This paper provides novel additional evidence on the characteristics of Collective Action Initiatives (CAIs), investigating their role within the European energy sector. It analyses and presents results of a survey administered in six European countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Poland, Estonia, and Spain. CAIs are studied in light of four key dimensions, those being their creation dynamics, the way they are organized, financed, and the activities they undertake. The results presented are also interpreted to reflect on their role as drivers of social innovation (SI) within energy transition in Europe. The analysis shows that the contribution of CAIs to the energy transition has a much wider scope than the development of energy projects and provision of energy services. CAIs are intrinsically socially innovative models of implementation as characterised by a strong level of citizen involvement and participation. Moreover, they have a potential multi-level role in the energy transition, from the technological and social perspectives. Indeed, alongside traditional energy activities, our results show that CAIs are evolving and expanding towards socially innovative activities, raising awareness on environmental issues, promoting citizens’ mobilization, and fostering social inclusion.

In this article, we explore through a foresight exercise how the construction sector in Belgium envisions its transition until 2050. Drawing on the notion of “the good economy” (Asdal et al. 2021), which addresses the relationship between normativity and economic practices, our approach considers both ‘low-carbon’ and ‘quality of work’ as two forms of good that are considered problematic. Envisioning the transition of the construction sector in Belgium in terms of a ‘good economy’ shows that there is an asymmetry between the two forms of good explored. Priority is given to the assessment of what ‘good environmental problems’ and ‘good material futures’ should be. Materials ought to be reintroduced into the political and economic perspectives of the transition, while a sustainable and circular approach to the (re)use of materials ought to be strengthened. Quality of work is expected to depend on new knowledge and training that a structurally scarce workforce should ideally possess.