The research group explores how industrial carbon management technologies such as Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU), Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), and Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) are shaped by and embedded in social contexts.
From a science and technology studies (STS) perspective, these technologies are understood as sociotechnical systems, co-produced through interactions between scientific knowledge, societal expectations, and institutional practices.

The group focuses on how and which knowledge about these technologies is generated, communicated, and negotiated across different arenas. This includes examining societal perceptions and acceptance, the distribution of responsibilities, and the roles of media, public authorities, and civil society in shaping public understanding.
Previous phases of Carbon2Chem® have revealed a gap between technical expertise and societal interpretations. Rather than viewing this as a deficit, the project investigates diverse knowledge cultures and develops dialogical, participatory formats to foster inclusive, co-productive exchange in the transition toward a „carbon cycle economy“.

Research Group: Social Embedding of Carbon Cycles – Sociotechnical Dialogue.
Project coordination: Fernuniversität in Hagen, Department of Environmental Sciences
Duration: 2025–2028
Funded by:
Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR)
Project partners:
Fernuniversität in Hagen, Faculty of Law
Chair of Civil Law, German and European Business Law, Energy Law and Comparative Law, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion (MPI-CEC), Fraunhofer UMSICHT, thyssenkrupp Carbon2Chem GmbH