Breaking the ecological freeze: leading sustainable energy into a higher level of innovation

Introduction

Since the twenty first century, countries worldwide have achieved rapid economic development at the expense of resource consumption and environmental degradation. Climate change, resource depletion, and ecological degradation have posed increasingly severe survival challenges for humanity (Ren et al., 2024b). Faced with the urgent threats to resources and the environment, there has been a growing demand for the development of sustainable energy management (Chen et al., 2023; Pata et al., 2023). In this context, governments, enterprises, and academic researchers have gradually shifted their focus towards developing and promoting sustainable energy management systems to restore a healthy living environment for humanity and balance the ecological environment (Duan et al., 2023). Consequently, the development of sustainable energy has become a robust research field with broad interdisciplinary appeal.

Despite the flourishing development in this field, the green transition of global economic development is still in its preliminary exploratory stage, leaving much room for further exploration (Zhang et al., 2021). Given the vast potential for future economic development through sustainable energy development, this section aims to provide an open, inclusive, and shared academic platform. It welcomes ongoing innovative research to discuss the future of sustainable energy development and management.

This section covers a wide range of topics related to sustainable energy and environmental management, focusing primarily on renewable energy technologies and systems; energy efficiency, conservation and demand-side management; sustainable transportation systems; carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies; environmental impact assessment of energy production and consumption; formulation, implementation, and evaluation of energy and environmental policies; the social and economic aspects of energy transition and sustainability; sustainable agriculture and food systems; and water and land management in the context of sustainable energy and environmental management. Our goal is to promote the development of policies and practices related to the circular economy, minimizing the negative environmental impacts of energy production and use. Based on the current state of economic development and ecological environment, we aim to provide new policy frameworks for social management in the subsequent economic development and energy transition process, expand the social impact of the concept of sustainable development, and call on all of humanity to join the efforts in developing emerging energy sources and saving fragile ecosystems.

A new milestone in sustainable communities: sustainable energy

In this field, the editors of Sustainable Energy aim to continually push the boundaries of innovation in research on sustainable energy and environmental management. Therefore, we welcome submissions from scholars and practitioners across various disciplines, including engineering, environmental science, economics, public policy, and social sciences. To enhance the understanding of the complex interrelationships between energy production, consumption, and environmental impact among the general public, government, and businesses, we primarily publish three categories of articles: (1) original research articles; (2) review articles; and (3) critical essays. Below, we provide detailed descriptions and relevant examples for each category of articles.

Original research articles

Through extensive data collection and the development of practical econometric models, empirical analysis of existing economic phenomena is conducted to reveal the underlying logic behind specific economic phenomena in the context of sustainable energy development and environmental management. Alternatively, new theories are proposed and empirically supported for their applicability in the field of sustainable energy and environmental management, based on the current goals of economic green transformation. Studies such as those by Ren et al. (2024a) and Duan et al. (2023) can serve as good examples of this type of article.

Review articles

Summarizing, organizing, and comprehensively reviewing existing literature in the field of energy and the environment, highlighting current research focuses, as well as hotspots and trends for future research, while exploring the limitations of existing studies and seeking high points for academic research innovation in sustainable energy and environmental management. In this regard, Allan et al. (2015), Auffhammer and Mansur (2014), and Bourcet (2020) have systematically summarized and reviewed the literature in the field of energy environmental economics. Additionally, Kraus et al. (2023) pointed out the value of literature reviews, stating that "research integration and summarization are crucial steps in scientific research, playing an indispensable role," which aligns well with the initial intentions of our editorial team.

Critical essays

Based on existing knowledge, objective facts, and rational logic, provide diverse interpretations of existing energy development patterns and environmental management concepts. Building upon this foundation, break free from traditional thinking constraints, objectively critique the cognitive biases implicit in current energy-environmental economics and engage in cognitive corrections. Adopting a critical thinking perspective to uncover the inherent flaws in current sustainable energy development and environmental management. In this regard, the research by Scarcioffolo (2020) and Chesser (2019) serves as excellent examples.

Overall, our editorial team adheres to the principle of inclusivity and acceptance of diverse voices and logically different ideas. We hope to receive various academic opinions to help everyone gain a more thorough understanding of the current status, prospects, and social significance of sustainable energy and environmental management. We encourage experts and scholars from various backgrounds, and even different industries, who have knowledge of research in the field of energy and the environment to contribute their unique insights, innovative academic achievements, and novel theoretical research. Additionally, to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and expand the space for research innovation, we also welcome scholars engaged in interdisciplinary research to engage in dialogue and exchange with us through academic works.

Relevance and rigor

The editorial team of Sustainable Energy must ensure that the articles we publish are both relevant and rigorous. Given the pressure of resource depletion and environmental pollution faced globally, we are committed to seeking solutions to these challenges from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Therefore, on the one hand, we focus on the introduction of novel theories or concepts, the application of new econometric models in empirical research, and economic phenomena reflected by new data. On the other hand, our attention to sustainable energy and environmental management aims to provide practical solutions to the current energy and environmental crises. This requires that the academic issues we collectively discuss are highly relevant to the challenges we face, helping scholars, entrepreneurs, and national policymakers apply the conclusions drawn from innovative academic research to practice and advance the pace of economic green transformation through action.

Rigor is the criterion by which we assess the quality of academic research. This includes the scientific rigor of research methods, the systematic and comprehensive nature of the research framework, and the reliability and effectiveness of research conclusions. Academic work lacking rigor, even if highly relevant to the issues we are currently concerned about, may struggle to pass scrutiny (Liguori et al., 2024). In the field of sustainable energy and environmental management, academic research lacking rigor not only leads to public misconceptions about the current status of energy and environmental management but also misguides the behavior of businesses and governments, influencing them towards incorrect policy directions. Therefore, rigor is a fundamental principle in accepting academic papers.

Essentially, relevance allows us to closely focus on the cutting edge of research in sustainable energy and environmental management, while rigor ensures that the issues we discuss have scientifically sound and effective solutions. Our editorial team is committed to engaging in academic discussions with all outstanding scholars interested in sustainable energy and environmental management, based on the principles of relevance and rigor.

Editorial team

The Editorial Team of Sustainable Energy will be led by Associate Professor Xiaohang Ren from the Business School of Central South University. In 2023, he was honored as a "Highly Cited Scholar in the Field of Applied Economics" by Elsevier China, and was selected as one of the "Top 2% of Global Scientists" by the Stanford University’s 2022 Annual Scientific Impact Rankings. Currently, he has published over 100 papers in fields such as energy finance and green finance, and has served as a senior editor for several journals in these areas. Therefore, his rich experience and outstanding capabilities enable him to lead our editorial team to explore a broader academic horizon in the journal we have established.

Our editorial team members also include high-caliber scholars from various universities, including Associate Professor Cheng Cheng from the School of Management Science and Engineering at Shanxi University of Finance and Economics, Assistant Professor Kun Duan from the School of Economics at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Associate Professor Chenglu Jin from the School of Humanities and Innovation at Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Associate Professor Xianming Sun from the School of Finance at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Professor Zongrun Wang from the Business School of Central South University, and Postdoctoral Fellow Pengxiang Zhai from Beihang University.

Conclusion

Based on the consideration that all of humanity currently needs to collectively address the energy and environmental crises, we have launched the new section Sustainable Energy with the aim of providing an inclusive and shared academic platform for innovative research on sustainable energy development and environmental management. This reflects our original intentions and determination to provide a pathway for global economic green and low-carbon transformation. We prioritize the relevance and rigor of scientific research in this field, encouraging senior researchers from various sectors and interdisciplinary scholars to contribute rich experiences, insights, and innovative research findings. We are committed to practicing the principles of sustainable development with the goal of conserving energy and protecting the environment comprehensively. Through dialogue with everyone, we aim to explore scientifically sound policies that can be applied in practice and contribute to all-round efforts for the sustainable development of energy and the environment. Ultimately, we hope that the academic platform we provide will become a highland for exploring energy sustainability and restoring ecological balance in nature.

Xiaohang Ren
School of Business, Central South University, Changsha, China
[email protected]