GREENO2 RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AT ATHENS CONFERENCE
The Erasmus+ GREENO2 – Green Roofs in Higher Education Institutions as Sustainable Centers for Research, Participation, Environmental Awareness and O2 Generation project was presented at 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.
Within the special session “Virtual Cities and Social Sustainability in EU Framework”, the GREENO2 partnership contributed to the conference programme through the scientific article “Erasmus+ GREENO2 and GAME4CHANGE Projects: Social Sustainability, Communication, and a Sociological Perspective”, included in the conference Book of Abstracts.
The contribution explored the role of communication, sociology and education in advancing environmental sustainability and the European ecological transition. It highlighted how these perspectives can help explain the ways individuals, institutions and communities perceive environmental challenges and translate technological and ecological innovations into greater awareness, behavioural change and public participation.
Particular attention was given to the complementary approaches of the GREENO2 and GAME4CHANGE Erasmus+ projects. While GREENO2 focuses on green roofs as nature-based solutions for higher education institutions and sustainable urban development, GAME4CHANGE explores digital serious games as innovative tools for climate change education and environmental awareness.
The presentation underlined the importance of combining green infrastructure, innovative educational approaches and participatory communication to support social sustainability. Green roofs can contribute to ecological transition in urban areas by helping address climate-related challenges and reducing land consumption, while their application to existing and ageing buildings can also support urban regeneration and increase acceptance of sustainable innovations.
The contribution further emphasized that educational and participatory tools, including serious games, can strengthen environmental awareness and encourage citizens and communities to engage with European sustainability goals.
By bringing together researchers and practitioners working on sustainable urban development, the conference provided an important platform for sharing the preliminary results of GREENO2 and strengthening dialogue around 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: