Transforming Our Future: Sustainable Development, Energy Transitions, and Climate Justice in a Changing World

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 March 2026.

Guest Editors (2)

Victor C. Azubike
Dr. Victor C. Azubike 
School of Business, Education and Law, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK  
Interests: International environmental laws, policies, and regulations related to the present energy transition, energy security, net-zero goals
Cynthia C.  Umezulike
Dr. Cynthia C. Umezulike 
The Global Human Rights Centre, London, UK
Interests: Human Rights; Sustainability; Climate Change
Website:

Special Issue Information

 The Global Conference on Sustainable Development, Energy Transitions, and Climate Change (28–29 November 2025, invites paper submissions for a special journal issue dedicated to advancing scholarship and practice at the critical intersections of sustainability, climate resilience, and energy transitions.

This special issue seeks to move the global conversation from pledges to action by showcasing research, policy analysis, and innovations that can accelerate inclusive, just, and resilient pathways for sustainable development. Contributions are especially welcome from diverse disciplinary perspectives, including law, economics, political science, environmental studies, engineering, and social sciences, as well as practitioner-led insights.

Thematic Areas:
We welcome submissions on (but not limited to):
Sustainable Development and the SDGs: governance, equity, and innovation for inclusive growth
Accelerating Energy Transitions: clean energy, just transition frameworks, and energy access
Climate Litigation and Justice: human rights, legal remedies, and accountability mechanisms
Green Economy and Circular Solutions: economic transformation, financing, and sustainable consumption/production
Climate Change and Resilience: adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage in vulnerable communities
Food and Water Security: sustainable agriculture, agroecology, and resource management
Global Partnerships and Policy Innovation: multi-stakeholder approaches for transformative governance
Education and Innovation for Sustainability: knowledge, skills, and inclusive learning systems

Submission Information:
Full-length research articles, conceptual papers, case studies, and policy analyses are welcome. Authors are encouraged to adopt interdisciplinary and cross-regional perspectives, with particular attention to justice, equity, and the inclusion of marginalized voices in climate and energy governance. Accepted papers will be peer-reviewed and published in the special issue, providing global visibility for cutting-edge research and practice at the forefront of sustainable development.

Submission Details:
Abstract Submission Deadline: 1 November 2025
Please submit a 300-word proposal including your name, contact information, short biography, and the title of your proposed article or case note to: Dr. Cynthia C. Umezulike (ces@sciepublish.org)
Notification of Acceptance: 5 December 2025
Authors will be informed whether they are invited to submit a full article for peer review.
Full Article Submission Deadline: 30 March 2026
Invited manuscripts should be 5,000 – 7,000 words (articles) or up to 10,000 words (including footnotes).

Published Papers (1 Papers)

Open Access

Article

30 March 2026

Evaluation of Power Grid Investment Effectiveness in New Power Systems Considering Decision Psychology and Sustainable Development: An Empirical Study Based on Chinese Urban Power Grid Simulation

The evaluation of investment effectiveness in power grids oriented towards new-type power systems is a critical issue for advancing grid transformation and enhancing the scientific basis of investment decision-making. To address the current challenges—such as single-dimensional evaluation, strong subjectivity in index weighting, and insufficient consideration of risks and decision-makers’ psychological factors—this paper aims to construct a hybrid evaluation framework that comprehensively reflects both objective data and subjective decision-making preferences. First, a comprehensive evaluation index system is established, encompassing four dimensions: low-carbon performance, safety, economic efficiency, and intelligence. Second, an innovative integration of the Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN), the CRITIC method, and the Entropy Weight Method (EWM) is conducted. The combination weights are determined through game theory to scientifically quantify the importance of each index. Based on this, the Improved Cumulative Prospect Theory (ICPT) is introduced to characterize decision-makers’ psychological behavior under uncertainty. Furthermore, by combining Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), an ICPT-GRA-TOPSIS comprehensive evaluation model is constructed. An empirical study of 13 typical urban power grids in China reveals that the proposed model can effectively identify the strengths and weaknesses of investment effectiveness across different regions, categorizing them into development tiers such as “multi-objective collaborative leading type”, “key breakthrough but unbalanced type”, and “system-lagging type”. More importantly, the sensitivity analysis of decision-making psychology demonstrates that the evaluation of investment strategies is highly dependent on decision-makers’ risk attitudes and value orientations. This provides critical quantitative decision-making references for formulating differentiated, precise investment strategies for power grids, offering significant theoretical and practical value for guiding power grid enterprises in optimizing resource allocation and supporting the construction of new-type power systems.

Yuxuan Tong*
Zhengyang Guo
Quance Ren
Clean Energy Sustain.
2026,
4
(1), 10006; 
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