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Sustainable Development of Low-Carbon Energy Transition and Climate Change Adaptation

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sustainability and Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 712

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Continually increasing temperatures due to the climate crisis demand significantly more proactive efforts to mitigate the emission of greenhouse gases, which led to the establishment of the Paris Agreement. Recent economic upheavals and global challenges have similarly led to crises for both the world's economy and climate. These unforeseeable challenges caused by the new protectionism are increasing risks to the global economy, thus highlighting the urgent need for an optimal transition toward sustainable development of a low-carbon economy worldwide. Even if there is strong skepticism toward this transition, we should be aware that it is not an optional but necessary mission for the survival of humankind. Thus, governments and industries should focus on a sustainable transition toward a low-carbon economy. The present Special Issue aims to disseminate and enhance knowledge by exploring the smart and sustainable transitions needed to overcome the challenges posed by new protectionism and ultraconservatism. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Smart or green technology to improve environmental performance.
  • Strategy or policy for a sustainable transition toward a low-carbon economy.
  • New challenges on the adaptation bottlenecks raised by new protectionism or ultra conservatism.
  • New models and research approaches toward the sustainable performance of industries.
  • Comparative studies on the transition toward a low-carbon economy.

Prof. Dr. Yongrok Choi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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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

  • governance on the transition
  • low-carbon economy
  • environmental or sustainable performance
  • green technology or strategy
  • sustainable mitigation policies

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

25 pages, 1474 KiB  
Article
Efficiency Evaluation of the World’s Top Ten Seed Companies: Static and Dynamic Analysis in the Context of Global Consolidation and Sustainability Challenges
by Nan Wang, Yunning Ma, Yongrok Choi and Seungho Kang
Sustainability 2025, 17(8), 3346; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083346 - 9 Apr 2025
Viewed by 434
Abstract
This study evaluated the efficiency performance of the world’s top ten seed-producing companies from 2016 to 2022, exploring the interplay between asset scale, technological innovation, and resource allocation in the context of the third global wave of seed industry mergers and growing external [...] Read more.
This study evaluated the efficiency performance of the world’s top ten seed-producing companies from 2016 to 2022, exploring the interplay between asset scale, technological innovation, and resource allocation in the context of the third global wave of seed industry mergers and growing external uncertainties. Against the backdrop of rising sustainability demands and low-carbon transitions, optimizing firm-level efficiency has become central in balancing economic performance with environmental responsibility. Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and the Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI), in this study, we conducted a comprehensive static and dynamic assessment of firm efficiency. The results reveal considerable heterogeneity across firms and over time. Corteva’s overall technical efficiency (OTE) rose from 0.57 in 2018 to 0.91 in 2022, reflecting successful post-merger integration and digital innovation. DLF achieved an OTE = 1.00 in 2020 and 2022, indicating stable specialization on an optimal scale. In contrast, Bayer’s OTE dropped from 0.72 in 2016 to 0.36 in 2022, underscoring the challenges of resource integration after large-scale mergers. In terms of productivity dynamics, Corteva exhibited a sharp EFFCH surge to 1.7041 in 2018–2019, reflecting a phase of rapid efficiency recovery following its post-merger restructuring. Syngenta also demonstrated strong managerial improvement, with its EFFCH reaching 1.3759 in 2017–2018 and maintaining positive momentum thereafter. Over the entire period, Syngenta recorded the highest cumulative growth in efficiency (up 40.76%), while Bayer showed a significant decline (−28.33%), highlighting contrasting integration outcomes. On the technological front, DLF stood out with a TECHCH increase of 34.67%, suggesting that innovation remained the key driver of long-term productivity gains, particularly among firms that avoided aggressive mergers. These findings emphasize the importance of aligning technological investment with scalable and resilient operational structures to achieve sustainable efficiency. This study offers empirical guidance for policymakers and strategic planners seeking to strengthen the seed industry’s role in green transformation, while also providing a framework applicable to other capital-intensive sectors undergoing structural transition. Full article
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