During the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, cities became large residential consumers of energy. In general, energy demand has decreased, but the users who used the most energy during the pandemic were the people in their homes creating a change compared to the past. How have household habits changed affecting energy use during the lockdown? Has energy demand changed equally in all homes? What factors help explain the change in daily household habits and the change in energy use? Via distribution of a questionnaire completed by 3519 people living in Italy during the first lockdown #StayAtHome, the change in daily habits and consequent energy use were investigated. It collected data on socio-demographic and household characteristics and the material context in which people live. The results were interpreted according to the social practice approach that has been used in the past to analyse energy habits and use of households, for example, for cooking. The results can support the interpretation of energy demand studies in the pandemic period and address decisions and policymaking for sustainable energy transition.

Renewable energies—such as solar photovoltaic power, hydropower, wind power, and forest biomass—have a key role in the European Union (EU) policy aimed at enhancing energy security and mitigating climate change. The new target established by European Commission for 2030 is a 30% improvement in energy efficiency, 40% less greenhouses gas emissions, and 27% increase in energy generation from renewable sources. In order to achieve this target, it will be necessary to define a political strategy to increase renewable energies' production. The renewable energies' production generates different kinds of environmental impacts, depending mainly on the energy source. For this reason, transdisciplinary and local expertise are crucial in order to assess impacts on various ecosystem services and to choose the best renewable energy sources to develop. This study evaluates the potential effects of renewable energies development on Alpine ecosystem services using a questionnaire-based survey. The questionnaire was administrated to a sample of 45 experts in several Alpine areas. Experts' opinions are fundamental for anticipating potential social costs and benefits caused by renewable energies and ensuring a successful formulation and implementation of energy policies, reducing conflicts and improving cooperation among the different groups of interest.

In European countries, current forest use aims to enhance goods and services supplied by forest ecosystems, taking into account the multiple needs and interests of society through a participatory process. A successful participatory process requires a thorough analysis of stakeholders’ perceptions and preferences. The aim of this paper is to investigate the differences between stakeholders’ perceived influence and real power in forest management. A questionnaire survey was carried out among 51 forest stakeholders in a case study in the Italian Alps. Perceived influence was measured by asking stakeholders to rate on a 5-point scale the extent to which they can influence forest management issues. Real power was analyzed using social network analysis (SNA), investigating the relationships that stakeholders have with each other in the network. Real power was measured using a Freeman’s degree centrality measure, which focuses on the direct ties coming in and out for each stakeholder. The results show that public administration is the category of stakeholders with the most power in all forest management issues, while the actors of the tourism sector are in a marginal position. In addition, the results of the study suggest that in many cases stakeholders have a distorted perception of their own power.