Environmental Economics and Innovation Pathways for Sustainable Transformation
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 17 December 2026 | Viewed by 1216
Special Issue Editors
Interests: public finance; taxation; energy economics; corporate finance; sustainable transformation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: banking and finance; green banking and sustainability; digital finance; sustainable transformation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: economics and econometrics; banking and finance; risks; green banking and sustainability; digital finance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Environmental economics plays an increasingly central role in shaping the pathways through which societies respond to climate change, resource depletion, technological disruption, and global economic uncertainty. This Special Issue, ”Environmental Economics and Innovation Pathways for Sustainable Transformation”, examines how economic mechanisms, market-based instruments, green investment strategies, and innovation processes contribute to long-term environmental and socio-economic sustainability. The aim is to deepen understanding of how environmental economic principles—such as efficient resource allocation, environmental valuation, and incentive structures—support the adoption of clean technologies, promote low-carbon development, and stimulate innovation ecosystems across regions and sectors.
Contributions to this Special Issue should explore the interaction between environmental economic tools, technological advancement, and sustainability outcomes, highlighting how innovation pathways can enhance resilience, competitiveness, and green growth. Emphasis is placed on empirical analyses, comparative studies, and conceptual frameworks that assess the effectiveness of environmental policies, the diffusion of eco-innovations, and the dynamics of green markets. By integrating insights from environmental economics, innovation studies, and sustainability science, this collection seeks to advance current debates on how economies can transition toward environmentally responsible and equitable development models.
We welcome original research and reviews addressing, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Environmental economic instruments for sustainability transitions;
- Green innovation pathways and eco-innovation diffusion;
- Resource efficiency, circular economy models, and environmental valuation;
- Market-based incentives, carbon pricing mechanisms, and green investment;
- Interactions between innovation ecosystems and environmental performance;
- Metrics and indicators for assessing environmental and innovation outcomes;
- Regional and national analyses of green transformation processes;
- Economic impacts of clean technologies and low-carbon development;
- Comparative assessments of environmental policy effectiveness;
- Behavioural and institutional factors influencing sustainable economic choices.
Dr. Nicoleta Mihaela Doran
Prof. Dr. Roxana Maria Bădîrcea
Dr. Alina Georgiana Manta
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
- economics
- sustainable transformation
- eco-innovation
- green growth
- resource efficiency
- low-carbon transition
- circular economy
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.


