GREENO2 RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION ON SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY, COMMUNICATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSITION
The Erasmus+ GREENO2 – Green Roofs in Higher Education Institutions as Sustainable Centers for Research, Participation, Environmental Awareness and O2 Generation project contributed to the 3rd Open-Air Cities International Conference “Local and Regional Sustainable Development and Urban Reconstruction”, held on 5–7 December 2025 at Harokopio University of Athens, Greece.
As part of the special session “Virtual Cities and Social Sustainability in EU Framework”, the GREENO2 project was represented through the scientific contribution “Erasmus+ GREENO2 and GAME4CHANGE Projects: Social Sustainability, Communication, and a Sociological Perspective”, published in the conference Book of Abstracts.
The contribution examines the role of communication, sociology and education in promoting environmental sustainability and supporting the European ecological transition. It highlights the importance of understanding how individuals, institutions and communities perceive and respond to environmental challenges, and how technological and ecological innovations can be connected with environmental awareness, behavioural change and participatory engagement.
Particular attention is given to the complementary approaches of the GREENO2 and GAME4CHANGE Erasmus+ projects. GREENO2 promotes green roofs as nature-based solutions in higher education institutions, supporting sustainable urban development, environmental awareness and participation. GAME4CHANGE, in turn, explores digital serious games as innovative tools for climate change education and environmental awareness.
The contribution emphasizes that the transition towards sustainability requires more than technological solutions alone. Green infrastructure, innovative educational approaches and effective communication and participation can work together to strengthen social sustainability and encourage communities to engage with environmental challenges.
The paper also highlights the potential of green roofs to contribute to ecological transition in urban areas while supporting urban regeneration, environmental awareness and the social acceptance of sustainable innovation. In parallel, participatory and educational tools such as serious games can help translate complex environmental challenges into more accessible and engaging learning experiences.
The conference provided an important academic platform for presenting these perspectives and for strengthening dialogue among researchers and practitioners on nature-based solutions, environmental communication, social sustainability and innovative approaches to ecological transition.
Reference:
Colantoni, A., Nosova, B., Ferrigni, N., Fallocco, S., Di Domenico, G., Bianchini, L., Di Stefano, V. (2025). Erasmus+ GREENO2 and GAME4CHANGE Projects: Social Sustainability, Communication, and a Sociological Perspective. In: 3rd Open-Air Cities International Conference “Local and Regional Sustainable Development and Urban Reconstruction”, Book of Abstracts, pp. 144–145. Harokopio University of Athens.
For more information and the Book of Abstracts, please visit the official website of the international conference:
