The impact of environmental policy on renewable energy innovation: A systematic literature review and research directions

In this study, we assessed the accomplishments and shortcomings of an exhaustive collection of energy policies of Nepal over four decades, using a five‐dimensional energy security framework (availability, affordability, technology, sustainability and governance) for sustainable development. We adopted a mixed‐method approach involving thorough review of 70 policy documents (1984–2022), systematic review of 86 peer‐reviewed journal articles on Nepal's energy policy, and consultations with 11 experts. Our evaluation shows that while there is a progressive trend, Nepal's energy policies face challenges of political instability, governance issues, siloed development practices, lagging research and development, inefficient energy demand management, and heavy reliance on international support. Additionally, we offer four tailored recommendations for the related stakeholders: supply‐side management, demand‐side management, multi‐sector collaboration, and political stability and good governance. The insights and recommendations we provide have significant regional implications, particularly in the context of potential cross‐border clean electricity sharing in South Asia.

Evaluating four decades of energy policy evolution for sustainable development of a South Asian country—Nepal: A comprehensive review

Bhattarai,

Maraseni,

Devkota

et al. 2024

The path to China's zero‐carbon target: Implications for the relationship between de‐coal, economic output, and carbon dioxide emissions

Kocak,

Alnour

2024

This paper investigates the asymmetric impact of de‐coal in China on economic output and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through a nonlinear time series simulation over the period 1965–2021. The research also estimates the effects of using renewable energy as an alternative fuel to replace coal. The results show that the reducing effect of de‐coal on CO2 emissions is stronger than the increasing effect of coal consumption. The negative impact of de‐coal on economic growth is weak or insignificant. While renewable energy contributes to economic output, it has a reducing effect on CO2 emissions. At the end of the paper, China's targets to achieve carbon neutrality and de‐coal are discussed based on the findings.

Evaluating the environmental impacts of Chinese decentralization policies toward SDG 13

Yousaf,

Shahzad,

Ain

2024

As local governments play a decisive role in attaining sustainable development goals, notably SDG 13 (climate action), decentralization policies offer the flexibility to modify climate strategies according to local necessities and enhance resource distribution. However, the simultaneous demands for economic advancement and environmental conservation pose notable hurdles. Drawing on a county‐level time‐varying quasi‐natural experiment, the results explore that fiscal decentralization, when implemented alone, significantly reduces firm pollution emission intensity. This pollution reduction is attributed to its alleviating fiscal stress on counties. In contrast, administrative decentralization is associated with increased pollution emissions, driven by tax preferences and competition in infrastructure investment. Moreover, the study reveals that fiscal and administrative decentralization reforms are complementary in their impact on a firm's intensity of pollution emissions. Furthermore, the joint implementation of complementary decentralization reforms is observed to decrease the intensity of pollution emissions in developed counties, particularly in areas characterized by high institutional quality and improved mobility. The study provides insights into the interplay between different decentralization policies and their contextual factors, enhancing our understanding of how nations can articulate decentralization policies to adopt an informed and context‐sensitive approach in crafting a balance between economic growth and environmental sustainability.