Critical metals: Their applications with emphasis on the clean energy transition

This paper explores the challenges and opportunities for green energy and environment transition in South Asia, a region that faces the dilemma of meeting its growing energy demand while reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and environmental vulnerability. The region has rich renewable energy sources and potential for energy efficiency improvement, but it also relies heavily on fossil fuels and suffers from various barriers and constraints that hinder its green energy development. The region needs policies that can achieve economic growth, social welfare, and environmental sustainability coherently and effectively. Utilizing the thematic literature review approach, this paper examines the literature on four main topics: (1) the estimation of green energy resources potential and scenarios in South Asia; (2) the comparison of green energy targets and policies in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries; (3) the evaluation of green energy deployment and performance in different sectors; and (4) the identification of green energy transition challenges and opportunities in South Asia. This paper fills some research gaps in the literature by providing a comprehensive, comparative, holistic, and integrated analysis of green energy and environment policies in South Asia, using various data sources, methods, frameworks, criteria, indicators, scenarios, impacts, trade-offs, drivers, barriers, best practices, lessons learned, and policy recommendations. This paper also develops a conceptual model for the green energy transition in South Asia, which consists of five key variables: green energy potential, green energy policies, green energy deployment, green energy performance, and green energy transition. The main findings and implications of this paper are that South Asia has a huge opportunity to pursue a green energy and environment transition that can address its multiple challenges and aspirations, but this requires overcoming various obstacles and constraints that hinder its progress. This paper suggests some policy options and strategies to enhance the green energy and environment policies in South Asia, such as developing a clear and consistent policy framework, enhancing regional cooperation and collaboration, leveraging information technology and data analytics, emphasizing sustainability and resilience, and engaging with other stakeholders and partners.

This study investigates the trade-off between green energy transition (GET) and energy security (ES) for eliminating energy poverty (EP) and the role of fintech development in 112 Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries from 2000 to 2022. To our knowledge, this is the first empirical study analyzing this nexus for BRI countries. BRI country's reliance on conventional non-renewable energy resources due to EP and modern energy inaccessibility is a question mark. Therefore, it is crucial to analyze whether ES assurance as a production-to-consumption ratio or transitioning to modern energy as green transition could benefit EP alleviation. Moreover, the role of fintech development is to strengthen the relationship between GET, ES, and EP eradication. Considering these important but ignored aspects in existing literature, the present study focused on filling this gap. Estimates from panel quantiles indicate that GET and ES both are significant for EP alleviation but the magnitude of GET is higher in comparison with ES. After applying robust estimates, the conclusion remains the same. Our study further examined the moderating role of fintech development between GET, ES, and EP. Findings confirmed that fintech development is a strong moderator between selected variables. Based on these findings, our study suggests that transitioning to green energy is optimal for EP reduction rather than focusing energy production on consumption patterns. This study further recommends improving fintech services because it strengthens the relationship between GET and EP alleviation.

Market fundamentalism (or neoliberalism) has proven to be a crisisprone economic model. Within this model, a number of in-built structural imbalances and their interactions have contributed to a downward spiral in economic performance. The end point of this evolution is a multi-crisis in which geopolitics has become an integral macroeconomic variable. Because geopolitics does not function as an antidote but rather as a remedy with predominantly counterproductive effects, the global economy has persistently lost recovery momentum and slipped into deeper crises, while human society simultaneously undergoes geopolitical regression. In such a context, preserving strategic autonomy becomes a particularly demanding task for any national economy. For Serbia, as a small, open, middle-income, landlocked economy on a convergence path toward the EU, this challenge is especially pronounced. These days, strategic autonomy entails a clear vision for accelerating the green transition through a new industrialization based on climate-neutral technologies, primarily in the energy sector and land-use industries. In this paper, we explore key insights into the efforts required to energize the green transition as a roadmap for reversing, or at the very least decelerating, the adverse dynamics of the current economic conjuncture. Serbia serves as the focal point of this analysis, with particular emphasis on the green energy transition as a critical pillar of this complex endeavor. The authors hope that the proposed platform for the green energy transition will be recognized as both feasible and implementable. The zero step in Serbia’s green energy transition is the build-up of a nature-centric mindset capable of fostering a so-called “ecological civilization” in the near future. To achieve this, two coordination mechanisms must be combined: the invisible hand of the market and the visible hand of the state. The paper also addresses two additional issues. First, it examines the specific characteristics of investments in biomass-based energy technologies. Second, it analyzes the policy mix required to stimulate investment in related technologies for renewable energy and land-use industries, carbon capture and utilization, grid optimization, lithium production, and other sectors integral to the green transition (e.g., the EV value chain). Building on the preceding line of reasoning, the paper is organized into five main sections, in addition to the Introduction and Conclusion. Part 1 examines the root causes and key deficiencies of market fundamentalism. Part 2 discusses the necessity of the green transition as a pathway toward ecological civilization. Part 3 elaborates a “to-be” scenario for Serbia, based on a circular growth model and a heterodox economic policy platform. Part 4 assesses Serbia’s economic preparedness for the green energy transition. Finally, Part 5, the paper’s pivotal section, presents a portfolio of green energy projects, providing detailed explanations of biomass-based energy production, which is proposed as the flagship project within Serbia’s broader green energy transition agenda.

From public policy towards the green energy transition: Do economic freedom, economic globalization, environmental policy stringency, and material productivity matter?

In the conditions of worsening global energy problems, financial instruments play a key role in reforming the energy market. They provide the necessary financial resources for the development and implementation of environmentally friendly energy technologies, aimed at supporting projects that reduce the negative impact on the environment, and contribute to attracting private capital to finance environmentally friendly projects. The purpose of this study is to analyze trends in research on financial instruments of the green energy transition. The article carries out a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of scientific works devoted to the problem of financing the green energy transition. The object of the research is the publications indexed by the Scopus database for 1954-2023. Research tools are programs for bibliometric data analysis Vosviewer, SciVal and CiteSpace. Based on the trend analysis of publication activity on the issues of financing the green energy transition, the key role of the Paris Agreement of 2015 in the growth of interest in these issues has been proven. Visualization of the most used keywords in scientific works on green energy transition financing allowed us to identify four clusters of keywords that characterize the concepts of green energy transition: the concept of “green construction”, the concept of “green technologies and innovations”, the concept of renewable energy, and the concept of “green of finance”. Analysis of the frequency and number of citations of publications on green energy transition financing issues using the CiteSpace package made it possible to determine the TOP-17 keywords, highlight the period of their greatest citations, and carry out their clustering. Phrases most often used in publications include: finance, alternative economy, green bonds, green innovation, sustainable development, greenhouse gas emissions, sustainable finance, green credit, green economy, climate finance. Based on the analysis of relationships between keywords, seven clusters were identified: sustainable development, financing constraints, green bonds, green credit policy, green bonds, green economic growth, green economic recovery. The obtained results can be used by state institutions to improve financing strategies for green energy transition programs from the point of view of determining modern trends and key vectors of green finance development in the field of energy, analysis of the most effective financing tools, and identification of problems in the field of energy development.

The synergistic enhancement of pollution and carbon reductions serves as a primary lever for promoting the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development， with energy being a crucial battleground for this green transition. In this study， we conduct an in-depth exploration of the strategic implications of green and low-carbon energy transition and pollution and carbon reductions. We construct an evaluation index system for green and low-carbon energy transition and pollution and carbon reductions. We employ a combination of the entropy weight method， Kernel density estimation， composite system synergy model， Theil index， and spatial Markov chain methods to empirically analyze the regional disparities and dynamic evolutionary characteristics of the synergistic effects of green and low-carbon energy transition and pollution and carbon reductions in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2010 to 2022. The results indicated that： ① Both the green and low-carbon energy transition index and the pollution and carbon reduction index have shown a steady growth trend， with the gap in green and low-carbon energy transition levels among provinces gradually widening， while the gap in pollution and carbon reduction levels first narrowed and then widened. ② The level of synergistic development between the green and low-carbon energy transition and pollution and carbon reductions significantly increased， with the overall coordination level demonstrating a dynamic process from mild incoordination to mild coordination and then to moderate coordination and a spatial distribution situation of "high on both sides， low in the middle" gradually emerging regionally. ③ The overall disparity in synergistic levels first rose and then fell， with the contribution rate showing that before 2017， it was mainly due to differences within regions， and after 2018 it was mainly due to differences between regions. The overall difference values by region were as follows： midstream areas > upstream areas > downstream areas. ④ The probability of upward transition was highest for low synergy levels， followed by moderate synergy levels； considering the impact of spatial neighborhood factors， neighborhoods with low synergy levels could hinder the development of local synergy types to some extent， while neighborhoods with higher synergy levels could have a pulling effect on the local area. Finally， some suggestions are put forward， such as increasing the policy inclination and technical support for areas with a low level of synergy and strengthening the radiation demonstration role of areas with high level of synergy.

Background: The rapid shift toward renewable energy and net-zero climate policies has raised concerns about greenflation—temporary upward pressure on consumer prices arising from the green energy transition itself. While the topic has attracted increasing attention from policymakers and central banks, a systematic synthesis of recent empirical evidence remains limited. Aim: This systematic review evaluates the existence, direction, and persistence of short-run inflationary effects associated with key elements of the green transition, including carbon pricing policies, energy-market adjustments, and large-scale green investment programmes. Methods: Following PRISMA-guided reporting principles, we searched Scopus, Web of Science, EconLit, RePEc/IDEAS, SSRN, Google Scholar, and major central-bank and international-organisation repositories for studies published between 2015 and 2025. Eligible studies provided empirical or model-based estimates of the impact of real-world green-transition policies or shocks on headline or core consumer price inflation within the first five years. After screening 1,322 records, eight recent high-quality empirical studies were included and assessed using a modified Newcastle–Ottawa framework. Findings were synthesised using structured narrative and comparative quantitative approaches. Results: Across different regions, methods, and policy settings, the included studies consistently report positive but temporary inflationary effects associated with the green energy transition in the short run. Carbon pricing mechanisms and energy-related transition shocks emerge as the most prominent contributors, while green investment-driven demand effects are generally smaller. The magnitude of reported effects varies across studies and contexts but is commonly described as modest and transitory, with inflationary pressures fading as energy systems adjust and supply constraints ease. Conclusion: The available empirical evidence suggests that greenflation exists but is limited in scale and duration. Short-run inflationary pressures linked to the green transition are unlikely to pose a major obstacle to price stability if appropriately managed. Well-designed climate policies, particularly those combining carbon pricing with revenue recycling and supply-side measures can further mitigate short-term price impacts while preserving long-term climate objectives.

Fintech, natural resources management, green energy transition, and ecological footprint: Empirical insights from EU countries

The global climate action agenda is inextricably linked to the processes of the green energy transition. The latter is now considered as a top priority by many national governments, Russia being no exception. The declared goal of the green energy transition — the reduction of the anthropogenic impact on the environment — in practice may be used by some stakeholders as a tool to gain competitive advantage, which entails certain risks for countries with developing economies. The real tasks of the green energy transition are determined by the actual and projected global needs and the growing global energy deficit. The purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretical perspective on the barriers to the green energy transition in the Russian industry and to outline possible ways of overcoming them. The study relies on the methods of statistical, comparative and causal analysis. The concept ‘green energy transition’ is clarified and its connection to the concept of sustainable development is examined. It is shown that the constraints to the green energy transition in Russia are associated with national interests and in particular the need to ensure the country’s industrial sovereignty. These findings can be useful to policy-makers working on energy transition programs and policies.

This research explores the repercussions of oil price on green energy transition across a panel of oil-exporting and oil-importing nations between 2000 and 2020. Employing a wide range of second-generation panel data techniques, specifically the PMG-ARDL framework, the research examines the symmetric and asymmetric repercussions of oil price, research and development expenditures, GDP, and GHG emissions on energy transition. The symmetric analysis indicates a positive connection between oil price and energy transition in the full sample and both sub-samples, with a stronger impact observed in oil-exporting nations. Furthermore, research and development expenditures, GHG emissions, and GDP positively influence green energy transition in the long-term. The asymmetric analysis reveals some new findings since it suggests that only oil price increases positively drive green energy transition in the long-run, while price decreases show no significant impact. This asymmetry holds across the full sample and both country groups. However, the positive influence of oil price increases on green energy transition is more apparent in oil-exporting nations. These findings carry significant policy implications for formulating targeted recommendations aimed at achieving a net-zero economy and promoting environmental sustainability.

For environmental sustainability and resource security, the global energy system requires a revolutionary transition from traditional energy to green energy resources. Therefore, this study investigates the influence of economic policy uncertainty, technological innovation, ecological governance, and economic growth on the green energy transition in China. We employed a bootstrap auto-regressive distributive lag (BARDL) model to evaluate the long-run association between the study variables from Q1-2000 to Q4-2020. The preliminary finding confirms the long-run cointegration relationship among model variables. The results show that economic policy uncertainty and economic growth negatively derive green energy transition in the long-run. In contrast, technology innovation and environmental governance positively influence the green energy transition. These findings propose strengthening of the environmental governance mechanism and technology innovation to accelerate the green energy transition in China.

Unsustainable development and rising environmental degradation are major challenges for emerging nations that tend to promote human welfare by expanding economic development. Green energy transition (GETR) can help these nations to continue their development, reduce fossil fuel utilization, and achieve environmental sustainability. However, previous literature overlooks the importance of green technologies, government stability, and economic globalization in the GETR process. Accordingly, this research takes a step forward and assesses the impacts of green technologies (GT), government stability (GOV), and economic globalization (EGL) on green energy transition including population density (POP) and economic growth (GDP) in emerging seven (E-7) countries from 1992 to 2020. The research applied the "continuously updated fully modified (CuP-FM)" methodology to acquire the long-run findings robust to endogeneity stationary regressors, autocorrelation, and cross-sectional dependence (CD). The results highlighted that green technologies can be enhanced to accelerate the energy transition process since GETR and green technologies are positively connected. Also, government stability and economic globalization support the green energy transition. However, both population density and economic growth obstruct the energy transition process. The Emirmahmutoğlu and Kose test unveiled that green technologies, economic globalization, and government stability Granger cause the green energy transition. Based on these findings, policies are directed to promote the GETR by enhancing green technologies, economic globalization, and government stability for achieving ecological sustainability.

This study explores the impact of eco-innovation performance, green energy transition, energy transition, economic growth, and natural resources depletion on ecological footprint in a specific group of countries, the ‘eco-innovation leaders’, recently identified by the EU for their eco-innovation performances. Due to structural breaks and cross-sectional dependence, the study benefits from novel Fourier-PEGLS and Fourier-CS-ARDL methods with an extended period of 1990–2022. The empirical findings confirm long-run cointegrated relationships among eco-innovations, ENEF, the green energy transition, economic growth, and natural resource depletion in the eco-innovation leaders. The novel Fourier-CS-ARDL and Fourier-PEGLS models further indicate that eco-innovations, energy efficiency, and the green energy transition significantly reduce ecological footprint and, hence, environmental degradation. Convergence to the long-run equilibrium takes approximately 2.7 years, with 37.09% of the deviations from the long-run equilibrium corrected each year. The country-specific duration of convergence ranges from 1.78 to 9.9 years, with Finland experiencing the shortest convergence period and Denmark having the longest. Moreover, with robust methods, the study identifies bidirectional and unidirectional Granger causality between eco-innovation, ENEF, economic growth, natural resources depletion, and green energy transition with feedback effects for a large set of tested directions of causality, which have profound impacts. These findings provide a comprehensive analysis of how eco-innovation, green energy transition, and ENEF contribute to reversing environmental degradation, with implications for achieving carbon neutrality targets in the EU.

Purpose: this article is to conceptualize the reasons of European green energy transition sustainability on the basis of its historic dynamics of its political and economic drivers and its possible developments taking into account adjustments of this process caused by current energy market situation.Methods: system analysis in the context of economics and politics, case-study, statistical method, information analysis and synthesis, data visualization method are applied.Results: the process of formation of modern economic and political drivers of green energy transition from the moment of the origin of this process to the present time has been investigated. The scale of the restructuring of European energy in the first quarter of the 21st century is shown based on the analysis of the dynamics of energy production by different types of generation. The substantiation of the sustainability of the process of greening energy in European countries is formulated, consisting in a combination of political and economic factors. The possible options for the development of the European green transition process in the medium term are evaluated, taking into account the adjustments of market conditions that are caused by the current unstable state of the energy markets.Conclusions and Relevance: green energy transition is caused from a political point of view, firstly, by the popularity of the concept among voters, and secondly, by the fact that it is the only option to ensure energy independence for Europe. From an economic point of view, the green transition acts as a tool for the development of industry, support for innovation and a factor in reducing negative externalities associated with the negative consequences of the use of hydrocarbon energy. The combination of these factors ensures the sustainability of the greening of energy, therefore, the most likely option for its medium-term development will be the resumption of the process after finding temporary solutions for energy supply.

The N-11 nations have achieved notable economic advancements, although they have had difficulties in attaining environmental sustainability and carbon neutrality objectives. Many studies have neglected the eco-environmental determinants that hinder the pace of environmental sustainability. This study aims to examine the interconnections between green technological innovation, financial development and green energy transition in N-11 nations from 1997 to 2020. The empirical outcomes of the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR) indicate that innovation in green technologies has a beneficial impact on the shift towards green energy transition across all quantiles. Moreover, the research reveals a positive correlation between financial development and green energy transition across all quantiles (0.1–0.9). Nevertheless, the exhaustion of natural resources presents a formidable obstacle to this shift. Finally, the analysis reveals high inflation rates may impede the effective adoption of green energy practices. To enhance the reliability of the results obtained using the MMQR approach, we also utilize the Fully Modified OLS (FM-OLS), Dynamic OLS (D-OLS), and Canonical Cointegrating Regression (CCR) models. The results have been verified, demonstrating their resilience. This study's findings help policymakers to understand the importance of financial development and green technology for achieving carbon neutrality goals by 2050.