Labor Market and Ecological Implications of the Shift from Fossil Fuels to Renewable Energy: A Systematic Literature Review

Imposing versus Enacting Commitments for the Long‐Term Energy Transition: Perspectives from the Firm

The global transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is essential to mitigate climate change, reduce environmental degradation, and achieve sustainable development goals. However, this transition entails significant economic implications for energy markets, industries, and consumers. This study conducts an economic analysis of transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy, utilizing econometric models to quantify the costs, benefits, and broader market impacts of renewable energy adoption. By integrating empirical data with advanced statistical techniques, the research provides a comprehensive evaluation of the economic trade-offs associated with decarbonizing energy systems. The study begins by exploring the economic drivers and barriers to renewable energy transition, including policy frameworks, technological advancements, and market dynamics. Key econometric methods, such as time-series analysis, regression modeling, and panel data analysis, are employed to examine trends in energy consumption, investment patterns, and price fluctuations across fossil fuels and renewables. The research incorporates both macroeconomic and microeconomic perspectives, analyzing the effects of renewable energy adoption on GDP growth, job creation, energy affordability, and industrial competitiveness. Results from the econometric analysis reveal a dual impact: while transitioning to renewables requires substantial initial investment and may temporarily increase energy costs, it offers long-term economic benefits, including enhanced energy security, reduced carbon emissions, and growth in green job sectors. Moreover, policy instruments such as subsidies, tax incentives, and carbon pricing are shown to play a critical role in accelerating the transition while minimizing economic disruptions. The study also identifies regional variations in the economic effects of renewable energy adoption, influenced by factors such as resource availability, policy environments, and industrial structures. It highlights the need for tailored transition strategies that balance economic, environmental, and social priorities. This research contributes valuable insights for policymakers, investors, and energy stakeholders, emphasizing the importance of data-driven planning and policy design. By applying econometrics to the analysis of energy transitions, the study advances understanding of the economic pathways toward a sustainable, low-carbon future, addressing critical challenges and opportunities in the global energy landscape.

Study on the pathway of energy transition in Inner Mongolia under the “dual carbon” goal

Swiss VET has a long tradition and is valued as an adequate preparation for labour market entry and for entry into vocationally oriented tertiary education (Cattaneo & Wolter, 2016). It represents the most important pathway into the labour market for Swiss youth, with two thirds of those finishing compulsory school enrolling in VET on upper secondary level (SERI, 2016, p. 11). The dual system, which combines apprenticeship training in a firm with lessons in vocational school and inter-company courses, provides highly specialized skill sets, which correspond closely to the competence profiles required in skilled workers positions. Thus, transition from VET to work is comparably smooth. However, not every diploma holder finds a (matching) job. In Switzerland there is a rising risk of unemployment and skill mismatch for young VET diploma holders. In some occupations there are considerable levels of youth unemployment (Salvisberg & Sacchi, 2014). Thus, there are substantial differences between education programs and training occupations in their capacity to integrate young skilled workers into the labour market. In international comparative research, differences in institutional characteristics of education systems have been used to explain different patterns of labour market entry. Cross-country-differences in institutional characteristics, such as levels of standardisation, stratification, differentiation, vocational orientation, occupational closure, institutional linkage andcertification have been proposed in order to explain why skill development and patterns of inequality at labour market entry differ between countries (Breen, 2005; de Lange, Gesthuizen, & Wolbers, 2014; Konietzka, 2002; Levels, van der Velden, & Di Stasio, 2014; van de Werfhorst, 2011; Wolbers, 2007). However, the mechanisms explaining national differencesbetween occupations are located at the level of national educational programs and can thus not be reliably tested with country comparisons. In other words, there is a lack of research regarding the mechanisms, which explain how different institutional contexts lead to differences in skill development and labour market prospects. Thus, data on within country differences in institutional characteristics is needed. Moreover, with this data it is possible to further explore segment specific or regional differences in the effects of institutional dimension, e.g. the opportunities within labour market segments.However, information on these within-country differences has hitherto been hard to obtain. Consequently, this topic is largely missing in recent research. Our aim is therefore to provide data on the differences in the institutional characteristics between Swiss upper secondary VET programs. We consider the following dimensions: exam standardisation, vertical differentiation, horizontal differentiation and vocational specificity. Apart from the fact that these dimensions have been fruitful when analysing school-to-work transitions in a comparative perspective, we have chosen these dimensions because they vary substantially between the training occupations of Swiss upper secondary VET. In addition information on these characteristics are easily obtainable in the curricula and ordinances of the training occupations. Seite 4 Theories on labour market integration point to two main mechanisms explaining why institutional dimensions should affect labour market outcomes. Firstly, it is assumed that institutional dimensions impact the skill and competence development of students, both in terms of the skill profile as well as the competence level. Secondly, with regard to the labourmarket, it is argued that the signalling power is affected by the institutional arrangements of each training program. The signalling power of a VET Diploma in turn shapes employers hiring decisions and influences job quality features, such as income or the probability for fixed-termcontracts, part-time employment or horizontal and vertical match. However, to explore these relationships further, the relevant institutional dimensions have to be defined and operationalized within a national framework. This paper describes the transfer of the theoretical concepts from the comparative literature to the Swiss VET context. In other words, we make suggestions on how to operationalize exam standardisation, vertical differentiation, horizontal differentiation and vocational specificity for Swiss upper secondary vocationaleducation and training.In the remainder of this paper we will give an overview of our theoretical framework and basic assumptions. Thereafter the existing literature regarding effects of institutional characteristics on skill development and labour market outcomes is briefly discussed. In these two sections, we will focus mainly on the theory and empirical evidence regarding labour market allocation. The collected data can, however, be used to investigate other aspects, such as career mobility, further training, inclusion, the apprenticeship market or companies’ costs of apprenticeship training. In the fourth section the Swiss VET system as well as the operationalization of the different institutional dimensions within the Swiss context is presented. Last, we give an example on how our data can shed light on the institutional structures of Swiss upper secondary VET.

The research examined the effectiveness, challenges, and lessons gained from renewable energy (RE) project implementation across different global areas. It analyzed business models, government investment policies, and their influence on education, the environment, tourism, and health. The research explores the impact of incentive policies, governance effectiveness, financing mechanisms, and net metering on RE adoption. The study utilizes a qualitative systematic literature review (SLR) of research published between 2019 and 2024, analyzing 134 relevant studies. Results showed that RE projects foster sustainability in education, promote environmental responsibility, and provide financial and environmental benefits to educational institutions. Environmental sustainability, together with economic growth, regional development, and energy independence, serves as a result of renewable energy projects in the tourism industry that make the sector resilient and sustainable. Through environmental projects, RE reduces carbon dioxide emissions while improving air quality, leading to diminished respiratory health issues. These initiatives play a key role in economic development, job creation, energy security, sustainable global growth, and environmental stewardship. The study concludes that an integrated approach that includes best practices, policy support, and collaborative efforts is central to driving the transition to a more sustainable and resilient energy future. The findings of the study can help policymakers decide on the appropriate policy, plans, and programs for a just energy transition.

Building a ‘Fair and Fast’ energy transition? Renewable energy employment, skill shortages and social licence in regional areas

Indonesia faces significant challenges in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while maintaining economic growth. Carbon pricing, encompassing carbon taxes and Emission Trading Systems (ETS), has emerged as a vital tool in achieving global decarbonization goals. This study aims to assess the adaptation of indirect carbon pricing strategies in Indonesia by synthesizing insights from 27 countries using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of 315 scholarly articles. The research identifies Indonesia's unique economic, social, and regulatory challenges, including dependency on fossil fuels, limited renewable energy infrastructure, and governance gaps. The study highlights the effectiveness of indirect carbon pricing mechanisms, such as renewable energy subsidies, energy efficiency programs, and public awareness initiatives, in addressing dispersed emissions from transportation, agriculture, and residential energy use. Additionally, the integration of carbon pricing with complementary policies, including sector-specific benchmarks and international carbon trading, enhances the potential for successful implementation. By adapting best practices from countries like Canada, Sweden, and Germany, Indonesia can establish hybrid carbon pricing models tailored to its context. These strategies can accelerate renewable energy investments, promote economic diversification, and support the country's goal of reducing GHG emissions by 29-41% by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2060. This research provides actionable recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders to ensure sustainable energy transitions and global climate commitments.

Although the commitments made by corporations in the Global North to invest in clean technology in the Global South appear promising, private capital’s move toward the center of the climate change stage all but guarantees that neoliberal economic development approaches, which favor large-scale development to benefit private interests, will overshadow energy democracy. Thus, the same methodologies and instruments that wrought economic havoc on the Global South in the name of development, but have proven so profitable for private entities, will now be deployed to foster the global transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy. This could mean that some of the earth’s most vulnerable inhabitants—indigenous people—will be doubly impacted by the global energy transition. First, they will bear the disproportionate impacts of the harms of climate change since, as legal scholars have noted, indigenous peoples are uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to their close and interdependent ties to the land. Second, given that communities and indigenous peoples hold the majority of world’s land under customary land tenure systems, they will be asked to bear the burden of saving the world by providing land for renewable energy development, while receiving very few of the economic benefits of such renewable energy development. This Chapter argues that effective incorporation of principles of energy democracy consistent with international principles concerning the rights of indigenous peoples could help to ease this twin burden on the world’s indigenous peoples while also facilitating a just global energy transition. Mexico provides an apt example of the foregoing climate-development dialectic, and the country’s energy transition is often held out as an exemplar of the renewable energy transition in the Global South. The recent challenges the country has faced within its transition also illustrate the challenges faced by corporations when engaging in fast-paced renewable energy development in a country that is still home to millions of indigenous peoples. Countries around the Global South, such as Brazil, are closely watching Mexico’s market-driven reform effort to determine whether Mexico’s approach to its renewable energy transition can be replicated. This Chapter provides a window into emerging challenges within Mexico’s energy transition, and explores how these challenges might be addressed incorporating the substantive and procedural aspects of energy democracy. The Chapter proceeds in five parts. Part I describes the legal reforms leading to Mexico’s transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy. Part II turns to the state of Oaxaca, a region that served as the focal point for much of the country’s renewable energy development until the 2013 energy reform, to illustrate many of the contentious development dynamics that can emerge in connection with fast-paced clean energy development in indigenous territory. Part III focuses on Yucatan state. Part III describes the ways in which Yucatan state, which is also home to a sizable indigenous population, has been positioned as another focal point for extensive renewable energy development pursuant to the energy reform, and how the country might be poised to repeat many of the mistakes made in Oaxaca. Part IV outlines the key tensions and development challenges that have emerged since Mexico’s energy reform began, and Part V concludes with early reflections on Mexico’s energy reform, noting the potential for the country to overcome some of the emerging challenges by using an energy democracy framework.

Currently, the energy transition is gaining more and more importance in European energy policy. This article aims to introduce the achievements, contributions and challenges of Europe's current energy transition. The article outlines some of the main energy goals and initiatives proposed and developed by EU institutions. The EU attaches great importance to renewable energy, energy efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), identifying them as the three ultimate supporters for achieving carbon neutrality. The EU aims to be climate neutral by 2050. However, since energy policy requires the joint efforts of EU institutions and the WTO, each WTO plays a key role in achieving the EU's goals. Differences in socio-economic and energy structures between EU WTOs lead to different speeds at which they can achieve EU targets. Taking Germany and Spain as examples, their political policies, measures and actions with regard to the energy transition are assessed. These two countries are just examples of differences in the implementation of EU energy and climate goals. The article also describes the ambitious "Green New Deal" initiative of the EU presidency. The initiative not only identifies key goals, but also safeguards Europe's commitment to the energy and climate transition. However, the plan faced major obstacles. The difference in energy level among member states in the process of energy transition may become an important factor hindering Europe from realizing the goal of energy transition. Another challenge is the opposition of some people, especially those who believe that the energy transition is designed to attract the coming economic and industrial transformation as well as harm their welfare and pose a potential threat to employment. Finally, the energy transition mentioned in this article is not only the responsibility of Spain and Germany, but also the responsibility of the entire European Union and other world economies. Only by working together to promote energy transition and build a community with a shared future for mankind can we make the world a better place. The United Kingdom (UK) also plays a major role in the European Union's (EU) energy transition ahead of its departure from the European Union in 2020. Here are some of the ways the UK is influencing the EU's energy transition:�(i) The first is renewable energy: the UK is one of the EU leaders in the deployment of renewable energy, especially offshore wind. UK expertise and investment in renewable energy helps advance the EU's renewable energy targets and develop innovative technologies for clean energy generation.�(2) The second is climate change: the UK has always been a staunch supporter of EU climate change policies, including the Paris Agreement. Its participation in the EU's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions helps strengthen the EU's position as a global leader in the fight against climate change.�(iii) The third is the energy market: as an energy consumer and producer, the UK is an important participant in the EU energy market.�(iv) The fourth is energy research and innovation: the UK actively participates in EU-funded energy research and innovation projects. Its contributions to these programs help drive the development of new clean energy technologies and increase the overall effectiveness of the EU's energy transition efforts. Overall, the UK's participation in the EU's energy transition is significant, and its withdrawal poses some challenges for the EU. The impact of Brexit on the EU's energy transition is complex, and it remains to be seen how the EU will adapt to the loss of the UK's contribution to its energy policies and initiatives.�Brexit will also have some impact on the EU's energy transition, especially in the field of renewable energy. First of all, the UK is an important energy market in Europe, and Brexit will have a certain impact on the EU energy market. Second, the UK's own energy policy and future development direction will also affect the EU's energy transition. The United Kingdom has a relatively high level of development in renewable energy, and its policies may change after Brexit, such as reducing subsidies for renewable energy. This may affect the EU's progress in renewable energy, and even delay the EU's energy transition process. In addition, after Brexit, energy trade with the EU may be subject to certain restrictions, and it will take time and resources to form a new trade relationship. This may have some impact on the EU energy market and supply chain. It can be seen that the impact of Brexit on the European Union will affect the various member states of the European Union.�Brexit has brought certain uncertainties and challenges to the EU's energy transition, but at the same time there are also opportunities and potential areas of cooperation, which require the joint efforts of the EU and the UK.Finally, It can be explained how Europe's energy transition will also affect its external relations, for example with Russia, and propose how the two blocs can maintain energy relations in light of the energy transition, in particular through the conversion of natural gas into hydrogen and the storage/use of the resulting of carbon dioxide.

This article develops a new understanding of energy transition through a qualitative historical analysis of the links between ‘so-called’ global transition and histories of colonialism and capitalism in the sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing from 52 energy transition materials centered on Africa, the article critiques dominant emphasis on global transitions and proposes a multiplicity of transitions from a justice and African perspective and proposes an alternative dialogue that leverages national and regional experiences. We find that drivers of energy transition centre on capital pools and financial concentration and energy supply chains but that these ignore possible plurality of transitions – which is crucial for delivering just transitions – but plentiful evidence also exist showing that this misaligns with national visions and socio-economic and political realities. The paper shows how the current framings of energy transition contradict and are misaligned with national conditions that shape realities and possibilities. As a result, new global shifts in energy architecture, we argue, produces old socio-economic and political realities in the way the sub-Saharan Africa is being integrated in the energy transition. Thus, rather than present energy transition as a new dawn for structural transformation across the sub-region, the current structure and organisation of the transition presents historical continuities of dispossession where social formations are marginalised. We conclude that instead of portraying energy transition as a global phenomenon, emphasis should be placed on the multiplicity of transitions based on historiies of colonialism and neoliberal capitalism. A variety of policy angles that can shape transitions and expansion of renewable energy sources in the region are discussed from an African perspective. • Critiques ‘global energy transition’ that overlooks histories of colonialism and capitalism in Africa. • Advances a ‘multiplicity of transitions’ to better reflect diverse regional realities. • Prioritises energy transitions from a justice and African perspectives. • Identifies key drivers of the current energy transition. • Argues energy transitions replicate historical patterns of dispossession in Africa.

Faced with increasingly strict carbon emission control, high-emission enterprises need scientific and rational management systems and methods to strengthen carbon emission reduction management. Among the many management systems and methods, the carbon budget has become an effective emission reduction management tool, allowing the planning of carbon emissions and emission reduction activities and rational arrangement of economic inputs. However, judging from the research status and business practices in China and abroad, there is no general carbon budget system to guide the development of carbon emission and emission reduction activities. Based on this background, this paper first attempts to construct an enterprise carbon budget system comprising four sub-budgets: carbon emission, carbon emission reduction and cost, carbon emission rights trading, and carbon emission reduction net profit/loss. It draws on the idea of interactive control to consider the impact of changes in carbon prices, energy prices, and policy guidelines on carbon emission reductions and losses. A carbon budget management system based on interactive control is then constructed and applied to China National Aviation Holding Air China Group (AC Aviation). The research results show that the carbon budget system based on interactive control can dynamically adjust carbon emission reduction behavior based on changes in carbon and energy prices to make carbon budgeting a more viable carbon reduction tool and institutional arrangement.

The transition to renewable energy sources is imperative for addressing global challenges such as climate change, energy security, and sustainable economic development. Financial-fiscal instruments, including subsidies, carbon pricing, green bonds, and tradable green certificates, have emerged as critical mechanisms to overcome economic and market barriers that impede renewable energy adoption. This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to explore the evolution, thematic focus, and global collaboration patterns in research on financial-fiscal mechanisms supporting renewable energy development, covering the period from 1972 to 2025. The aim of this research is to identify key trends, influential contributions, and emerging themes within the field, offering actionable insights for policymakers and researchers. The study employs bibliometric analysis, using the Scopus database as the primary data source. Analytical techniques, including keyword co-occurrence networks, thematic mapping, and collaboration trend analysis, were performed using R Studio’s Biblioshiny tool. The dataset comprised publications spanning five decades, enabling a robust exploration of the research landscape. The results highlight a steady annual growth rate of over 7% in publications, reflecting heightened academic and policy interest in financial-fiscal tools for renewable energy. Dominant research themes identified include carbon pricing, subsidies, green bonds, and technological innovation, which collectively underscore the integrative role of fiscal mechanisms in driving renewable energy transitions. Regional analysis reveals Europe and North America as leading contributors to the research field, with increasing participation from developing economies, particularly in Asia and Africa. Emerging financial mechanisms, such as green bonds and climate funds, were noted for their critical role in mobilizing private capital and reducing investment risks in renewable energy projects. The study also emphasizes the persistent challenges faced by developing nations, including limited access to financing, grid infrastructure constraints, and policy instability, and highlights the effectiveness of tailored fiscal measures like concessional loans and grants in addressing these barriers. This research contributes to the understanding of the dynamic evolution of financial-fiscal instruments in renewable energy development. It provides empirical evidence supporting their critical role in fostering sustainable energy systems and highlights areas for future research and policy refinement to accelerate the global energy transition. By leveraging these insights, policymakers and researchers can enhance the design and implementation of fiscal tools to achieve global climate and sustainability goals.

Research background: Enterprise generative, multimodal, and agentic artificial intelligence (AI) technologies facilitate transformative productivity and workforce adaptation gains in innovative organizations, redesigns autonomous team and talent management for workforce and job rotation planning, skill development, and career paths, handle context-specific collaborative business processes, workflows, and decision-making, and augment multi-agent system scaling for labor productivity and operational efficiency, redefining agile and adaptive organizational performance in dynamic business environments, driving interoperable big employee data and strategic decision management, and creating strategic fluidity and synchronized digital labor for sustainable business value. Connected and interoperable agentic AI systems can carry out multistep tasks autonomously, reduce operational costs and unemployment rates, and manage big data-based organizational workflows and management pipelines, driving business value creation and productivity gains, reallocating digital labor, and redefining employee experiences and labor markets in terms of job loss and creation by upskilling and retraining. AI labor impacts predictions are based on multimodal data and labor force productivity modeling in relation to how job and skill creation can affect economic conditions and workforce development, while driving business model transformation. Purpose of the article: We aim to clarify whether enterprise generative, multimodal, and agentic AI-based task automation and machine performance complements technology-driven employment changes and algorithmic efficiency, resulting in workforce reduction and competitive pressures due to economic incentives in terms of how i) deep reinforcement learning algorithms can build digital agentic workflows for autonomous Internet of Things (IoT) sensor-based industrial robotic machines, leading to employment relation, personnel retention and recruitment, work reorganization, and labor productivity optimization, engaged productive staff flexibility and autonomy, and job performance and satisfaction, ii) how task automation and augmentation disrupt labor markets and reshape workforce for either more layoffs or more new hires, predicting both increased or lower wages, high or decreased unemployment, and job creation or elimination, and iii) how computer vision-based task automation and augmentation technologies redesign business-critical workflows and workforce upskilling processes across collaborative enterprise IoT and sluggish hiring environments for task automation and augmentation, streamlining personalized human resource support, resource efficiency, and enterprise productivity, driving economic growth. Methods: A quantitative literature review of ProQuest, Scopus, and the Web of Science databases was carried out and the most relevant research published between 2024 and 2025 was identified and analyzed. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) and the web-based Shiny app were harnessed for search results and screening. Dimensions (for bibliometric mapping) and VOSviewer (for layout algorithms) were the deployed data visualization tools. Evidence synthesis screening software and reference and review management tools leveraged included AMSTAR, CADIMA, DistillerSR, JBI SUMARI, MMAT, Nested Knowledge, PICO Portal, and SRDR+. Findings & value added: The main value added derived from the systematic literature review is that enterprise generative, multimodal, and agentic AI system applicability correlates with occupational task operation completion, wage, employment prospects, and education, driving business choices and transformation, labor markets, and economic growth. The benefits for theory and current state of the art are that enterprise generative, multimodal, and agentic AI-based flexible work arrangements and increased employee tracking for organizational and workforce performance can improve job quality while reducing pay inequity, staff absenteeism, job turnover, and widespread unemployment, affecting labor markets and resulting in long-term business values and outcomes. Occupational AI and computer vision technologies impact predictions with regard to work activity automation and augmentation in terms of job loss, labor productivity, and wage raising or lowering. Policy implications reveal that employee productivity and performance tools entail job displacement and creation, requiring emerging workforce reskilling or upskilling for talent attraction, retention, progression, and promotion across structural labor market transformation.

Carbon capture and utilization: More than hiding CO2 for some time

An improved understanding of the geographical unevenness of the global energy transition is important. The concept of ‘sociotechnical imaginaries’ has been used extensively for understanding how desired technology futures are envisioned and differentially articulated in various contexts. Supplementing this, the concept of ‘nature imaginaries’ is proposed in this article, to specifically address collective moral visions of human/nature relations that underwrite discourses and actions by various actors. Nature plays an active role in both types of imaginaries. Their complex interactions play a part in how energy transitions unfold. The article uses this framework for a description of the energy situation in Iceland, and its largely successful transition towards renewable energy through the development of hydropower and geothermal resources. Particular sociotechnical and nature imaginaries, sometimes opposed to each other, are discernible. The article argues that the analysis of conflicting imaginaries at work in specific energy transitions might help in identifying leverage points from where it is possible to work in a small way towards a global transition.