Nowadays, with the increasing intensity of global environmental threats and mounting economic losses associated with natural disasters, few people and national governments deny the urgent need to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Proper environmental management at national, local, and individual levels is necessary to drive economies towards long-term sustainability. Numerous ways to do so, like the implementation of pro-ecological technologies and energy conservation, have been promoted.

Energy usage alone accounts for almost 75% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. Thus, the achievement of net zero within the next three decades requires a successful transition to renewable energy. The above could be also significantly stimulated by the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies (i.e., machine learning, robotic process automation, language generation) to increase energy efficiency, develop necessary environmental skills, streamline administrative processes, formulate feasible sustainability policies, and induce required business model transformations.

This Research Topic aims to show how to effectively integrate technology and energy into our path towards net-zero emissions at both macro- and microeconomic levels. This includes exploring novel factors and models that encourage GHG emissions reductions, understanding the impacts of different technologies and policies moving towards net-zero emissions, and exhibiting different mechanisms that have successfully led to reduced environmental impacts. Original articles based on different methods (econometric analysis of empirical data, case studies, questionnaires, reviews of literature, and policy reviews) are welcome. Potential topics include but are not limited to the following areas:

- determinants of renewable energy production and consumption;
- development of innovative business models reducing environmental impacts;
- technological transitions towards GHG emissions reduction;
- analysis of policy frameworks promoting net-zero emissions and sustainable development goals and their potential impacts;
- development of renewable energy sources in transformation towards a low-carbon economy at a national, regional and local level;
- environmental impact of AI including generative AI;
- use of emerging technologies to reduce environmental impacts.

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Frontiers in Environmental Science

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