Policy Measures for the Low-carbon Energy Transition in the Post-Covid-19 Era

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a global economic downturn that resulted in extremely low fossil fuel prices due to low demand and oversupply, which posed stiff competition against renewables. Besides, globally many governments aiming to stimulate economic growth rolled back environmental regulations and taxes and increased fossil fuel-intensive infrastructure and electricity. This will endanger the achievement of the Paris agreement on climate change and several sustainable development goals and will make the transition to the low-carbon energy mix difficult.

As restrictions are easing and economies are re-opening, governments are beginning to unveil their economic recovery plans. However, there is a lack of motivation to strengthen the green agenda in recovery plans. This is because the recovery outlook seems to follow the ‘growth first and green it when possible' approach to existing development plans. This shows the importance of low-carbon mechanisms and special policy measures for supporting renewable energy and the green sector besides the economic recovery strategies to cope with climate change. Energy transition and green recovery are quite important, not only among advanced economies, but also emerging and developing economies. There is a need to incetivize policy to promote green recovery in both private and public sectors. One of the ways would be global taxation on GHG and subsidies to green sectors which have to be initiated by G20 etc.   

With this background, this Special Issue aims to provide several empirical, theoretical, or case studies with practical policy implications on the policy measures for the low-carbon energy transition in the post-COVID-19 era. The Special Issue of Sustainability aims to develop insights in this area for economists, regulators, and legislators for shaping policies on low-carbon energy transition and green economic recovery.

Papers may deal with, but are not limited to, the following:

• Policy measures for the low-carbon energy transition
• Ways to promote low-carbon competitiveness and creating jobs in the industrial sectors
• Role of governments in fostering the low-carbon transition
• Monitoring long-term impacts of green recovery packages
• Fiscal reforms needed for low-carbon transition to cope with climate change
• Monetary policy and green economic recovery
• Green finance strategies for the low-carbon transition
• How to unlock private investment needed for green recovery
• Role of renewable energy in tackling climate change

Prof. Dr. Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary
Prof. Dr. Naoyuki Yoshino
Dr. Han Phoumin
Guest Editors

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• policy measures for the low-carbon energy transition
• ways to promote low-carbon competitiveness and creating jobs in the industrial sectors
• role of governments in fostering the low-carbon transition
• monitoring long-term impacts of green recovery packages
• fiscal reforms needed for low-carbon transition to cope with climate change
• monetary policy and green economic recovery
• green finance strategies for the low-carbon transition
• how to unlock private investment needed for green recovery
• role of renewable energy in tackling climate change