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Sustainable Energy Trade and Environmental Performance: Technological Innovations and Human Responses

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 2048

Special Issue Editors

Dr. András Szeberényi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Marketing, Budapest Metropolitan University, Nagy Lajos Kiraly utja,1–9, 1148 Budapest, Hungary
Interests: marketing and media; online communication; search engine optimization (SEO); renewable energy; environmental awareness and protection; environmental sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Norbert Bozsik

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Interests: sustainable development; renewable energy; energy security; land use; competitiveness; agricultural economics; agricultural development; international agricultural trade; food security
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Vilmos Vass

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Budapesti Metropolitan Egyetem, Budapest, Hungary
Interests: education; pedagogy; leadership in higher education; school development; project-based learning; managing school intellectual capital; online learning; innovation in education; creative and startup thinking; innovative teaching methods; talent development program; diagnostic assessment; formative assessment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As the global community increases efforts to meet climate goals and transition toward low-carbon economies, the sustainable energy trade has emerged as a key mechanism of aligning economic growth with environmental responsibility. However, beyond technological advancement, the success of these transitions depends heavily on human behavior, perception, and psychological adaptation to climate change. This Special Issue, titled “Sustainable Energy Trade and Environmental Performance: Technological Innovations and Human Responses”, explores the intersection of smart technologies like artificial intelligence with the cognitive and social dimensions of sustainability.

We welcome contributions that investigate how digital tools, policy frameworks, and innovative energy trade models influence environmental performance, while also addressing psychological and behavioral responses to climate-related risks and transitions. Research focused on the human factors driving energy decisions, climate anxiety, sustainability awareness, and behavioral interventions is particularly encouraged, alongside studies of AI-driven optimization, smart energy systems, and carbon accounting innovations.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research topics may include (but need not be limited to) the following:

  • Sustainable and cross-border energy trade systems;
  • Environmental performance metrics and emissions impacts;
  • AI applications in energy market forecasting, efficiency, and education;
  • Climate change communication, eco-anxiety, and behavioral shifts;
  • Policy design incorporating behavioral economics and sustainability science;
  • Technology acceptance, trust, and adoption in green energy transitions;
  • Multi-level governance of sustainable energy with psychological considerations.

We look forward to your contributions to this timely and interdisciplinary discourse.

Dr. András Szeberényi
Dr. Norbert Bozsik
Dr. Vilmos Vass
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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 trade
  • environmental performance
  • artificial intelligence (AI)
  • climate change psychology
  • behavioral responses
  • energy policy and governance
  • low-carbon transition

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 295 KB  
Article
Asymmetric Effects of Digital Trade on Environmental Sustainability: Evidence from GCC Economies
by Safia Omer, Manal Elhaj and Jawaher Binsuwadan
Sustainability 2026, 18(10), 5139; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18105139 - 20 May 2026
Viewed by 133
Abstract
Rapid digital transformation is reshaping global trade and raising important questions about its environmental impact, particularly in energy-intensive GCC economies. Despite growing interest, existing evidence remains inconclusive and often overlooks potential nonlinear effects. This study explores how digital trade influences environmental sustainability in [...] Read more.
Rapid digital transformation is reshaping global trade and raising important questions about its environmental impact, particularly in energy-intensive GCC economies. Despite growing interest, existing evidence remains inconclusive and often overlooks potential nonlinear effects. This study explores how digital trade influences environmental sustainability in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries over the period 2010–2024. Using a balanced panel dataset for the six economies, the analysis applies a fixed-effects approach with Driscoll–Kraay standard errors to account for cross-sectional dependence and other econometric concerns. To better capture the complexity of the relationship, the study also adopts an asymmetric framework that distinguishes between positive and negative changes in digital trade. The findings show that digital trade does not have a significant effect in the linear model. However, once asymmetry is considered, a clearer pattern emerges. Increases in digital trade are associated with lower CO2 emissions, while decreases tend to raise emissions. Energy consumption remains the primary driver of emissions, while technological readiness helps reduce environmental pressure. Urbanization and political stability, on the other hand, are linked to higher emissions, reflecting ongoing structural challenges in the region. Overall, the results highlight the importance of sustaining digital trade growth and strengthening technological capabilities to support environmental sustainability in GCC economies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Trade and Environmental Performance: Technological Innovations and Human Responses)
19 pages, 2665 KB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Evolution and Stability of the International Crude Oil Trade Network, 2000–2023
by Weiyuan Xu, Kun Qin, Ziwen Yang, Kai Li, Yang Zhou, Qixin Wang, Donghai Liu and Jingyi Zhang
Sustainability 2026, 18(9), 4303; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18094303 - 27 Apr 2026
Viewed by 307
Abstract
Existing research on crude oil trade networks has largely focused on their static structural characteristics. However, systematic quantitative assessments of network stability, as well as examinations of the relationship between structural characteristics and stability, remain relatively limited. Based on United Nations Commodity Trade [...] Read more.
Existing research on crude oil trade networks has largely focused on their static structural characteristics. However, systematic quantitative assessments of network stability, as well as examinations of the relationship between structural characteristics and stability, remain relatively limited. Based on United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics from 2000 to 2023, this study constructs an international crude oil trade network. By integrating complex network analysis with spatiotemporal methods, the study examines the network’s evolutionary patterns, evaluates its stability from both topological and flow dimensions using Jaccard similarity and weighted similarity indicators, and applies Spearman’s rank correlation to explore the associations between structural characteristics and stability. The results indicate that the following: (1) the international crude oil trade network exhibits a hierarchical core-periphery structure, with overall trade linkages between countries becoming increasingly tight; (2) key inflection points in network stability are correlated with major international events, and these correlations manifest differently across the dimensions of trade structure and trade flows; and (3) modularity is negatively correlated with topological stability and positively correlated with flow stability, while degree assortativity shows no significant association with either topological stability or flow stability, revealing that although the core-periphery structure enhances the resilience of trade scale, it may simultaneously weaken the flexibility of partnerships. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Trade and Environmental Performance: Technological Innovations and Human Responses)
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21 pages, 1152 KB  
Article
How Does Sustainability Governance Shape the Green Finance and Climate Nexus?
by Vikas Sharma, Manjit Kour, Vilmos Vass and András Szeberényi
Sustainability 2026, 18(2), 1022; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18021022 - 19 Jan 2026
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 769
Abstract
The proposed research aims to analyse the effects of the relationship between Sustainability Governance (SG) and Climate Impact (CI), taking into consideration Green Finance (GF). Furthermore, it examines how Institutional Support (IS) enhances the governance systems governing these variables. The research provides a [...] Read more.
The proposed research aims to analyse the effects of the relationship between Sustainability Governance (SG) and Climate Impact (CI), taking into consideration Green Finance (GF). Furthermore, it examines how Institutional Support (IS) enhances the governance systems governing these variables. The research provides a holistic approach for analysing the effects of financial dynamics on climate impacts. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed in this research study. The data were collected from various industries using a standardised questionnaire. The structural model examined the direct and indirect relationships between variables such as GF, SG, and CI. IS emerged as the moderated variable. The outcomes of the study confirmed that “GF has an important and direct as well as indirect (through SG as the mediator) impact on CI. IS significantly increases SG and thus exerts an overall enhancing effect on the impact of GF on the climate.” The study has supported the research objectives and aims. The limitations of this study comprised constraints related to both time and cost. The researchers encountered limitations in accessing senior managers and directors of various organisations for the study. IS emerged as an important intermediate factor that can significantly link various actions and activities that impact the climate. This study supports both global and local research objectives. The study offers significant insights, underscoring the critical role of SG within Green Business (GB). Additionally, IS emerges as a vital enabling tool that strengthens the overall governance framework. The study contributes significantly to the development of integrated frameworks for institutions seeking to effectively address environmental challenges. The implications for action indicate that furthering entrenched institutional structures and instilling good governance practices can add tremendous value to the transformation potential of GF and usher in accelerated efforts to achieve national and international objectives on climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Trade and Environmental Performance: Technological Innovations and Human Responses)
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