Challenges of Sustainable Energy Transition

Perspectives for Research and Management

Abstract

The concept of energy transition is present on the global political agenda as an indispensable process for the sustainable development of countries. In this context, the article documents the development of research in the domain of sustainable energy transition as a cornerstone of the global geopolitical agenda and reflects on the challenges posed by this phenomenon from the research, geopolitical, and geoeconomic perspectives. The methodology used involves literature review combined with bibliometric analysis and content analysis techniques of research documents retrieved from the Web of Science and sector-specific databases. The most significant findings indicate the following: first, the Paris Agreement has driven research related to sustainable development, transition, and energy security across technical, cultural, social, political, and economic domains; second, at the geopolitical level, the energy transition process plays a decisive role in the global political chessboard, where countries assess their strengths in terms of the continuity of energy supply for their citizens; and third, at the geoeconomic level, coal and oil-exporting countries adjust public spending to functional budgets within the framework of renewable energies. The authors conclude that a gradual transition and balancing of the energy matrix are essential to reduce greenhouse gases causing global warming and ensure energy sustainability without drastically impacting nations' economies.