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Energy Transition, Sustainable Development, and Environmental Sustainability: Challenges and Opportunities for Energy Exporting and Importing economies in the era of SDGs-2030

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 11334

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Economics, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan 32200, Pakistan
Interests: energy economics; sustainable development; climate change

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Guest Editor
Rajagiri Business School, Rajagiri Valley Campus, Kochi 682039, India
Interests: energy and environmental economics, tourism, cryptocurrencies, applied econometrics (linear and non-linear time series and panel data techniques); applied macroeconomics; open economy macroeconomics; public finance and fiscal policy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
School of Business Economics (SBE), University of Management and Technology, Lahore 54700, Pakistan
Interests: energy economics; environmental economics; public economics; health economics; energy business; international finance in natural resource-rich economies; sustainability

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Guest Editor
Department of Management, Huddersfield Business School, University of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD1 3DH, UK
Interests: international economics and business; development economics; environmental economics, energy business; international finance in natural resource-rich economies and sustainability

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are considered the guiding principles for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all after the conclusion of Millennium Development Goals 2015. Based on seventeen quantitative well-being measures, decent work, and economic growth (SDG-8), climate action (SDG-13), and affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), not only are linked to one another, but they also have bidirectional causality with other indicators. For instance, people deserve access to viable, affordable, and secure energy that is crucial for poverty reduction, hunger, and access to education and healthcare worldwide.

As an overview, one of the critical indicators that will accelerate efforts to address climate issues and in particular the countries' SDGs is the energy transition. It is usually referred to as a transfer of the global energy market from the fossil energy generation and consumption systems. Since fossil fuel is the largest single source of carbon emissions, the quantity of fossil fuel generation needs to be restricted to maintain a temperature level below 1.5°C as per the guidance of COP21, Paris Agreement 2015.

In addition to the transition to a low-carbon economy, the current energy transition is much more complicated. The World Economic Forum describes a successful transition in energy as "A timely transition towards a more inclusive, sustainable, affordable and secure energy system that provides solutions to global energy-related challenges, while creating value for business and society, without compromising the balance of the energy triangle." Therefore, economic growth drives both sides of the equation. According to the World Factbook, 84 countries' economic progress relies heavily on imported energy, while 73 economies rely on oil exports. Thus, 117 countries are in the process of net oil exports. The efficient energy transition, therefore, indicates a global economy transition. The energy transition has multiple effects on the economy, society, and the environment. Therefore, the transition to a clean economy is not as easy as doing what is best for the world. Residents and companies in hubs to produce fossil fuels frequently view this transformation with fear or skepticism, leading them to turn to politics as the most direct way to defend their economic fortunes amid environmental damage.

According to WEF, 2021, the transition to a green economy will generate 18 million jobs, providing good quality jobs and livelihoods worldwide. However, what about the people and societies that already have fossil fuels or other high-carbon industries as sources of livelihood? It is expected that 6 million workers will be lost their jobs in coal, electricity, petroleum, and other sectors by 2030. Many current green jobs need different skills or are located in new places than previous energy jobs. World employment and social perspectives 2018 predicted that network losses are expected to occur in the Middle East (–0.48%, approximately a 0.3Million jobs) and Africa (–0.04%, or a 0.35Million). Furthermore, net job losses are expected in Asia, the Pacific (5 million jobs), Africa (1 million jobs), and the Middle East (0.2Million jobs) as a result of a circular economy transition. Suppose this complicated transformation is not fairly and equitably handled. In that case, it could cause needless difficulties for the workers and their societies affected and even slow the implementation of critical policies on climate change.

This special issue scrutinizing for genuine analysis, which addresses the above-mentioned significant policy challenges. It should also introduce innovative mechanisms which enhance the reliability of modeling results to deal with any subtopics in this call for documents.

This call for special issue welcomes submissions in the following areas but not limited to this:

  • Green economy and energy exporters: A sustainable and inclusive transition.
  • A global transformation into a green economy and the commons challenges
  • The sustainable development issues in the energy transition process and its solutions
  • What constitutes a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.
  • How a sustainable energy transition will aid in the solution of environmental, social, and economic issues.
  • Evaluate the possible consequences and chart out a roadmap to green solutions for low carbon dependence, economic development, and job creation.
  • Possible impacts of the sustainable and unsustainable energy transition on trade, economy, and development.
  • What are the options for governments to allow the Green Economy in line with their growth and job goals?
  • The 'think global, act local' model of governance for a green economy.
  • Green job creation from green initiatives enacted.
  • The role of green finance in the scale climate finance network under the current economic climate
  • Trade liberalization and open markets in renewable energies projects to entice investors: Two strategies for lowering energy costs.
  • The Clean Revolution's role in achieving economic, environmental, and social sustainability through revolutionary, reliable, low-carbon techniques and innovative lucrative business approaches, and the role of sustainable green business models.
  • Challenges and opportunities in the energy transition for undeveloped nations.
  • Identify the sustainable strategies, policies, technologies, processes, and products in the era of the energy transition.
  • The open market process, greening the world economy and skill transition challenges.
  • Social and economic policy, engagement, and the green transition nexuses 
  • The impact of the energy transition process on tourism

Dr. Qaiser Abbas
Prof. Dr. Aviral Kumar Tiwari
Dr. Imran Hanif
Dr. Mohamed Elheddad
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable energy transition
  • SDGs-2030
  • energy exporters & importers
  • environmental sustainability

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3048 KiB  
Article
Relationship between Household Dynamics, Biomass Consumption, and Carbon Emissions in Pakistan
by Muhammad Imran, Azlan Zahid, Salma Mouneer, Orhan Özçatalbaş, Shamsheer Ul Haq, Pomi Shahbaz, Muhammad Muzammil and Muhammad Ramiz Murtaza
Sustainability 2022, 14(11), 6762; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116762 - 31 May 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2186
Abstract
Over the years, the household sector has become an important energy consumer and the main source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The rural household sector has significant potential for emission reduction due to its heavy reliance on traditional fuels and technologies. A great [...] Read more.
Over the years, the household sector has become an important energy consumer and the main source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The rural household sector has significant potential for emission reduction due to its heavy reliance on traditional fuels and technologies. A great number of academic studies have been undertaken to analyze patterns of household energy and their determinants around the globe, particularly in developing countries. However, little is known about the association between household dynamics and patterns of energy (biomass vs. non-renewable) use. This study aims to analyze the relationship between different household dynamics, such as household size, income, climate, availability of resources, markets, awareness, consumption of energy, and carbon emissions. The study uses the STIRPAT model to investigate the impact of income, household size, housing dimensions, clean energy, and market accessibility on energy consumption. The findings of the study reveal that biomass energy accounts for the majority of household energy consumption and dung has the highest share in total household energy consumption (39.11%) The consumption of biomass increased with the size of the household and decreased with the level of income. A 1 kgoe increase in biomass consumption resulted in a 15.355 kg increase in CO2 emissions; on the other hand, a 1 kgoe increase in non-renewable-energy consumption resulted in just a 0.8675 kg increase in CO2 emissions. The coefficients of housing unit size, distance from the LPG market, and livestock were the primary determinants for choosing any fuel. Having knowledge of modern cookstoves, clean energy, and the environmental impact of fuels reduced the consumption of both energy sources. Furthermore, it was found that households with a greater reliance on biomass emitted higher quantities of carbon compared to those with a low reliance on biomass. Based on the results of the study, it can be stated that a reduction in the use of biomass and non-renewable energy is possible with adequate interventions and knowledge. Full article
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19 pages, 2069 KiB  
Article
The Environmental Patents, Changing Investment, Trade Landscape, and Factors Contributing to Sustainable GVCs Participation: Evidence from Emerging Market Countries
by Liuyang Xu, Muhammad Nadeem and Zilong Wang
Sustainability 2022, 14(11), 6434; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116434 - 24 May 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1716
Abstract
Over the last two decades, the global investment and trade landscape has been transformed to include emerging economies. Theoretical studies have shown that countries can benefit from various channels to participate/integrate into global value chains. However, little is known empirically about the factors [...] Read more.
Over the last two decades, the global investment and trade landscape has been transformed to include emerging economies. Theoretical studies have shown that countries can benefit from various channels to participate/integrate into global value chains. However, little is known empirically about the factors that determine the country-level and bilateral participation of emerging market countries in global value chains. We apply the generalized method of moments and fixed-effects approaches to the Eora-MRIO global value chains database to fill this research gap for twenty-three emerging market countries from 1995 to 2018. Key findings indicate that the most important determinants of country-level participation in global value chains are the country’s environmental patents and its level of economic development. Other indicators are positively associated with global value chain participation, if not determinative. The results of a gravity model for bilateral global value chains participation show that geographic proximity and policy and environmental measures are positively associated with value-added trade. These results provide insights and lessons for investors and emerging economies in creating or joining sustainable value chain activities. Full article
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12 pages, 1925 KiB  
Article
Carbon Emissions and Socioeconomic Drivers of Climate Change: Empirical Evidence from the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) Base Model for China
by Fu Hua, Majed Alharthi, Weihua Yin, Muhammad Saeed, Ishtiaq Ahmad and Syed Ahtsham Ali
Sustainability 2022, 14(4), 2214; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14042214 - 15 Feb 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2320
Abstract
The main objective of the present study was to examine the impact of socioeconomic factors on environmental degradation or preservation using the logarithmic mean disivia index (LMDI). The study used the latest data from thirty Chinese provinces from 2012 to 2020. Pooled mean [...] Read more.
The main objective of the present study was to examine the impact of socioeconomic factors on environmental degradation or preservation using the logarithmic mean disivia index (LMDI). The study used the latest data from thirty Chinese provinces from 2012 to 2020. Pooled mean group (PMG) results were estimated to determine the long-term and short-term impact of the aforementioned compound variables on carbon emissions. The study results revealed that population growth, per capita GDP growth, and fossil fuel-led energy consumption, positively impacted environmental degradation in China at the provincial level. However, clean energy intensity and a transition towards renewable energy in China are helping to reduce carbon emissions. Similarly, clean energy intensity is also helping to lower carbon emissions. The study proposed that at the provincial level, joint efforts were required to control environmental degradation in China. The positive impact of renewable energy intensity on carbon emissions encourages the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources for environmentally friendly growth. Full article
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22 pages, 3865 KiB  
Article
Symmetric and Asymmetric Impacts of Commercial Energy Distribution from Key Sources on Economic Progress in Pakistan
by Abdul Rehman, Rasim Ozcan, Waqar Badshah, Magdalena Radulescu and Ilhan Ozturk
Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12670; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212670 - 16 Nov 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1664
Abstract
This paper aims to determine the interaction of commercial energy distribution, including the installed capacity of hydroelectric energy, hydroelectric energy generation, the installed capacity of thermal energy, thermal energy generation, the installed capacity of nuclear energy, and nuclear energy generation, with economic progress [...] Read more.
This paper aims to determine the interaction of commercial energy distribution, including the installed capacity of hydroelectric energy, hydroelectric energy generation, the installed capacity of thermal energy, thermal energy generation, the installed capacity of nuclear energy, and nuclear energy generation, with economic progress in Pakistan over the 1970–2019 period. Both linear and non-linear autoregressive distributed lag models were used to ascertain the symmetric and asymmetric short- and long-run effects. The findings from the linear autoregressive distributed lag model analysis revealed evidence that increases in the installed capacity of nuclear energy, alongside higher levels of hydroelectric energy generation and thermal energy generation, have positively affected economic growth in the short run, while a greater installed capacity of nuclear energy has positively affected economic growth in the long run. The findings from the non-linear autoregressive distributed lag model analysis showed that negative shocks to installed capacities related to hydroelectric, thermal, and nuclear energy reduced economic growth, while positive shocks to hydroelectric energy generation and the installed capacity of nuclear energy boosted economic growth in the short run. Furthermore, in the long run, negative shocks to the installed capacities of hydroelectric and thermal energy reduced economic growth, negative shocks to the installed capacity of nuclear energy enhanced economic growth, and positive shocks to hydroelectric energy generation and the installed capacity of nuclear energy have stimulated economic growth in Pakistan. Full article
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20 pages, 5862 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Irrigation Water Components for Water Resources Management Using Geo-Informatics Approach
by Muhammad Mohsin Waqas, Muhammad Waseem, Sikandar Ali, Megersa Kebede Leta, Adnan Noor Shah, Usman Khalid Awan, Syed Hamid Hussain Shah, Tao Yang and Sami Ullah
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8607; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158607 - 02 Aug 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2129
Abstract
Spatio-temporal distribution of irrigation water components was evaluated at the canal command area in Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS) by using a remote sensing-based geo-informatics approach. Satellite-derived MODIS product-based Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) was used for the estimation of the [...] Read more.
Spatio-temporal distribution of irrigation water components was evaluated at the canal command area in Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS) by using a remote sensing-based geo-informatics approach. Satellite-derived MODIS product-based Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) was used for the estimation of the actual evapotranspiration (ETa). The ground data-based advection aridity method (AA) was used to calibrate and validate the model. Statistical analysis of the SEBAL based ETa and AA shows the mean values of 87.1 mm and 47.9 mm during Kharif season (May–November) and 100 mm and 77 mm during the Rabi Season (December–April). Mean NSEs of 0.72 and 0.85 and RMSEs 34.9 and 5.76 during the Kharif and the Rabi seasons were observed for ETa and AA, respectively. Rainfall data were calibrated with the point observatory data of the metrological stations. The average annual ETa was found 899 mm for defined four cropping years (2011–2012 to 2014–2015) with the minimum average value of 63.3 mm in January and the maximum average value of 110.6 mm in August. Average of the sum of net canal water use (NCWU) and rainfall during the study period of four years was 548 mm (36% of ETa). Seasonal analysis revealed 39% and 61% of groundwater extraction proportion during Rabi and Kharif seasons, dependent upon the occurrence of rainfall and crop phenology. Overall, the results provide insight into the interrelationships between key water resources management components and the variation of these through time, offering information to improve the strategic planning and management of available water resources in this region. Full article
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