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Recent Advances in Environmental Economics Toward Sustainability

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: 31 March 2027 | Viewed by 5378

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Accounting and Audit, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010374 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: international accounting; environmental accounting; education; sustainability accounting and finance
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Guest Editor
Department of Economics, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanța, 900470 Constanța, Romania
Interests: quality management; business administration; branding; integrity management systems

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Guest Editor
Department of Finance and Accounting, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanta, 900470 Constanta, Romania
Interests: corporate governance; green finance; organizational models; risk management; data analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Management Information Systems Department, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania
Interests: databases; ERP systems; XBRL; office business applications; business intelligence; business games

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The accelerating integration of artificial intelligence (AI), circular economy principles, and sustainability imperatives is challenging traditional performance assessment models. Historically rooted in linear, efficiency-driven metrics, performance evaluation must now grapple with a new landscape where long-term impact, systemic interdependence, ethical considerations, and regenerative value creation are central.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, which aims to explore how AI technologies, circularity thinking, and evolving cultural paradigms converge to redefine performance and environmental economics for sustainability in the public, private, and civil sectors. We especially welcome work addressing the growing role of AI and digitalization in shaping how performance in environmental economics is monitored and judged. While data-driven tools promise efficiency, they also introduce risks tied to opacity, bias, and ethical accountability. Since automated systems increasingly influence decision-making and sustainability becomes a non-negotiable focus, we are urged to revisit what we value, how we measure it, and whose voices define success.

As sustainability reporting becomes mainstream, professional standards are under increasing pressure to evolve, and policy frameworks are striving to keep pace. Accountants and auditors are increasingly called upon to evaluate non-financial disclosures, verify ESG claims, and assess climate and impact risks, often using data sets, methodologies, and ethical frameworks that are still in flux. We seek contributions that engage with this multidimensional challenge—advancing environmental economics for sustainability at the intersections of technology, ethics, circularity, and accountability.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome, and research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • AI and the automation of sustainability evaluation;
  • Algorithmic governance in performance assessment;
  • Digitalization’s impacts on productivity, sustainability reporting, and decision-making;
  • Rethinking metrics for circular and regenerative systems;
  • Cultural and educational insights on value and environmental economics;
  • The integration of circularity, waste management, and resource optimization into environmental economics metrics;
  • Trade-offs between cost efficiency and ecological responsibility;
  • Case studies on ESG, smart cities, sustainable finance, and platform economies;
  • Emerging principles for assessing “good” practices in complex systems. 

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Liliana Ionescu-Feleagă
Prof. Dr. Elena Condrea
Dr. Ionela Munteanu
Prof. Dr. Bogdan Ştefan Ionescu
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

  • environmental economics
  • performance assessment
  • sustainability evaluation
  • sustainable finance
  • ESG
  • performance metrics
  • digitalization
  • circular economy

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 589 KB  
Article
Pragmatism in Eco-Economy and Social Influence in Environmental Policy Management
by Cristina-Teodora Bălăceanu, Alina-Iuliana Tăbîrcă, Florin Radu, Doina-Maria Tilea, Valentin Radu and Ionuț Drăgulescu
Sustainability 2025, 17(16), 7213; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17167213 - 9 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1065
Abstract
This research examines the integration of eco-economics principles into environmental policy management, with a focus on resource limitations and pollution resulting from economic activities. This study aims to identify rational behaviors in energy sector companies that promote sustainable production and consumption practices. A [...] Read more.
This research examines the integration of eco-economics principles into environmental policy management, with a focus on resource limitations and pollution resulting from economic activities. This study aims to identify rational behaviors in energy sector companies that promote sustainable production and consumption practices. A survey of 232 respondents, all employees from companies within the energy sector, was conducted to examine the inclination towards eco-efficient economic behavior and the impact of environmental policies on production processes. The research methodology combines quantitative and qualitative approaches, using econometric models and statistical analysis to interpret responses to a structured questionnaire. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of how companies can align their production methods with sustainable growth policies, mainly through creative and non-polluting technologies. This research highlights the importance of integrating environmental policy into business strategies to promote long-term sustainability and green economic practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Environmental Economics Toward Sustainability)
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Review

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25 pages, 555 KB  
Review
Integrating Sustainability into Monetary Policy to Address Climate Change—A Critical Literature Review
by Aleksandra Nocoń
Sustainability 2026, 18(10), 4791; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18104791 - 11 May 2026
Viewed by 508
Abstract
Climate change is one of the major global challenges of modern times. It also poses a significant threat to price stability—the major objective of modern central banks. It creates the risk of stagflation, as it can lead to price increases (due to the [...] Read more.
Climate change is one of the major global challenges of modern times. It also poses a significant threat to price stability—the major objective of modern central banks. It creates the risk of stagflation, as it can lead to price increases (due to the increased frequency of extreme weather events, which will impact food production) and simultaneously weaken economic activity (due to lower productivity resulting from temperature changes). Climate change and political pressure have sparked a lively scientific debate on whether and how central banks should adapt their monetary policy frameworks to support efforts to stop climate change. Although the literature analyzes actions undertaken by monetary authorities in the areas of sustainable finance and climate risk analysis, this research still needs to be developed and disseminated. Therefore, the main aim of this article is to theoretically analyze the integration of climate issues with the monetary policy of modern central banks. This article provides a theoretical and integrative analysis of the role of modern central banks in addressing climate change, with a particular focus on implications for monetary policy. The study is based on a structured critical literature review and desk research, employing a transparent, multi-stage selection and analysis process, based on the PRISMA approach. The article contributes to the existing literature by offering a systematic synthesis of the main approaches to integrating climate-related considerations into central banking. The analysis organizes the literature into distinct analytical strands, including institutional and coordination-based initiatives, theoretical justifications for central bank involvement, debates on mandates and independence and the development of green monetary policy instruments. The findings suggest that the integration of climate considerations into monetary policy is feasible primarily within a risk-based and prudential framework, while more interventionist approaches may generate tensions with the primary objective of price stability. At the same time, the literature reveals persistent trade-offs between market neutrality and active policy intervention, as well as between institutional constraints and policy effectiveness. The study highlights that climate-related measures are often implemented through macroprudential, supervisory and financial stability functions, which complement rather than substitute monetary policy in the strictest sense. The article contributes to a more coherent understanding of the evolving role of central banks in the context of climate change by synthesizing a fragmented body of research and identifying key conceptual tensions that remain unresolved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Environmental Economics Toward Sustainability)
28 pages, 2371 KB  
Review
From Metrics to Meaning: Research Trends and AHP-Driven Insights into Financial Performance in Sustainability Transitions
by Ionela Munteanu, Liliana Ionescu-Feleagă, Bogdan Ștefan Ionescu, Elena Condrea and Mauro Romanelli
Sustainability 2025, 17(14), 6437; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146437 - 14 Jul 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2803
Abstract
Evaluating performance is a necessary and specific process across all sectors and organizational levels, shaped by context, indicators, and purpose. Considering global sustainability transitions, understanding financial performance entails a deeper perspective on technical accuracy, conceptual clarity, and systemic integration. This study investigates how [...] Read more.
Evaluating performance is a necessary and specific process across all sectors and organizational levels, shaped by context, indicators, and purpose. Considering global sustainability transitions, understanding financial performance entails a deeper perspective on technical accuracy, conceptual clarity, and systemic integration. This study investigates how financial performance is assessed and interpreted in sustainability-focused research, drawing on a bibliometric analysis of 490 articles indexed in the Web of Science from 2007 to 2023. Using SciMAT, we traced thematic evolutions and revealed a fragmented research landscape marked by competing theoretical, methodological, and practical orientations. To address this conceptual dispersion, we applied the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to evaluate five key alternatives to financial-performance assessment (quantitative measurement, definition-oriented reasoning, theoretical frameworks, experiential comparison, and integration with sustainability and ethics) against three conceptual criteria (philosophical depth, holistic scope, and multidisciplinary relevance). The results highlight a strong preference for holistic and integrative models of financial performance, with quantitative measurement ranking highest in practical terms, followed by experiential and sustainability-driven approaches. These results underscore the need to align financial evaluation more closely with sustainability values, bridging short-term metrics with long-term societal impact. By combining diachronic thematic mapping with structured decision analysis, this study advances a more reflective and forward-looking framework for performance research. It contributes to sustainability research by identifying underexplored epistemological pathways and supporting the development of financial evaluation models that are inclusive, ethically grounded, and aligned with sustainable development goals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Environmental Economics Toward Sustainability)
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