Guest Editor(s)
Prof. Zewen Ge
Email: Zewenge@xujc.com
Affiliation: School of Accounting and Finance, Xiamen University Tan Kah Kee College, 363105, Zhangzhou, China
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Research Interests: energy economics and policy, climate change economics, circular economy, critical mineral management, environmental impact and sustainability
Dr. Mufan Zhuang
Email: mf_Zhuang@sass.org.cn
Affiliation: Institute of Ecology and Sustainable Development, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Shanghai, 200020, China
Homepage:
Research Interests: resource economics, circular economy, environmental management
Summary
Achieving net-zero emission has become a global consensus in response to the escalating climate crisis, yet the pathway toward this ambitious goal is far more complex than a simple reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The essence of this transformation lies in the systemic reconfiguration of energy systems, encompassing technological innovation, economic restructuring, environmental governance, and social adaptation. While large-scale deployment of renewable energy technologies such as wind and solar power and the gradual phasing out of fossil fuels form the cornerstone of this transition, equally important are disruptive low-carbon innovations, carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies, and the optimization of energy use across industries and regions. The net-zero energy transition also raises profound economic, environmental, and social challenges. On the one hand, the transformation requires addressing critical issues such as life-cycle environmental impacts, embodied carbon accounting, and the resource constraints posed by critical minerals. On the other hand, it demands rethinking the institutional and policy frameworks that govern energy systems, as well as designing innovative policy instruments that can balance efficiency, equity, and resilience.
This Special Issue aims to advance interdisciplinary scholarship by integrating insights from economics, engineering, environmental science, and policy studies to explore the multifaceted processes of energy system transformation under net-zero emission targets. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
· The dynamic evolution, drivers, and cost-benefit analysis of net-zero energy transition
· Environmental impacts and embodied carbon emission assessment
· Critical mineral constraints and circular economy pathways
· Disruptive energy and carbon removal technologies
· Optimization of decarbonization strategies in key industries and sectors
· Regional and national pathways for energy transition and multi-level governance
· Methodological and policy innovations for guiding energy transition
Keywords
net-zero emission, energy transition, renewable energy deployment, , disruptive low-carbon technologies, life-cycle environmental impacts, embodied carbon emission accounting, critical minerals constraints, circular economy pathways, energy system modeling, policy and governance innovations
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