Using complementary currencies systems for environmental purposes is a trend that seems to be progressively emerging in Europe. The objective of this paper is to investigate the potential of complementary currencies systems as innovative instruments capable of triggering changes towards more sustainable behaviours. In order to do so, three complementary currencies schemes were selected and analysed.

The first section of the paper is dedicated to the analysis of those three complementary currencies systems, using a new grid developed to describe and assess the schemes. The analysis of the three schemes sheds light on the choices that are determinant for the architecture of the systems.

The second section is dedicated to analysing the potential of such complementary currencies systems in the light of two analytical frameworks: the widely used Attitude-Behaviour-Choice (ABC) framework and a framework based on social practices. In this section, the implications of the analytical framework on the architecture of the system are discussed, using the example of the INESPO project.

Finally, the potential of using complementary currencies as policy instruments is discussed, as well as the changes this new trend involves.