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Pathway to an Environmental Economy: The Role of Sustainable Natural Resources

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Resources and Sustainable Utilization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 26 October 2025 | Viewed by 2633

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Hsuling Chang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Accounting, Ling Tung University, Taichung, Taiwan, China
Interests: climate economics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Meng Qin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Marxism, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
Interests: energy economics; climate economics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the face of global environmental challenges, the transition to an environmental economy has become a pressing issue. Sustainable natural resources are the cornerstone of this transformation, providing essential raw materials and energy while maintaining ecological balance. Scientific research has revealed that unsustainable exploitation of resources leads to biodiversity loss, climate change, and other severe ecological crises. Therefore, exploring the role of sustainable natural resources in fostering an environmental economy is crucial.

This special issue aims to explore the essential role of sustainable natural resources in the development of an environmental economy. By showcasing cutting-edge research, case studies, and policy insights, this special issue seeks to identify effective strategies for harnessing natural resources in a manner that supports long-term ecological health and economic prosperity. This subject aligns with the journal scope, which focuses on advancing knowledge and understanding in the field of sustainability across various disciplines.

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

  1. Sustainable Resource Management Strategies and Environmental Economy
  2. Sustainable Resource Extraction and Environmental Impact
  3. Circular Economy and Sustainable Resource Management
  4. Sustainable Urban Development and Resource Efficiency
  5. Policy and Governance for Sustainable Natural Resources
  6. Economic Models and Sustainable Resource Allocation
  7. Case Studies of Sustainable Resource Management and Environmental Economic Development
  8. Sustainable Natural Resources, digital technology, and Environmental Economy

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Hsuling Chang
Dr. Meng Qin
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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 economy
  • sustainable natural resources
  • sustainable development

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 588 KiB  
Article
Does Tax Competition Among Local Governments Improve the Green Economic Efficiency in the Yellow River Basin?
by Jile Sun, Xiao Sun and Yihan Wang
Sustainability 2025, 17(11), 5165; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17115165 - 4 Jun 2025
Abstract
Green development stands as an imperative pathway for China’s growth model. Enhancing green economic efficiency is crucial to maintaining sustainable development in the Yellow River Basin. The hierarchical governance structure of China’s economic development system inherently links competition among governments to potential impacts [...] Read more.
Green development stands as an imperative pathway for China’s growth model. Enhancing green economic efficiency is crucial to maintaining sustainable development in the Yellow River Basin. The hierarchical governance structure of China’s economic development system inherently links competition among governments to potential impacts on the basin’s green economic efficiency, yet research in this area remains scarce. This study utilizes a panel data structured dataset containing both temporal and cross-sectional dimensions from nine provinces in the Yellow River Basin to investigate how tax competition among local governments affects green economic efficiency. The empirical results demonstrate that tax competition hinders green economic efficiency in the Yellow River Basin, exhibiting spatial heterogeneity in its inhibitory effect. Specifically, the inhibitory effect on the middle reaches is approximately twice as significant as that observed on the upper reaches, while the inhibitory effect on the lower reaches is found to be facilitative. In addition, the upgrading of industrial structure and industrial agglomeration triggered by tax competition partially alleviate the inhibitory effect on green economic efficiency. Therefore, policymakers can promote the sustainable development of the Yellow River Basin by optimizing the tax system, implementing regional differentiation strategies, optimizing industrial layout, and promoting the development of green clusters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathway to an Environmental Economy: The Role of Sustainable Natural Resources)
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19 pages, 283 KiB  
Article
Unleashing the Power of Digital Transformation: Boosting Green Total Factor Productivity in China’s Energy Enterprises
by Tiantian Ning, Kai-Hua Wang and Hong-Wen Liu
Sustainability 2025, 17(9), 4113; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17094113 - 1 May 2025
Viewed by 334
Abstract
This study examines the influence of digital transformation (DT) on green total factor productivity (GTFP) for A-share-listed energy enterprises from 2013 to 2022. The study findings demonstrate that DT can be advantageous in improving GTFP, and this conclusion remains valid even after performing [...] Read more.
This study examines the influence of digital transformation (DT) on green total factor productivity (GTFP) for A-share-listed energy enterprises from 2013 to 2022. The study findings demonstrate that DT can be advantageous in improving GTFP, and this conclusion remains valid even after performing the endogeneity treatment and the robustness test. The mechanism test suggests that improving green technology innovation and alleviating financing constraints are significant transmission paths. The heterogeneity analysis’ findings show that state-owned enterprises, large-scale enterprises, and new energy enterprises benefit more significantly from DT’s favorable efficacy in improving GTFP. By focusing on energy enterprises, this study expands upon the prior research on digital transformation in the micro field. Moreover, this study reveals the critical path of digital transformation in enhancing GTFP, thus enriching its theoretical connection. GTFP will be enhanced by the joint development of digital facilities by enterprises and the government, as well as using distinct digital strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathway to an Environmental Economy: The Role of Sustainable Natural Resources)
25 pages, 1042 KiB  
Article
Cross-Border E-Business and Air Quality: A Quasi-Natural Experiment from the Perspective of Natural Resources
by Li Qiao, Da Huo, Tianying Sun, Zizhen Zhao, Lanjing Ma and Zenglin Wu
Sustainability 2025, 17(7), 2836; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17072836 - 22 Mar 2025
Viewed by 351
Abstract
As a key initiative to integrate economic growth and green development in the era of the digital economy, the environmental effects of China’s Cross-border E-commerce Comprehensive Pilot Zone (CBEC-PZ) policy are not yet clear. Based on city-level data from 2014 to 2021 in [...] Read more.
As a key initiative to integrate economic growth and green development in the era of the digital economy, the environmental effects of China’s Cross-border E-commerce Comprehensive Pilot Zone (CBEC-PZ) policy are not yet clear. Based on city-level data from 2014 to 2021 in China and leveraging the CBEC-PZ policy as a quasi-natural experiment, this study reveals that the CBEC-PZ policy has significantly enhanced local air quality, with particularly pronounced effects in eastern regions. While the policy did not degrade air quality in surrounding areas, spatial correlations of air quality levels among regions were observed due to atmospheric circulation dynamics. These findings underscore the importance of emphasizing regional coordination in green development within urban governance frameworks. The CEBC-PZ promotes the transformation of the energy structure and the improvement of air quality through reverse innovation, an ecological competitive advantage, and an agile governance mechanism. It is recommended to help synergize sustainable development and high-quality development in terms of strengthening reverse innovation and institutional innovation, expanding cross-regional synergistic governance, and deepening digital-real integration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathway to an Environmental Economy: The Role of Sustainable Natural Resources)
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17 pages, 2893 KiB  
Article
Is Oil Really a Stumbling Block to Environmental Sustainability? From the Price Perspective
by Meng Qin, Hongfang Jiang, Lidong Pang and Chiwei Su
Sustainability 2025, 17(5), 1867; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17051867 - 22 Feb 2025
Viewed by 632
Abstract
The United States is exposed to the threats of massive carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated by non-renewable energy in reaching environmental sustainability. With the wavelet-based quantile-on-quantile approach, this paper delves into the impact of the most typical fossil fuel, oil, on [...] Read more.
The United States is exposed to the threats of massive carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated by non-renewable energy in reaching environmental sustainability. With the wavelet-based quantile-on-quantile approach, this paper delves into the impact of the most typical fossil fuel, oil, on CO2 emissions from a price perspective. The results highlight that oil is a mixed blessing for fostering environmental sustainability in the short–medium run. Mainly, CO2 emissions are more susceptible to positively responding to the bullish oil market in the medium term. Nevertheless, it also reveals the underlying negative relationship rooted in the long run. The results are endorsed by the theoretical mechanisms between energy prices and emissions, which indicate the role of high oil prices in driving long-term CO2 emissions mitigation and environmental sustainability. Therefore, industries should resist the temptation to indulge heavily in short- to medium-term price hikes instead of prudently reacting to the bullish signal. Moreover, under the environmental sustainability ambitions, the strategy of expanding investment in green technologies innovation to reduce the dependence on oil cannot be shelved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathway to an Environmental Economy: The Role of Sustainable Natural Resources)
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27 pages, 758 KiB  
Article
Influence Mechanism of Smart City Pilot Policy on Enterprise Green Technology Innovation: Evidence from China
by Kai Zhao, Jialin Liu and Haonan Shan
Sustainability 2025, 17(3), 959; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17030959 - 24 Jan 2025
Viewed by 770
Abstract
This study employs data from publicly listed enterprises spanning the years 2008 to 2021 and uses China’s Smart City Pilot Policy (SCPP) as a quasi-natural experiment to explore its impact on driving green technological innovation within enterprises. The results reveal that the SCPP [...] Read more.
This study employs data from publicly listed enterprises spanning the years 2008 to 2021 and uses China’s Smart City Pilot Policy (SCPP) as a quasi-natural experiment to explore its impact on driving green technological innovation within enterprises. The results reveal that the SCPP significantly fosters improvements in enterprises’ green technology innovation. The policy’s impact is particularly notable for state-owned enterprises, those in high-pollution industries, and technology-intensive enterprises located in the eastern regions of China. The SCPP facilitates green technological innovation by promoting green finance development, advancing digital transformation within enterprises, and strengthening environmental regulations. Moreover, the business environment serves as a positive moderator in enhancing the policy’s effectiveness, with favorable conditions in government, market, and legal frameworks further amplifying the policy’s positive influence on green technology innovation in enterprises. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathway to an Environmental Economy: The Role of Sustainable Natural Resources)
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