Learn how behavioural insights can turn EU energy policy into local action
From 20 January, enrol in the free and multilingual e-learning course Turn Behavioural Insights into Energy Savings
Local governance
Fossil-free cities
Community energyAbout
Local and regional authorities play a crucial role in delivering Europe’s energy transition. Yet many cities and regions face the same challenge: how to translate EU policy ambitions into concrete, behaviour-focused action on the ground?
The new online learning course Turn Behavioural Insights into Energy Savings, available from 20 January 2026 on the Local Transitions Learning Centre, is designed specifically to support public authorities, energy agencies, and practitioners working on energy efficiency and behavioural change. The course combines EU policy context, behavioural science, and real-world local examples with practical tools that you can apply immediately.
A practical, flexible, and multilingual course for local and regional authorities
Turn Behavioural Insights into Energy Savings is a free, self-paced course combining short videos, expert interviews, case studies, and interactive exercises.
The e-learning consists of 8 modules, each requiring no more than 45 minutes to complete, for a total of 6 hours, making it easy to fit learning around daily work.
The course will roll out gradually to support sustained learning. 2 modules will be released every 2 months, from January to the end of July 2026. You will have until September 2026 to complete all modules. This staged approach allows you to apply what you learn in practice, reflect on your experience, and return for the next modules.
After the successful completion of all modules, you will receive a certificate.
Learn in your own language
To ensure you have a complete learning experience, all content is available in 22 official EU languages. Lessons include subtitles, and all the readings and exercises are translated.
In addition to English, the available languages are: Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, and Swedish.
All translations are provided using machine translation.
Module 1: Understanding the EU policy context and why it matters locally
Rather than focusing on policy theory, the module shows how EU frameworks can be translated into practical, local action, particularly in the design of saving campaigns and behavioural interventions. By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Identify key EU policies that support energy-efficient behaviour
- Explain how EU policy frameworks apply at the regional and local levels
- Link an EU directive to a concrete local behavioural initiative.
A less than one-hour investment to better understand how EU policy objectives translate into concrete behavioural action at city and regional level.
Module 2: Designing behavioural interventions that work
This module moves from policy context to hands-on intervention design. It introduces the core principles of behavioural science and shows how different intervention types can be applied to promote energy-efficient behaviour in real-world local and regional contexts. You will learn more about:
- Why behavioural science is useful for promoting energy-efficient behaviour
- Common intervention types such as nudges, prompts, feedback, and commitment strategies
- How to choose the most appropriate behavioural approach for your specific challenges.
Discover the course and start learning today!
“Turn Behavioural Insights into Energy Savings” is designed and produced by the Energy Behaviour Forum. Launched in March 2025 by the Commission, this initiative aims to help municipalities and regions promote and develop strong consumer behaviour regarding energy efficiency by increasing citizens’ awareness.
