We offer social-science expertise on the SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE of raw materials extraction and processing, building on extensive research on the societal and community acceptance of energy technologies and infrastructure. We are interested in joining TOPIC 1 consortia to address the social dimension of a resilient supply of raw materials from primary sources.

We contribute by:
- assessing public and local/community acceptance (surveys, experiments, stakeholder and perception research) to help minimise the social costs of extraction and processing;
- translating acceptance findings into actionable implications for public communication, siting, technology development, regulation and the relevant policy context;
- operationalising social acceptance and the Safe and Sustainable by Design principle as a social impact assessment;
engaging stakeholders through participation and co-design along the value chain.

By connecting acceptance research directly to technical, regulatory and siting decisions, we help projects minimise social costs and strengthen the social license to operate. We are open to leading work package(s) on social acceptance and social impact assessment.

The Chair of Communication Science at RWTH Aachen University brings deep expertise in social acceptance research and science communication, investigating how the public, local communities and stakeholders perceive new technologies and infrastructure — from energy systems to raw materials extraction, processing and recycling — and translating these findings into actionable implications for siting, technology development, regulation and policy.

We bring long-standing experience in interdisciplinary collaboration across national and EU-funded projects and a substantial record of high-ranked publications in the field.