transparent governance, and clear communication of costs and benefits. The study highlights that perceived risks are linked less to the technology itself and more to institutional capacity, fairness in cost distribution, and decision-making transparency. Without early, credible engagement and clearly defined roles across governance levels, public support risks remaining fragile, potentially undermining Romania’s ability to deploy carbon management technologies effectively.