The Ariadne consortium set out to create a comprehensive perspective on Germany’s energy transition, emphasizing a shared learning process that brought together scientists, policymakers, industry representatives and civil society. Within this framework the Helmholtz‑Zentrum Potsdam, through its Forschungsinstitut für Nachhaltigkeit (RIFS), carried out a dedicated sub‑project that examined the social dimensions of the transition at a regional level. The project ran from 1 June 2020 to 31 August 2023 and was funded by the Helmholtz‑Zentrum Potsdam under grant code 03SFK5M0.

The technical core of the sub‑project was a series of representative panel surveys conducted annually from spring 2021, complemented by short, focused surveys and by research accompanying the Ariadne citizen deliberations. Building on the Social Sustainability Barometer that had been developed between 2017 and 2019, the team redesigned the questionnaire to capture subjective assessments of social sustainability across both the energy and transport sectors. The new survey concept incorporated established dimensions and indicators from the scientific and policy literature, while also integrating insights from the Ariadne citizen deliberation. This allowed the researchers to assess preferences, attitudes and evaluations of the German public regarding the design and implementation of a climate‑neutral energy and transport system. The panel surveys were embedded in specific work packages of the Ariadne project: AP1 (policy unit, task 1.5 on dissemination and discussion of panel results), AP7 (sectoral focus analysis of the transport transition, task 7.3 on the transport panel) and AP10 (sectoral focus analysis of renewable energy expansion in the electricity market, task 10.3 on the energy panel). Throughout the project RIFS actively represented Ariadne in the cross‑project cooperation working group, ensuring that the findings were integrated into the broader consortium outputs.

The results of the most recent surveys reveal that German citizens continue to view climate protection as a paramount societal challenge, even amid the energy crisis and high inflation. Respondents overwhelmingly support coordinated solutions that simultaneously strengthen climate protection and alleviate the energy crisis. They favour investment programmes for renewable energy expansion, measures to increase energy efficiency, replacement of heating systems in buildings, and climate‑friendly transport options. The surveys also show that the majority of participants perceive current government relief packages as insufficient and unfairly distributed, particularly for low‑income households. Nevertheless, citizens report being well informed about household savings opportunities and actively implementing them, although only a minority see further behavioural change potential. The findings suggest that targeted economic incentives, regulatory measures, enhanced information and advisory services could strengthen public engagement and support the adoption of technologies such as solar panels and heat pumps. Participants expect the policy framework to create enabling conditions rather than placing the entire responsibility on consumers, and they demand a stricter climate policy that ensures a fair distribution of costs and benefits across society.

Collaboration within the Ariadne consortium was structured around clear roles and responsibilities. The Helmholtz‑Zentrum Potsdam, through RIFS, led the social‑sustainability analysis and coordinated the panel surveys, while other consortium partners contributed expertise in policy analysis, transport and renewable energy sectors. The project’s timeline spanned just over three years, with the first panel survey launched in spring 2021 and subsequent surveys conducted at yearly intervals. Results were disseminated through online webinars and stakeholder discussions, and several short surveys were carried out during the project to address specific topics. The funding from the Helmholtz‑Zentrum Potsdam enabled the comprehensive data collection and analysis, and the consortium’s collaborative structure ensured that the findings were integrated into a broader policy‑relevant knowledge base for Germany’s energy transition.