https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/s10051-025-00910-9
Regular Article - Computational Methods
An agent-based model to foster citizens’ sustainable behavior in the Italian city of Siena
Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics, University of Siena, Via Roma, 56, 53100, Siena, Italy
a
vittoria.socci@student.unisi.it
Received:
1
February
2024
Accepted:
25
March
2025
Published online:
22
April
2025
Climate change is irreversibly having an increasing impact on the environment, people and the economy worldwide. The contribution of each individual in counteracting its effects is crucial, as everyday actions, from a proper participation in waste sorting to responsible consumption choices, can shape a more resilient and environmentally friendly future. How much do the geographical and urban features of an Italian art city impact the spread of sustainable behaviors among its citizens? In this paper, we investigate the climate awareness and attitudes toward sustainability of citizens living in the historical center of Siena, a small art city among the most sustainable in Italy. Using a geo-referenced agent-based model (ABM) and game theory for the human decision-making process, we simulate how pro-environmental attitudes spread in a population of predominantly selfish individuals and in which there are also herding and anti-herding mechanisms. We claim that on the one hand, the conformation and geographical position of the city of Siena make it naturally sustainable, but at the same time its urban structure and connection networks seem to limit the spread of cooperative actions toward environmental protection.
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/s10051-025-00910-9.
© The Author(s) 2025
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