Economic Aspects of Low Carbon Development

Low-carbon development is a prerequisite and a fundamental element of sustainable development. Low carbon paths of growth and sustainable development are priorities in the electricity generation and access sectors. In the subject matter under study, in connection with climate action, the economic conditions in the field of production and distribution of energy from renewable sources are important; energy efficiency in enterprises and entities operating in the field of agriculture; research and innovation in the field of low-carbon technologies and IT infrastructure supporting optimization within energy management; social, including economic, determinants of low-carbon development in the area of public transport. It is worth emphasizing that the potential to effectively reduce emissions thanks to innovative technologies can be perceived at every stage of the management process, i.e., in production, distribution, exchange, and consumption.

This Special Issue is devoted to economic phenomena, dependencies, and regularities, as well as cause and effect relationships of various economic phenomena related to the low carbon economy. The undertaken considerations included both global as well as regional and local issues. The topics covered both urban and rural areas. A summary of the articles accepted for publication in the Special Issue of “Economic Aspects of Low Carbon Development” is presented below. The only criterion for determining the order of the description below was the date of submission of the articles to the Energies journal. In total, 25 papers were submitted for this issue, and after the initial editorial decision and reviews, 11 articles were accepted for publication.

In the article by Wyrobek et al. [1], the research issues concerned the profitability of wind farms in Poland. The authors presented the economic issues from three perspectives: financial analysis, NPV (Net Present Value) calculations, and the energy profitability threshold for these farms. The article also deals with, among other things, issues related to the prices of green certificates.

The assessment of the systemic nature and durability of the impact of internal and external conditions on the implementation of low carbon technologies in Polish industry was undertaken by Świadek et al. [2]. The research was carried out on a sample of 11,493 enterprises, and in order to verify the hypotheses, multi-factor logit statistical modeling was used. The article deals with the issues of cooperation between science, enterprises, and the government in stimulating the development of low-carbon technologies.

The article by Czyżewski et al. [3] concerned the premises of bio-economy development in selected EU countries depending on their general level of economic development. The research compared highly developed countries (Germany, France, Finland, and Denmark) and four countries with a relatively lower level of development (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia). The use of renewable energy, biomass, and agricultural production were analyzed as determinants of bio-economy development.

The issues of low carbon development in the Visegrad Group countries (Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary) were presented by Dzikuć et al. [4]. The analyses presented in the article concerned, among other things, the negative impact of emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and other harmful substances into the air on the quality of human life and the environment. The subject of implementing solutions supporting low-carbon development was also discussed.

Dylewski and Adamczyk [5] raised the issue of energy efficiency in the construction sector. The scientific aim of the article was to develop a methodology for determining the optimal thickness of thermal insulation, considering both economic and ecological aspects. Both heating and cooling costs were taken into account in the analytical work.

An important and current problem was analyzed by Kochańska et al. [6], who, in their work New Circular Challenges in the Development of Take-Away Food Packaging in the COVID-19 Period, drew attention to the need to develop a circular economy in the context of shortening distribution channels, reducing energy and water consumption and the use of local raw materials. The publication also emphasizes the importance of reducing waste generation throughout the entire life cycle of products, which is in line with the idea of low-carbon development.

Jakimowicz and Rzeczkowski [7] drew attention to the impact of the digitization of public administration on the decarbonization of the economy. The authors of the article conducted research in the area of the Warmia-Masuria Province, which covers 116 communes and is the fourth largest province in Poland. Correspondence analysis was used during the research. The publication addresses the issue of the quality of websites of municipal public administration offices, which, in the opinion of the authors of the article, should be improved. Moreover, the study also pointed out that society was prepared to play the role of a prosumer, but there were a number of barriers that hinder the development of small RES-based installations. The most important of them include the poor technical condition of the power grids in Poland.

Wójtowicz et al. [8] demonstrated in the article the importance of public spending in reducing CO₂ emissions in Poland. The study used the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method and proposed a set of factors that affect the level of CO₂ emissions. The research results confirm that public expenditure contributes to a reduction in CO₂ emissions at the regional level, while expenditure on environmental protection is too often counterproductive. The authors of the article explain the ineffectiveness of spending funds on reducing carbon dioxide emissions in Polish regions with the hypothesis of the “green paradox”.

The next article points to the significance of bioethanol production in Poland in the context of sustainable development [9]. The authors of the publication emphasized that liquid biofuels in Poland are used on a relatively small scale. However, it should be noted that between 2015 and 2019 the production of bioethanol as a biocomponent in motor fuels increased by 43,537 tons. According to the authors of the publication, the production potential in Poland is not used to a sufficient extent.

Godzisz et al. [10] demonstrated the importance of sustainable transport in the context of the development of a low-carbon economy in Poland. The authors of the article emphasize the significance of using new technologies that contribute to minimizing the emission of harmful substances into the air. Furthermore, the publication presents the prospects for reducing the level of pollutant emissions from road transport and refers to the assumptions related to the modernization of the transport sector and reducing its share in carbon dioxide emissions in Poland.

In a recent Special Issue article, Stenton et al. [11] pointed to the importance of using regenerated protein fibers to reduce the pressure on mass production. The key aim of the analyses presented in the article was to link quality and durability in the context of a local circular fashion economy, where the analysis of textile quality and the life cycle is holistically matched to the durability of the materials in order to reduce the amount of waste. The authors of the publication point out the importance of involving consumers in the decision-making process and adapting marketing content in such a way that it is informative and educational in the field of sustainable development. According to the authors, such action may help build stronger relationships between stakeholders and start shaping responsible consumption habits.

We would like to express our acknowledgment to the authors of the submitted and published works for the Special Issue: “Economic Aspects of Low Carbon Development”. We extend our gratitude and appreciation to all anonymous reviewers for devoting their time and expertise to assessing the scientific value of the submitted papers. We hope that this Special Issue will be of great interest to readers.