This week we completed two important milestones in the PANTHEON project: Scoping Workshops organised in China and the European Union. These meetings proved to be more than just spaces for gathering perspectives — they became a unique arena where Chinese and European visions of a post-transition world could confront, complement, and challenge one another.

The result? A set of findings as diverse as they are inspiring — and at times, surprisingly convergent. And this is only the beginning.

What happened during the workshops?

During several intensive sessions, we worked on:

• long-term visions of post-transition realities,
• concrete actions that must take place for these visions to become real,
• the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in shaping the energy transition,
• and the social, institutional, and political conditions that may facilitate or hinder this transition.

The dual structure (China + EU) allowed us to identify contrasts that simply cannot be seen in discussions confined to one part of the world. We observed both convergences in expectations and divergences rooted in different governance cultures, as well as new priorities emerging from local realities.

The biggest challenge lies ahead

Although the workshops provided rich qualitative material, the real challenge begins now. We face the classic problem of trans- and interdisciplinary research: how do we translate visions, narratives, expectations, concerns, and recommended actions into the mathematical language of models and scenarios?

Turning stories into variables, fears into parameters, and stakeholder visions into scenario logic can feel like academic alchemy. Fortunately — we have a plan.

Next step: a broader stakeholder survey

Next week we are launching a large-scale survey to complement the workshop findings with a broader and more diverse dataset. This will allow us to identify trends, verify preliminary conclusions, and refine the scenario-building process.

Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks to Prof. Aleksandra Wagner, Dr Nuccio Ludovico, and Arkadiusz Szlaga for leading the sessions — including across Chinese time zones, where digital jet lag can become a very real experience. Without your commitment, flexibility, and patience, these workshops would not have been possible.

More information about the project: pantheon-decarbonisation.com