How trust in stakeholders shapes social acceptance of Carbon Capture and Storage

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a key technological pathway for achieving net-zero goals, yet its success depends as much on public trust and social acceptance as on technical feasibility. This study investigates how trust in CCS stakeholders (scientists, institutions, and industry) influence social acceptance through perceived benefits and risks. Data were collected from 800 participants in Poland and the Czech Republic, two countries developing CCS as part of their industrial decarbonization strategies. Using Structural Equation Modeling, we tested a model in which trust predicts perceived benefits and risks, which in turn influence social acceptance, and conducted an exploratory moderation analysis to assess whether trust shapes the relationship between perceived risks and social acceptance. Results showed that trust strongly increased perceived benefits (β = .58) and was positively associated with perceived risks (β = .15), suggesting that trust can coexist with awareness of technological risks. Both perceived benefits and risks significantly mediated the relationship between trust and acceptance, and a direct effect of trust on acceptance (β = .28) remained significant. Perceived benefits emerged as the strongest predictor of acceptance (β = .66), while perceived risks had a weaker negative effect (β = −.10). The moderation analysis revealed that higher trust enhances sensitivity to risks without reducing support, consistent with the notion of reflexive trust. These findings suggest that trust does not eliminate risk perception but promotes informed and legitimate acceptance. Strengthening transparent communication and participatory governance may therefore enhance public confidence and support for CCS deployment across Europe.