Energy, Environment and Climate Policy Analysis

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

The world is undergoing unprecedented transformations driven by rising carbon emissions, accelerating climate change, and rapid urbanization, all of which exert significant pressure on agriculture, energy systems, land use, and water resources. Under these circumstances, sustainable solutions are therefore urgently needed. In this Topic, we invite contributions addressing innovative practices in energy, environment, and climate policy analysis, including but not limited to agroecology, climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy integration, land conservation, and water management. Relevant submissions will examine, for example, policy frameworks, technological advancements, socio-economic impacts, and case studies demonstrating resilience and sustainability. Theoretical, empirical, and review papers that focus on actionable insights for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners are welcome.

This Topic aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue on holistic strategies for a resource-efficient and climate-resilient future to address the growing number of issues relating to resources, energy, and the environment.

Dr. Xiaoqian Song
Dr. Jiajie Li
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Agriculture agriculture	3.6	6.3	2011	18 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Climate climate	3.2	5.7	2013	21.6 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Energies energies	3.2	7.3	2008	16.2 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Land land	3.2	5.9	2012	16 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Water water	3.0	6.0	2009	19.1 Days	CHF 2600	Submit

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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All Agriculture Climate Energies Land Water

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42 pages, 1695 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Optimizing Policies and Regulations for Zero Routine Gas Flaring and Net Zero

by Godwin O. Aigbe, Lindsay C. Stringer and Matthew Cotton

Climate 2025, 13(9), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli13090178 - 28 Aug 2025

Viewed by 278

Abstract

Global policy actions to reduce the environmental and social impacts of natural gas flaring are primarily derived from voluntary arrangements. This paper evaluates stakeholder preferences amongst competing policies and regulatory options, optimizing environmental governance to eliminate routine gas flaring by 2030 and achieve [...] Read more.

Global policy actions to reduce the environmental and social impacts of natural gas flaring are primarily derived from voluntary arrangements. This paper evaluates stakeholder preferences amongst competing policies and regulatory options, optimizing environmental governance to eliminate routine gas flaring by 2030 and achieve net-zero greenhouse emissions by 2050, whilst addressing questions of justice and fair implementation. Using a mixed-methods social scientific approach, incorporating literature and document review, interviews, expert surveys, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (G-TOPSIS), we derive two competing perspectives on gas flaring policy strategy, with differences revealed through the AHP ranking process of individual criteria. All identified criteria and sub-criteria were integral to achieving the flaring and emissions targets, with “policy and targets” and “enabling framework” being the most important individual criteria. The “background and the role of reductions in meeting environmental and economic objectives” and ‘’nonmonetary penalties” were the key emergent sub-criteria. G-TOPSIS showed that fully implementing gas flaring policies and regulatory framework criteria to limit warming to 1.5 °C is the most effective policy alternative. Globally coordinated, uniform, and reciprocal legally binding agreements between countries to supplement national initiatives are imperative for improving the effectiveness of country-specific gas flaring policy strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Energy, Environment and Climate Policy Analysis)

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32 pages, 82552 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Influence Mechanism of Land Use/Cover Change on Surface Urban Heat Islands and Urban Energy Consumption in Severely Cold Regions

by Jinjian Jiang, Jie Zhang, Peng Cui and Xiaoxue Luo

Land 2025, 14(6), 1162; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061162 - 28 May 2025

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Abstract

Intensifying global warming has disrupted natural ecosystems and altered energy consumption patterns. Understanding the impact of land use and cover change on surface urban heat islands (SUHIs) and energy use is critical for sustainable development. In this study, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), [...] Read more.

Intensifying global warming has disrupted natural ecosystems and altered energy consumption patterns. Understanding the impact of land use and cover change on surface urban heat islands (SUHIs) and energy use is critical for sustainable development. In this study, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), modified normalized difference water index (MNDWI), normalized difference built-up index (NDBI), and SUHI data were derived using GIS and remote sensing (RS) technology, and quantitative analysis was performed in combination with energy consumption data. The results revealed the following key findings. In summer, the NDVI exhibited a significant negative correlation with total urban building energy consumption (r = −0.52), whereas the NDBI and SUHI showed significant positive correlations (r = 0.72 and r = 0.67, respectively). Moreover, the SUHI served as a mediating role between land use/cover change and electricity consumption, with the direct effect accounting for 36% and the indirect effect accounting for 64% of the total effect. In contrast, the NDBI was significantly positively correlated with energy consumption in winter (r = 0.53). Spline regression analysis further revealed that every one-unit increase in this index corresponded to an increase of approximately 22 million kWh in summer EC and an increase of approximately 1.16 billion kWh in winter EC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Energy, Environment and Climate Policy Analysis)

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