The shifting to green and low-carbon economy is at the heart of carbon neutrality actions worldwide. Green and Low-Carbon Economy (GLCE) publishes significant original research that seeks to understand and address the economic challenges in transitioning to a carbon-neutral world. The journal aims to advance the understanding of how to achieve a green and low-carbon economy, its human and policy dimensions, and potential solutions. Our mission is to provide a single and leading platform to facilitate cross-disciplinary dialogue around the green and low-carbon economy research from the economy, social, environmental, management, and applied sciences that seek to answer questions like: The measurement, drivers, and mechanisms of green and low-carbon economy Barriers and strategies to green and low-carbon economy transition The social, political, and technological pathways for green and low-carbon economy The journal is a Gold Open Access journal, online readers don't have to pay any fee.
Pathways to a Green Transition in Kerala: Economic and Employment Impacts from a State-Level Integrated Assessment
Regional modeling is essential for assessing the impacts of environmental policies in countries with significant regional diversity. It is particularly important for a resource-constrained state like Kerala (India), which depends heavily on electricity imports from other states. The novelty of this study lies in the development of a state-level Integrated Assessment Model (IAM) that links a recursive multi-regional dynamic computable general equilibrium model with a bottom-up energy model, considering region-specific parameters. To the best of our knowledge, such a state-level regional modeling framework for India has not been developed in the existing literature, thereby addressing an important research gap in assessing region-specific pathways and policy impacts. This paper explores the economic and employment implications of the green transition for Kerala. The contributions to the literature are (a) regional modeling; (b) a framework and assessment of the impact of green transition considering the interlinkage between the state, the rest of India, and the rest of the world; and (c) estimation of required investment and effect on employment generation. The findings suggest that reducing fossil electricity imports without expanding renewable energy infrastructure may constrain economic growth (Policy Scenario 1). In contrast, investments in local renewable energy capacity through revenue recycling, along with improvements in energy efficiency and productivity (Policy Scenario 2), can enhance economic returns and generate more employment. There is an increase in real state domestic product, consumption, investment, returns to factors, and employment in Policy Scenario 2 as compared to the baseline and Policy Scenario 1. Both final energy requirement for fossil fuel and emissions are also lower in Policy Scenario 2. Energy efficiency can be enhanced through investments in efficient technologies, smart grids, low-emission transport systems, and modern energy infrastructure. Productivity improvements require skill development, innovation-oriented policies, and support for entrepreneurship. Green transition also presents an opportunity for Kerala to strengthen energy security through the expansion of renewables. Received: 28 July 2025 | Revised: 11 May 2026 | Accepted: 22 May 2026 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Author Contribution Statement Sanjib Pohit: Conceptualization, Writing - original draft, Writing - review &editing, Supervision, Project administration. Chetana Chaudhuri: Conceptualization, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing. Anindya Bhattacharya: Conceptualization, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing, Supervision, Project administration. Somya Mathur: Methodology, Software, Visualization. P L Beena: Conceptualization, Supervision. Devender Pratap: Methodology, Software, Data curation. Mohit Kumar Meena: Methodology, Software, Visualization. Hrushikesh Mallik: Resources. Ritika Jain: Resources. Malavika Thampi: Data curation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Authors https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Tourism Degrowth: Strategy Toward a Green and Low-Carbon Industry
Despite decades of implementing green growth initiatives in tourism development, environmental degradation and social inequality continue to intensify across global destinations. Increasing skepticism regarding the capacity of green growth strategies to deliver net positive social and environmental outcomes has led to growing support for tourism degrowth, particularly within selected industry sectors. This paper explores the concept of degrowth, presenting a clear vision for its application in tourism. It identifies key strategies for achieving tourism degrowth and examines the institutional, political, economic, and cultural challenges associated with its implementation. It is argued that a diverse range of wellbeing outcomes may potentially result from tourism degrowth. Additionally, the paper highlights areas for further research to address both practical and theoretical implications of tourism degrowth. The conclusion emphasizes that while some level of downsizing is essential, significant obstacles must be overcome to ensure that resident wellbeing is maintained or enhanced through tourism development in the long term. Received: 10 December 2025 | Revised: 2 February 2026 | Accepted: 28 March 2026 Conflicts of Interest The author declares that he has no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study Author Contribution Statement Larry Dwyer: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project administration.
Copyright (c) 2026 Author https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Environmental Change Experience Outperforms Eco-anxiety in Predicting Behavioral Engagement Among Emerging Adults
This study investigates the relative influence of eco-anxiety (EA) and environmental change experience (ECE) on environmental change behavioral engagement (ECBE) among emerging adults. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior, Protection Motivation Theory, and resilience-informed models of adaptation, the study conceptualizes EA as an activating emotion that can motivate or inhibit engagement depending on regulatory and contextual supports and ECE as a cognitive-experiential construct encompassing direct and vicarious exposure to environmental disruption. A sample of 450 undergraduate students from three southern US universities completed a survey measuring EA, ECE, and ECBE. Multiple regression analyses tested the relative predictive power of EA and ECE. Results indicated that ECE was a significantly stronger predictor of ECBE than EA, suggesting that firsthand and contextual experiences with environmental change more effectively mobilize engagement than emotional distress alone. Geographic patterns were also observed, with students attending institutions in disaster-prone regions reporting higher levels of ECE and stronger behavioral engagement. These findings advance theoretical understanding by positioning EA within a broader framework of resilience and behavioral regulation, emphasizing the interactive role of emotional activation and experiential learning in fostering adaptive engagement. The results underscore the need for educational and communication strategies that integrate lived experience, place-based reflection, and collective efficacy to translate emotional concern into purposeful action. The study contributes to growing interdisciplinary evidence that environmental resilience depends not only on awareness and affective concern but also on opportunities for experiential learning, agency, and justice-oriented engagement among youth and other vulnerable populations. Received: 24 November 2025 | Revised: 13 March 2026 | Accepted: 30 April 2026 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Author Contribution Statement Elisabeth R. Ponce-Garcia: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. Charleen McNeil: Validation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. Robert V. Rohli: Software, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. M. E. Betsy Garrison: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing.
Low-Carbon Transition in Irish Agriculture: Organic Sector Growth and Structural Change Under Policy Support
Low-carbon transition in European agriculture requires evidence on how sectoral structures adjust under policy support. In Ireland, fiscal investment through the Organic Farming Scheme has increased over the period 2020–2023 as part of national and EU commitments to sustainable production. The study provides a descriptive economic analysis of growth and structural change in the organic farming sector over this period, with particular attention to the organic beef subsector. The analysis uses data from the Central Statistics Office Census of Agriculture 2020 and the Farm Structure Survey 2023. Growth is measured through volume-based rates of change in conformity with Eurostat farm structure reporting. The results show growth in the number of organic farms by +147%, while certified organic land area expanded by +144%. Growth occurred primarily in beef systems in absolute terms and in sheep systems in relative terms, with smaller increases in dairy, tillage, and mixed farms. Expansion was concentrated among small and medium-sized holdings and in the Northern and Western regions. At the same time, average standard output on organic farms declined by 24% and median output by 16%, reflecting the entry of smaller and more extensive farms with lower economic scale. The study documents the structural adjustment in Ireland’s organic beef sector during a period of expanded support, without inferring causation. The findings provide new evidence on how policy-supported expansion is associated with sectoral structural change and transition toward lower-carbon production systems in a region with historically low levels of organic adoption. Received: 1 October 2025 | Revised: 26 March 2026 | Accepted: 30 April 2026 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest to this work. This research was supported by the Teagasc Walsh Scholars Programme, Ireland, and the funder had no role in the study design, analysis or interpretation of the findings, or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. Data Availability Statement The data used in this study are publicly available from the Central Statistics Office of Ireland Farm Structure Survey2023 and Census of Agriculture 2020 . Farm Structure Survey2023 data are available at https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublica tions/ep/p-fss/farmstructuresurvey2023/data/, and Census of Agriculture 2020 data are available at https://www.cso.ie/en/release sandpublications/ep/p-coa/censusofagriculture2020detailedresults/ organics/. Author Contribution Statement Alfred Afeku: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization. Cathal O' Donoghue: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Resources, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition. Kevin Kilcline: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Resources, Writing – Review & Editing, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition.
Full Heads or Cut and Come Again? Economic Analysis of Leafy Green Cultivation in Solar-Powered Indoor Vertical Farms
Although vertical indoor farming (IF) offers higher yields, reduced weather risk, and water savings, it requires higher capital expenditures (CapEx) and energy and labor-related operational expenditures (OpEx), causing many to fail economically. The solar-powered agrivoltaic agrotunnel offers a promising solution to the elevated and unstable energy costs of IF, although a comprehensive economic analysis of such facilities with a specific focus on other operational and capital expenditures has not been done. To address this gap, this study investigates the profitability of two market options, each requiring different labor levels, for agrivoltaic agrotunnel based IF lettuce production using experimental data: (1) one-cut head Romaine lettuce, involving minimal labor during harvesting, and (2) labor-intensive "cut and come again" spring or green mix of Romaine, Red Oakleaf, and Red Outrageous lettuces. Differences in harvesting labor, yield, market value, consumable materials, and water consumption are evaluated using economic indicators of net present cost, net present value, return on investment (ROI), internal rate of return, and discounted payback period. While the maintenance costs of both agrotunnel and solar agrivoltaic systems were included, the energy cost was minimized to zero by designing a net-zero energy grid-connected photovoltaic system. A sensitivity analysis was conducted on all economic expenditures with a specific focus on the labor rate and the CapEx. Comparing the economic indicators showed that head Romaine, with the annual yield and labor requirement of 3272 kg/year and 2042 h/year, respectively, was only feasible when both CapEx and OpEx were kept at the minimum possible levels, and revenue was maximized. Spring mix, however, had a more reasonable feasibility range despite higher labor (3580 h/year) due to greater yield (5501 kg/year) as a result of more intensive harvesting activities. ROI above 10% were achievable when labor rates were near minimum wage (≤$14USD/h) and CapEx under $500,000 USD. Received: 29 July 2025 | Revised: 4 December 2025 | Accepted: 23 January 2026 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in Open Science Framework at https://osf.io/mrvxg/files/ osfstorage and https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/MRVXG. Author Contribution Statement Nima Asgari: Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization. Joshua M. Pearce: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition.
Resource Curse and Resource Rents in ECOWAS: A Systematic Review of Institutional and Governance Dynamics
This study provides the first systematic and bibliometric synthesis of nearly five decades of research on the resource curse and resource rents within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). By combining PRISMA-guided screening with network analysis using VOSviewer, it offers a novel empirical mapping of thematic evolution, a perspective largely missing from prior regional reviews. This study systematically reviews existing scholarship on the resource curse and resource rents within the ECOWAS. Using PRISMA-guided screening and bibliometric analysis, 129 peer-reviewed studies published between 1979 and 2025 were analyzed to trace thematic and chronological trends. Results reveal three major research phases: an early period dominated by theoretical debates on resource dependency (1979–2000), an expansion phase linking natural resources with governance and conflict (2001–2011), and a maturity stage emphasizing institutional quality, rule of law, and social cohesion (2012–2025). The review identifies persistent gaps in understanding how legal enforcement, social trust, and regional spillovers mediate the relationship between resources and development. By integrating economic, institutional, and social dimensions, this study contributes a comprehensive framework for addressing the resource curse in ECOWAS. It highlights policy priorities for converting resource wealth into inclusive and sustainable growth. Received: 18 August 2025 | Revised: 27 November 2025 | Accepted: 13 February 2026 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study. Author Contribution Statement Lawal Olamilekan Abdulwahab: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Project administration. Pang Wei Loon: Validation, Supervision, Project administration. Roslee Bin Hj Baha: Validation, Supervision, Project administration. Ahmed M. Khalid: Validation, Supervision, Project administration.
Do Climate Policies Incentivize Firms to Commit to Setting a GHG Emissions Target?
Since the 2016 Paris Agreement, firms have faced growing pressure to act on climate change, yet the influence of national climate policy frameworks on corporate target-setting remains underexplored. This paper examines whether advances in national climate policy are associated with firms' decisions to commit to setting greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets. To do so, we build a firm-level panel by matching public firms in the Science-Based Targets initiative to the national climate policy index, part of the Climate Change Performance Index, and green bond issuance from the Climate Bonds Initiative, covering 32 economies over 2017–2022. Moreover, the inclusion of firms from emerging economies contributes to the literature by recognizing the structural and institutional constraints that may hinder corporate commitments to set emissions targets. Using a correlated random effects probit model that accounts for unobserved firm heterogeneity, we find that stronger national climate policies are associated with a higher probability of commitment: a one-point increase in the policy index is associated with a rise of 8.3 and 8.9 percentage points for companies operating in advanced economies and emerging economies, respectively. Such results are concentrated in nonfinancial firms and low-emitting sectors. Green bond issuance is positively, though modestly, related to commitment. Taken together, the findings suggest that national climate policy advances are strongly associated with committing to set GHG emissions targets, but companies in high-emitting sectors may require additional, sector-specific incentives. Received: 20 May 2025 | Revised: 15 October 2025 | Accepted: 7 December 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Firm-level information on corporate commitments and target validation is publicly available from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) at https://sciencebasedtargets.org/target-dashboard. Aggregate green-bond issuance is obtained from the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) at https://www.climatebonds.net/data-insights/market-data/certified-climate-bonds-database. Due to confidentiality agreements, the raw CCPI data are not publicly available. Author Contribution Statement Marco Hernandez-Vega: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project administration. Eduardo Martinez González: Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Visualization.
A Critical Evaluation of Methods for the Assessment of Environmental Sustainability of Engineering Supply Chains
Engineering supply chains face increasing pressure to minimize carbon emissions in line with international climate targets. However, existing approaches for assessing carbon emissions are limited in their ability to capture the complexity of engineering supply chains, particularly during early design stages. Methods such as Life Cycle Impact Assessment and standards including ISO 14064 provide general guidance but lack methodological specificity for capturing indirect carbon emissions and supporting early decision-making. This paper presents a critical review of carbon emissions assessment methods applicable to engineering supply chains. A structured literature review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses approach to ensure transparency and reproducibility. The analysis evaluates the applicability of current methods, their integration with engineering design processes, and their feasibility during early design stages when data are limited. Challenges are identified, including the neglect of indirect emissions, complex system boundary definitions, and the lack of support for iterative design workflows. To address the challenges, methodological requirements are proposed for future carbon assessment methods. These include the capacity to handle data uncertainty, alignment with design decisions, and definition of appropriate system boundaries. The findings highlight the need for a carbon emissions assessment approach that can operate under limited data conditions, support early design decision-making, and capture the complexity of engineering supply chains. The novelty of this study lies in its review of existing methods and standards to highlight methodological requirements that allow carbon assessment during early design stages. Received: 28 August 2025 | Revised: 11 December 2025 | Accepted: 28 February 2026 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Author Contribution Statement Nur Dini Binti Zupli: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Project administration, Funding acquisition. Alison McKay: Validation, Resources, Writing – review & editing, Supervision. Richard Chittenden: Validation, Resources, Writing – review & editing, Supervision.
Does Sustainability Pay? Evidence on the Profitability-Mediated Connection Between ESG Reporting, Audit Quality, and Market Value
This research investigates the effects of corporate sustainability reporting and audit committee characteristics on company value, with the mediating variable being profitability. The research focuses on Indonesian listed companies to understand how sustainability practices and governance mechanisms influence firm valuation in an emerging market context. The research uses a quantitative methodology using panel data from 89 Indonesian publicly listed companies over the period 2021–2023, resulting in 267 firm-year observations. Corporate sustainability reporting is measured using a comprehensive Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)-based disclosure index, while audit committee effectiveness is assessed through independence, expertise, and activity frequency. Tobin’s Q ratio is used to calculate company value, and return on assets quantifies profitability. To test the direct and indirect connections, mediation analysis applies bias-corrected bootstrap procedures suitable for panel data. The results indicate a significant positive impact of sustainability reporting on firm value, with no significant mediation by profitability. Audit committee characteristics demonstrate a negative association with firm value and profitability, counter to established theory, suggesting contextual factors in the Indonesian market. Findings extend stakeholder and legitimacy theories, emphasizing value creation beyond immediate profitability. Received: 18 August 2025 | Revised: 4 January 2026 | Accepted: 23 January 2026 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data are available on request from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Author Contribution Statement Widaryanti Widaryanti: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing, Visualization, Project administration. Luhgiatno Luhgiatno: Resources, Writing - review & editing, Supervision, Project administration. Riana Sitawati: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Writing - review & editing.
Digital Technologies for Real-Time Carbon Accounting in Circular Economy Frameworks
Carbon accounting has emerged as a key tool to drive the transition to circular economy models and achieve global climate goals. This review examines various digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, digital twins, and cloud platforms that play a critical role in accurately and in real-time monitoring of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and facilitate transparency in life-cycle carbon accounting. These technologies can provide a major contribution to data accuracy, but they also represent barriers to the application of low-carbon innovations and floor-filling in chains with improved reliability. However, the growth of these technologies is challenged by problems such as non-independent standards, different methodologies, and limited access to digital infrastructure. It also puts an emphasis on the revolutionary potential of carbon accounting, which is helped by digital tools, to handle carbon emissions in a way that can be seen and verified at a large scale. The technologies that are introduced here enable the quick flow of information from on-the-spot monitoring to evaluation-driven decision-making, thus making the shift to a sustainable, low-carbon economy considerably quicker. The research points out various aspects regarding the technology opportunities and limitations that need to be addressed to ensure the maximum impact of technology in promoting sustainable practices across different industries. This research underscores the importance of developing standardized approaches and cross-sector collaborations to fully leverage digital tools in the carbon accounting space. Received: 7 August 2025 | Revised: 26 September 2025 | Accepted: 14 October 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study. Author Contribution Statement Seyedeh Azadeh Alavi Borazjani: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition. Shahzada Adeel: Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing
Copyright (c) 2025 Authors https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Uneven Rates of Renewable Energy Deployment: Cannibalization, Stranded Assets, and Policy Iteration
The present study reviews the challenges associated with renewable energy (RE) project development and implementation in an era of rapid technology advancement and of progressively declining equipment prices. Dynamic policy support and institutional strength have helped high-income countries derive the benefits of the economies accruing both from product improvements and process improvements; lower-income, climate-vulnerable countries appear not to have derived such benefits. Study investigates the relationship between RE deployment and socio-economic factors such as the population size, previous fossil-fuel use, and economic growth for member countries of the Climate Vulnerable Forum. While these factors have played a significant role in RE deployment in high-income countries, the present study finds that they have no significant correlation with either boosting or impeding RE deployment in the short run for climate-vulnerable countries. Therefore, there might be merit in strengthening external intervention and enhancing support for rapidly building institutional capacity within the "climate-vulnerable" countries to assess context-specific factors and for testing business models that incorporate long-run risk mitigation and management measures so as to promote expeditious RE deployment as a climate adaptation measure within climate-vulnerable countries. Received: 23 July 2025 | Revised: 10 October 2025 | Accepted: 13 February 2026 Conflicts of Interest The author declares that he has no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in IRENA at https://www.irena.org/Publications/2025/Jul/Renewable-energy-statistics-2025. Author Contribution Statement Sunderasan Srinivasan: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Project administration.
Sustainable Construction Logistics, Part 1: A Theoretical Research Approach
This study aims to explore the sustainable development of construction logistics based on a conceptual framework. This study investigates how the criteria of sustainability, benchmarking, and orientation management of construction projects can support the sustainable development of construction logistic practices. General indicators and criteria of sustainability are first developed to be in integrated with the construction logistic plan and used as a basis for benchmarking and orientation management of urban stakeholders of construction projects. This can help in tracking changes in environmental, social, and economic conditions affecting the logistic operations of construction projects and can make construction companies more adaptable to hidden factors and unexpected problems related to sustainability. Benchmarking can open construction companies to new sustainability methods, ideas, and tools to continuously improve their effectiveness. Orientation management of stakeholders will lead to increased awareness among stakeholders and project actors, thereby improving logistic operations throughout the supply chain to create an efficient organization focused on sustainable development. Other aspects related to the sustainability of construction logistics are also discussed in this paper. Received: 30 May 2025 | Revised: 20 October 2025 | Accepted: 30 October 2025 Conflicts of Interest The author declares that he has no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study. Author Contribution Statement Osama A. B. Hassan: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing– original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project administration.
Copyright (c) 2025 Author https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Evolution of Carbon Market: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Study
The carbon market has emerged as a pivotal instrument in global climate policy, yet comprehensive analyses of its scholarly evolution remain limited. This study conducts a systematic review and bibliometric analysis of 491 Scopus-indexed publications (2000–2024) to map the intellectual structure and thematic trajectories of carbon market research. Using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny, we employ performance analysis and science mapping techniques to identify key trends, influential contributors, and research clusters. Results reveal exponential growth in publications post–Paris Agreement, with China, the USA, and Australia dominating output. Thematic evolution demonstrates a shift from early focus on Kyoto Protocol mechanisms to contemporary emphasis on carbon neutrality, pricing efficiency, and low-carbon technologies. Co-citation analysis identifies five research clusters: (1) carbon pricing policy design, (2) market efficiency and financialization, (3) international climate agreements, (4) corporate carbon strategies, and (5) technological innovation. Notably, critical perspectives on equity and governance remain marginalized, representing just 9% of high-impact studies. The geographic concentration of research (76% from OECD nations) highlights disparities in scholarly attention relative to Global South market implementations. Our findings yield three key policy insights: first, market designs must integrate dynamic cap-setting and price stabilization tools; second, governance frameworks require explicit equity safeguards; third, global harmonization of accounting standards is urgent. By synthesizing over 20 years of research, this paper highlights the importance of carbon markets in achieving global climate goals and identifies areas that require further exploration, including market design, equity, and environmental integrity. Received: 9 May 2025 | Revised: 25 June 2025 | Accepted: 20 October 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data are available on request from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Author Contribution Statement Ghanashyam Khanal: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Project administration. Niranjan Devkota: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project administration. Ramkrishna Chapagain: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Project administration. Chandra Kanta Khanal: Data curation, Writing – review & editing, Visualization.
bibliometric analysis and systematic review
Driving the Green and Low-Carbon Economy Through Digital Innovation: Insights from China's Inclusive Carbon Benefit Mechanism
Climate change mitigation requires not only industrial transformation but also behavioral shifts at the consumer level. This systematic analysis examines China's pioneering inclusive carbon benefit policies, which integrate digital technologies to incentivize low-carbon behaviors among individuals and small- to medium-sized enterprises. Since the concept's inception in 2009, carbon inclusion has evolved into a national strategy, formally recognized in China's 2022 climate policy framework. This analysis synthesizes policy developments, standardization efforts, and practical implementations across 39 case studies, categorizing them into government-led, firm-led, and hybrid models. Findings highlight that diversified, government-guided mechanisms with active private sector participation are the most effective in promoting sustained green behavior, enhancing public engagement, and contributing to China's dual carbon goals of achieving carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060 (hereafter referred to as "dual carbon goals"). The integration of digital platforms, standardized emission accounting, and incentive structures has transformed voluntary actions into measurable carbon assets. The study also explores emerging practices in advanced carbon accounting, including the concept of Scope 4 emissions, and evaluates China's role in setting global precedents for digitalized carbon neutrality frameworks. Challenges such as inconsistent standards, limited market incentives, and integration barriers are discussed, alongside recommendations for policy enhancement and broader application. In conclusion, China's carbon inclusive approach demonstrates a scalable model for fostering green lifestyles through multi-stakeholder collaboration and digital innovation. This mechanism offers valuable insights for global efforts in consumer-end emission reduction and highlights the critical role of behavioral change in achieving climate targets. It will contribute to advancing digitalized climate governance and offer practical insights for policymakers worldwide. Received: 26 April 2025 | Revised: 6 August 2025 | Accepted: 19 September 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study. Author Contribution Statement Li Zhang: Conceptualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Funding acquisition. Dongjie Sun: Methodology, Software, Resources, Data curation, Funding acquisition. Lan Tao: Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Funding acquisition. Jingzhe Ren: Methodology, Investigation, Project administration. Xue Yu: Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Writing – original draft, Visualization. Yizheng Zhang: Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Visualization. Fangyi Yang: Validation, Investigation, Writing – original draft. Hongying Zeng: Conceptualization.
Reverse Logistics Network Design for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in Emerging Market Economies: A Historical Case Study of Greater Shanghai, China
The sustainable management of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) – also referred to as e-waste or e-scrap – is a major policy issue in emerging market economies like China. This study explores the initial phase of practical eco-innovation policy implementation, elucidating the foundational challenge of techno-organizational infrastructure development for environmentally sound WEEE recovery and disposal in China. A discrete mixed-integer linear programming model for WEEE reverse logistics network design is introduced and applied to the historical real-world case of Greater Shanghai. The computational results offer scenario-based insights into the cost-optimal determination of facility locations for regional WEEE treatment from a multi-staged network system perspective, illuminating underlying cost structures and the intricate contextual factors shaping location solutions. This facilitates the derivation of strategic locational recommendations for integrated network system design. The study concludes by pointing to societal challenges involved in practical eco-innovation policy enforcement toward achieving (more) holistically sustainable WEEE recovery and disposal in China. Received: 15 April 2025 | Revised: 23 June 2025 | Accepted: 19 September 2025 Conflicts of Interest The author declares that he has no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Author Contribution Statement Steffen Wolfer: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition.
waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
A Study of the Green Jobs Effect of Corporate ESG Performance: Evidence from China
Achieving comprehensive green transformation and deep decarbonization of socio-economic systems constitutes a pivotal pathway toward high-quality development. Green employment, as the core link between ecological governance and economic growth, requires further exploration of its development mechanisms. Drawing upon Huazheng ESG rating data, this study employs a sample of Chinese A-share listed green enterprises spanning 2013–2023 to empirically scrutinize how corporate ESG performance shapes green employment scales and the intricate transmission channels involved. The findings indicate that corporate ESG performance significantly promotesgreen employment growth, a conclusion that remains valid after robustness and endogeneity tests, including replacing explanatory variables, adding control variables, lagging core explanatory variables, and using instrumental variable methods. Mechanism tests indicate that ESG performance primarily influences green employment through three pathways: production-scale expansion effects, increased R&D investment, and enhanced green innovation capabilities. Heterogeneity analysis shows that these promotional effects are more pronounced in state-owned enterprises, technology-intensive enterprises, and high-tech enterprises. This study specifically focuses on the green employment sector, delves into multiple mechanism pathways, and conducts heterogeneity analysis based on China’s institutional context—including property rights nature, factor intensity, and technological level—to provide a more detailed microlevel perspective andempirical support for understanding ESG’s employment effects and formulating targeted policies. The research conclusions offer theoretical and empirical support for enterprises to promote green employment and achieve synergies between economic and social sustainability through ESG practices. Received: 9 March 2025 | Revised: 10 November 2025 | Accepted: 17 December 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data available on request from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Author Contribution Statement Chunyi Han: Formal analysis, Investigation, Data curation, Writing - original draft, Visualization, Investigation. Pengfei Zhou: Conceptualization, Methodology, Resources, Writing - review & editing, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition. Yang Shen: Software, Validation.
Climate Transition Risk and Debt Capital Costs: Empirical Evidence from the Energy and Utilities Sectors
Although transition risks from climate change, such as regulatory shifts, market disruption, consumer preferences, and evolving technologies, are increasingly acknowledged by financial institutions, most empirical research has focused on equity markets, leaving the impact on corporate debt markets underexplored. In particular, few studies have examined how different dimensions of transition risk affect the cost of debt (COD), especially across firms operating in high-emission sectors. This paper addresses this gap by investigating whether and how climate-related transition risks are priced into the COD for international utilities and energy companies. Using a balanced panel dataset of 219 firms from 2012 to 2017, we propose a two-step approach. First, we apply principal component analysis to construct a multidimensional transition risk index. We identify two distinct components: a contemporaneous risk factor (called present risk) capturing firms' existing energy portfolio composition and emission intensity, and a forward risk factor (called future risk) capturing future-oriented exposures such as fossil fuel reserves and investment patterns. Second, we use panel regression analysis, which shows that the current risk dimension significantly increases borrowing costs throughout the period whereas the future risk dimension exhibits statistical significance exclusively from 2015 onward, coinciding with rising investor awareness following the Paris Agreement. These findings contribute to the growing literature on climate finance by offering a nuanced understanding of how transition risks are internalized in corporate debt pricing. Received: 21 February 2025 | Revised: 24 June 2025 | Accepted: 27 August 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement The data that support the findings of this study are a property of Trucost ESG Analysis S&P Global, Orbis Moody's, and Vigeo Eiris VE Moody's, subject to data user license agreements, and are not openly available. Author Contribution Statement Vincent Bouchet: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Project administration. Patricia Crifo: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition.
Does China's Environmental Protection Tax Improve Corporate ESG Performance? Causal Inference Based on Double Machine Learning
The environmental protection tax (EPT), a market-based environmental control mechanism, is essential for enhancing the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance of corporations. Using a Double Machine Learning (DML) model, this study empirically investigates the impact of EPT on corporate ESG performance using panel data of the Chinese A-share listed companies from 2012 to 2023. The results illustrate that the EPT improves corporate ESG performance. Furthermore, supplementary robustness tests provide confirmation of the incentive impact. Corporate ESG performance can be enhanced by the EPT through two distinct mechanisms: motivating green technological innovation and increasing green total factor productivity. Heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that the effect of the EPT in promoting corporate ESG performance is more evident in non-state-owned firms, eastern and central regions, and firms with a high proportion of institutional investors. The results of this study have some policy implications for environmental protection that might be educational for many developing nations throughout the world. Received: 17 February 2025 | Revised: 30 July 2025 | Accepted: 30 October 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Author Contribution Statement Yuqiang Gao: Conceptualization, Validation, Project administration, Funding acquisition. Shengchang Jiao: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Investigation, Writing – original draft. Kaihua Wang: Formal analysis, Writing – review & editing. Di Yuan: Validation, Writing – review & editing, Project administration. Malin Song: Supervision. Mengzi Wang: Writing – review & editing.
Amazon Bioeconomy: Extractive Cycle or Structural Transformation?
Bioeconomy strategies have emerged as prominent tools for aligning economic development with environmental sustainability. In the Amazon, these strategies are often promoted as greener alternatives to deforestation-based growth. However, this paper argues that current Amazonian bioeconomy models risk reproducing historical patterns of extractivism under a sustainability discourse. We conceptualize this contradiction as green extractivism, meaning a mode of resource use where nominally sustainable practices preserve external control, reinforce value drain, and marginalize local innovation and governance. Drawing on structuralist development theory and political ecology, we position the Amazon bioeconomy within a landscape of competing paradigms: pro-growth technological innovation, market-based circularity, and critical ecological models. We introduce the concept of a developmental bioeconomy, grounded in structural transformation, strong sustainability, and territorial governance. Through an analysis of institutional patterns, value chains, and emerging financial mechanisms such as carbon markets, we identify three critical constraints in the current model: structural stagnation, green extractivism, and speculative financialization. These dynamics prevent the Amazon bioeconomy from generating inclusive prosperity or enabling regional autonomy. As an alternative, we propose a developmental strategy focused on local value capture, participatory institutions, and public-cooperative financing structures. This reorientation would transform biodiversity and ecological wealth into foundations for local-driven innovation and equity-driven development. Our findings highlight the need to rethink sustainability frameworks in peripheral regions and to realign conservation and climate finance with territorial justice. Received: 11 February 2025 | Revised: 19 November 2025 | Accepted: 17 December 2025 Conflicts of Interest The author declares that he has no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study. Author Contribution Statement Daniel Silva: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Writing original draft, review & editing.
What Is Carbon Labeling of Food and Does It Work? A Preliminary Review of the Potential Impact of Carbon Labeling on Consumer Choice
Carbon labeling involves placing written or pictorial information on packaging, menus, or price tags to inform consumers about the carbon (CO2) emissions associated with the entire life cycle of a product or service, thereby empowering them to make environmentally conscious purchasing choices. Various carbon labeling practices are in use, but there is limited understanding about their effectiveness in impacting consumer choice. Method: A preliminary review examining the effectiveness of carbon labeling was conducted by searching major scientific literature databases. Quantitative studies on data on the reduction in CO2 emissions achieved through the provision of carbon labeling of meals were searched and examined. Results: Twelve studies were identified, six utilized computer-based virtual consumer choice simulation and six were conducted in real-world retail environments. Studies utilizing virtual simulations demonstrated potential double-digit reductions in CO2 output, but real-life studies identified far much modest reductions of only 2-5%. Labeling using rating-based systems, such as with traffic lights, was identified as more effective in directing consumer choice. Discussion: This preliminary literature review demonstrates that carbon labeling has the potential to direct consumers toward purchasing lower-carbon emission products. However the relatively small number of studies on this topic indicates the need for further research. Clearly, greater business engagement, and possible government intervention, is needed to advocate for carbon labeling and ensure its wider use. Received: 19 January 2025 | Revised: 21 April 2025 | Accepted: 23 July 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data are available on request from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Author Contribution Statement Håkan Lane: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Writing - original draft, Writing - review and editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project administration. Oksana Pokutnia: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Investigation, Writing - original draft, Visualization. Mark David Walker: Writing - original draft, Writing - review and editing. Jayanna Killingsworth: Conceptualization, Writing - original draft. Michal Valko: Writing - original draft, Writing - review and editing. Ana Rita Farias: Conceptualization, Writing - original draft.
Dynamics of Energy Consumption, Economic Growth and Carbon Emission in a Sub-national Economy Context of India: An Evidence from Kerala
On examining the relationship of energy consumption with economic growth and carbon emission, we provide the evidence that the petroleum consumption growth significantly contributes to GSDP growth of Kerala (as indicated from regression coefficient of 0.70%), whereas electricity consumption growth affects GSDP growth with a time lag (as evidenced from Granger causality and regression coefficient of .13%). In contrast, GSDP growth of the state drives up both electricity and petroleum consumption demand, along with an observed strong elasticity of substitution relationship between consumption of two energy components (coefficients varying from 30% to 66%). We further find that the growth of transportation sector activities measured from transportation output which significantly contributes to gross emissions (as reflected from regression coefficient of .32%) rather than the overall GSDP growth of the state, suggesting that the demand for petroleum product increases with increased income growth without regard for its environmental concerns over the long-run. This is occurring more especially when amounts of CO2 emission are very much lesser in the state as compared to the national average of all the states in India. Received: 19 November 2024 | Revised: 30 April 2025 | Accepted: 23 July 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study. Author Contribution Statement Hrushikesh Mallick: Conceptualization, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, project administration. Pulikottile Louis Beena: Conceptualization, Supervision, Project administration. Ritika Jain: Methodology, Investigation, Data curation, Visualization, Supervision. Sanjib Pohit: Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision. Chetana Chaudhuri: Methodology, Software, Supervision.
CCEM: A System Dynamics Model for Global Warming Impact from Energy Transition to Ecological Redirection
The Coupling Coarse Earth Model (CCEM) is a system dynamics simulation model that looks at the integration of energy, economy, climate, and associated feedback loops. CCEM combines five simpler models that address energy availability, economic adjustment to energy scarcity, energy transition, global economy and CO2 emissions, and the impact of CO2 emissions on warming and society. Modeling such a complex system requires several hypotheses, for which there is still no consensus. These "known unknowns" are the future availability and cost of energy, energy needs and affordability for the economy, the speed of energy substitution, expected Gross Domestic Product growth, and the economic and societal consequences of global warming. In CCEM, these are explicit parameters that enables simulation of opposite viewpoints with the same underlying logic. CCEM has been influenced both by previous systems dynamics models and other integrated assessment models (IAM); its main contribution as a simulation model is to reproduce the feedback loop from global warming to the energy/economy system by representing the impacts of global warming and the associated retroactions. The model introduces a "pain factor", accounting for pain from warming, economic results, and energy shortages, that may trigger redirections: how society reacts when pain gets too high (a nonlinear reaction). While the complex system nature of energy/economy/climate/society is better represented and produces more realistic scenarios, taking these redirections into account makes forecasting more difficult. Received: 23 December 2024 | Revised: 30 May 2025 | Accepted: 27 June 2025 Conflicts of Interest The author declares that he has no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement The data and the code that support the findings of this study are openly available at http://github.com/ycaseau/GWDG/. Author Contribution Statement Yves Caseau: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – Original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project administration.
Green Infrastructure for Sustainable Urban Development: A Case Study from Tehran
The integration of green infrastructure (GI) in urban areas is vital for achieving sustainable development, and this article researches this interaction in Tehran, which accommodates more than 9 million inhabitants. In facing the critical challenge of balancing rapid urbanization with environmental sustainability, GI can play a key role, requiring a holistic approach encompassing diverse elements and location-specific strategies. The research adopts a case study approach to map and analyze the location of GI in District 2 of Tehran, which spans an area just west of the city center, stretching up to the northern border of the Tehran municipality. A novel Geographic Information Systems-based methodology is deployed to identify and assess eight distinct GI types, including parks, green roofs, and river corridors. The article concludes that this categorization of GI types can provide a methodology for the comprehensive analysis of GI distribution, which underscores the importance of location-specific GI strategies for mitigating air pollution and fostering urban sustainability. The study provides a valuable case example that can be used in cities with similar urban environments. By identifying spatial disparities in GI performance, context-specific solutions can be developed that can be integrated into the urban planning and development processes to create a network of green spaces that improve air quality, reduce the urban heat island effect, and promote biodiversity. GI can provide a framework for integrating green spaces, urban forests, green roofs, and other nature-based solutions into the urban fabric, thereby enhancing the overall sustainability and resilience of the urban environment. Received: 17 December 2024 | Revised: 17 March 2025 | Accepted: 25 May 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement The GIS data analysis that supports some of the findings of this study are held in a university environment. Further enquiries can be made via the corresponding author. Author Contribution Statement Seyedeh Zahra Hosseini: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing, Supervision, Project administration. Rojin Raofi: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing, Visualization. Shayesteh Hamidkhaniha: Conceptualization, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing. Farhad Daneshgar: Conceptualization, Software, Investigation, Resources, Writing - original draft, Visualization. Martin Wynn: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Investigation, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing, Visualization, Supervision.
India's Journey to Net Zero: A Case Study on Transitional Opportunities for Renewables Under C50 and C100 Scenarios
Global energy demand is increasing annually due to rising economic activities and population growth, making energy production a major greenhouse gas source. Current trends had alarmingly exceeded the 1.5ºC target as emissions surpass 53.8 Gt CO2 eq. India, as a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aims for net zero by 2070 and 500 gigawatts (GW) of renewables by 2030, requiring urgent action to phase out fossil fuels and transition to clean energy. The present study aims to analyze the relative pathways to phase out fossil fuel-based electricity generation and assess the collective investment required for renewable electricity generation. Renewable electricity generation is growing steadily and currently constitutes about 43% of the total electricity being produced in the country (426.72 GW, excluding nuclear power). This study examines phased energy transition pathways through a case study, focusing on the C50 and C100 scenarios, which correspond to a 50% and 100% reduction in fossil fuel-based electricity generation, respectively. Using simulation-based modeling, the present study identified that in the C50 scenario, the total renewable electricity will have a 66% surge in 5 years. An advanced simulation of C100's complete phaseout of fossil fuel-based electricity generation can be attained with a surge of ~133% in renewable electricity generation. Both simulations widen the capital investment opportunities, ranging from 99.13 to 198.26 thousand crore INR annually with a proposed contributing share from the central, state, and private sectors reaching 47.38, 49.17, and 101.71 thousand crore INR, respectively, in the C100 scenario. Besides the government, huge private sector investment in the transition to renewables would be essential. Additionally, comprehensive policy reforms and increased public awareness of the role of renewable energy in climate change mitigation are important. The study urges a multi-stakeholder approach, including financial, technological, and policy reforms, for successfully achieving the energy transition targets of the country. Received: 8 November 2024 | Revised: 24 February 2025 | Accepted: 13 March 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data are presented within the manuscript and in the Appendices. Author Contribution Statement Panna Chandra Nath: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Data curation, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing, Visualization. Aditya Kumar Joshi: Validation, Writing - review & editing, Supervision. Arun Jyoti Nath: Formal analysis, Writing - review & editing, Visualization, Supervision.
The Economic-Energy-Environmental Benefits of Hydrogen Production Technologies in China
Energy from hydrogen is a significant means of energy conversion in China. This paper assesses and compares the economic, energy, and environmental benefits of different hydrogen production technologies in China to promote the growth of the hydrogen production sector. The findings of economic benefits reveal that (1) fossil energy hydrogen production technologies have an absolute advantage in China, and the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) of coal-to-hydrogen (CTH) technology is 6.86 RMB/kg, which is more competitive. (2) The cost of electricity and the categories of electrolyzer affect the economic benefit of water electrolysis hydrogen production (WEHP). The cost of hydrogen produced from using nuclear power (NP) is the lowest (28.45 RMB/kg), while that from photovoltaic (PV) is the highest (69.1 RMB/kg). When the power sources are NP, coal power, hydropower, wind power, and PV, respectively, compared with proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolytic hydrogen technology, the LCOH of alkaline (ALK) has decreased by 11%, 8%, 21%, 15%, and 18%, respectively, so ALK electrolytic method is more competitive than PEM. (3) Raw material cost accounts for the largest percentage, ranging from 32.3% to 79%. The findings of energy benefits show that CTH technology has the highest energy consumption among gray hydrogen technologies, which is 7.61 × 105̂ tce. The total energy consumption of WEHP varies with different types of electrolytic cells. The findings of the environmental benefits suggest that WEHP has the largest total carbon emissions of 4.2789 × 106̂ tCO2 when the power source is coal power. Hydrogen from coal and natural gas follows. The carbon emissions of new hydrogen production technologies are generally low. Under the same power supply, the carbon emission of PEM is larger. Received: 28 October 2024 | Revised: 7 February 2025 | Accepted: 29 April 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Author Contribution Statement Jiamei Pei: Methodology, Software, Validation, Writing – original draft. Qianqian Ding: Formal analysis. Lijuan Zhang: Visualization. Yan Xu: Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition.
Nation Branding as National Change Management: Facilitating Climate Protection by Green Nudging and Habit Stacking
Nation branding is much more than promoting holiday destinations with logos and colorful advertising campaigns. Brands have long been an instrument of political dialogue to develop and shape values and make them tangible. The prerequisite for this is that they function as economic alliances between politics and business. The example of “Green Destinations” is a certification initiative that shows how sustainable place, destination, or nation brand management can work at a local (e.g., Sagay City, Philippines), regional (e.g., Bhutan), or even international level (e.g., DACH region, i.e., Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and others). Against this backdrop, the aim of this article is to highlight the compatibility and usability of brands within (democratic) nations and their potential in the fight against climate change. In the face of dramatic global climate change, governments, businesses, and consumers are generally not acting sustainably enough. Therefore, the management of nation brands is presented as (1) values management (synchronizing values within economic societies), (2) glocal (i.e., “global” and at the same time “local”) alliance management (brands as joint ventures of governments, corporations, customers, and other relevant stakeholders), (3) change management (sustainable national transformation), (4) agile competencies (ongoing value negotiation and education), (5) green nudging and habit stacking (influencing social developments), and (6) viral communication management (social media interaction as brand communication). In conclusion, brands integrate glocal leadership, change, and sustainability to contribute to national transformation. Received: 26 November 2024 | Revised: 24 April 2025 | Accepted: 29 April 2025 Conflicts of Interest The author declares that he has no conflicts of interest in this work. Data Availability Statement Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study. Author Contribution Statement Jan Lies: Conceptualization, Methodology, Resources, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision.
Conceptualizing the Circular Economy: R-frame Question
Despite its rich history, the circular economy (CE) must be more firmly conceptualized. Various definitions of CE are often connected with specific R-frameworks, which differ significantly. This divergence could be caused by the fact that CE is related to other predecessors' concepts, for example, industrial ecology, waste management, cleaner production, and reverse logistics, some of which also used R-frameworks. This article aims to find the most frequently used R-principles in the context of CE, including identifying possible factors influencing the author's choice of the selected R-framework. For this purpose, 128 articles (related to R-frameworks and CE) were analyzed. The potential relationship between selected factors (e.g., authors' nationality, the publication's year, or journal) and the selected R-framework was tested using chi-square tests. The results show that only the nationality of the authors can influence the choice of the R-framework and that the 3R principles (reduce, reuse, recycle) are most often discussed in the context of the CE. Results show that the 3R framework is dominant in Asian publications (which is logical due to the longer recognition of this framework) and also in European publications. However, lately, there is a visible growing trend in using the 10R framework in European publications; thus, it may be a matter of time before other frameworks become dominant. As a result, it can be stated that the 3R and 10R frameworks are well-used frameworks that can serve as the basis for defining and conceptualizing the CE. One official definition of CE that would use a selected R-framework should be stated to clearly define what CE is. Received: 19 November 2024 | Revised: 27 March 2025 | Accepted: 29 April 2025 Conflicts of Interest The author declares that she has no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data are available on request from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Author Contribution Statement Marta Nosková: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision.
Empowering the Solar Shift: The Strategic Role of Retailers and Installers in Advancing Energy Storage Solution
The residential solar landscape in Australia has been significantly influenced by the decarbonization and sustainable development goals complemented by government-regulated incentives and subsidies. The penetration of small-scale solar in Western Australia (WA) is more than 35% as per the data obtained from the Australian government’s Clean Energy Regulator website, listing a postcode-wise installation of small-scale solar. As the solar penetration increased, the phasing-out of incentives from the government and regulations by utilities against high levels of solar penetration into the grid is encouraging the adoption of solar energy storage (SES) devices among residential solar users. Stakeholders such as policy-makers, SES manufacturers, installers, and retailers, and end-users play a major role in enabling this transition. The study recognizes the SES installers and retailers as prominent stakeholder categories in the field of SES since they bridge the gap between a prospective consumer who becomes a prosumer on the adoption of the technology. The study analyzes the role of SES installers and retailers in the adoption of SES devices based on stakeholder theory. Semi-structured interviews were carried out to make a qualitative analysis of the role played by SES installers and retailers and their perspectives on SES adoption. The engagement of SES installers with the technology and direct involvement with the consumers makes them important. The analysis of stakeholder dynamics indicates a lack of integration between SES manufacturers, installers, and retailers, affecting the availability of the product and expertise of SES installers in the SES technology. The policy-makers, who are a high-power stakeholder category, should formulate standard regulations, unifying the installation and maintenance practices. The study underlines SES installers can promote the adoption of SES through integration with other stakeholder categories, gaining expertise, and transferring the knowledge to the consumer for proper maintenance of the product, encouraging re-adoption. Received: 20 September 2024 | Revised: 21 November 2024 | Accepted: 26 December 2024 Conflicts of Interest The author declares that he has no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data are available on request from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Author Contribution Statement Nikhil Jayaraj: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing, Visualization, Project administration.
Exploring the Impact of the Environmental Protection Tax on Chinese Enterprise Performance: The Mediating Role of Agency Costs
The aim of this study is to test the effect of the environmental protection tax on the financial performance of A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2016 to 2021. To achieve this, a differences-in-differences model was established to explore the impact of the environmental protection tax, agency costs, and enterprise performance. The analysis specifically examines how the implementation of the environmental protection tax influences enterprise financial outcomes and the function of agency costs between them. The results indicate that the introduction of an environmental protection tax notably lowers agency costs and increases the financial performance of Chinese listed companies. Furthermore, agency costs serve as a mediator in this relationship, amplifying the positive impact of the tax on enterprise performance. To ensure effective environmental protection practices in institutional contexts, the government should reinforce environmental protection tax laws and regulations while strengthening collaborative management mechanisms. Ultimately, the study provides valuable insights into the potential for policy-driven mechanisms to foster a more sustainable and economically viable corporate landscape in China. Received: 7 November 2024 | Revised: 13 January 2025 | Accepted: 13 March 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Author Contribution Statement Jiaxin Huang: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing - review & editing. Jing Cheng: Conceptualization, Data curation, Writing - original draft, Visualization. Xiao Zheng: Formal analysis, Investigation. Meifen Wu: Data curation, Visualization.
Impact of Off-Grid Solar Home Systems on Energy Spending in Oyo State, Nigeria
Energy insecurity in the developing nation of Nigeria has driven communities and households in both rural and urban areas to adopt solar home systems (SHS) as a source of household energy. A report published by Fraym® is used by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) for Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) to develop its Energy Transition Plan for 100% electrification. It focuses on 10 Nigerian states, and points to customer profiles for top off-grid communities from these states. This report reveals the top twenty communities with the highest propensity to adopt SHS. The concentration of the top fifty solar home system communities is particularly significant among these communities, covering approximately 570,000 households in Oyo State. This unique positioning makes Oyo State an ideal focal point for conducting an empirical analysis. Conducting a cross-sectional empirical analysis in Omiyale, Madeko, Saki, and Ibadan, the study employs a stratified random sampling approach, selecting 40 SHS and 40 non-SHS households. The findings underscore the overall efficacy of off-grid SHS in addressing energy poverty. SHS owners exhibit a substantial improvement in lighting usage, marked by a notable shift towards cleaner and sustainable energy sources. Notably, SHS ownership correlates with a positive economic impact, as monthly expenditures for energy among SHS households decrease by an average of 1287.308 Naira per month. This economic saving stems from reduced reliance on conventional energy sources like candles, kerosene, and batteries. Received: 3 September 2024 | Revised: 22 November 2024 | Accepted: 20 January 2025 Conflicts of Interest The author declares that he has no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Author Contribution Statement Obinna John Anagbakwu: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Resources, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization.