The global shift toward net-zero energy systems is one of the most transformative undertakings in modern history. Yet, beyond technological innovation and emission reduction targets, this transition raises fundamental questions of material feasibility, social justice, and policy coherence. The large-scale deployment of low-carbon technologies – such as batteries, renewable power systems, and carbon capture – depends on complex global supply chains and vast flows of critical materials. At the same time, it profoundly affects employment, regional development, environmental concerns, and social equity. Ensuring that this transformation is both sustainable and just requires a systemic understanding that connects material, economic, and social dimensions.

This Research topic seeks to bring together interdisciplinary contributions exploring how modeling, materials, and policy frameworks can collectively inform just and feasible transition pathways. It aims to bring a holistic approach to natural resources management, ensuring that the extraction, use, and stewardship of energy-relevant materials are aligned with the principles of the United Nations Resource Management System (UNRMS). This includes integrating social, environmental, and economic considerations into resource governance, thereby linking energy transitions to sustainable resource management frameworks. We therefore aim to bridge quantitative systems analysis with policy and governance perspectives, providing insights that are both scientifically rigorous and practically relevant for decision-makers.

We welcome original research, modeling studies, policy analyses, and reviews addressing (but not limited to) the following areas:

• Material and energy flow modeling for low-carbon technologies and systems.

• Critical material constraints, circularity strategies, and their implications for decarbonization.

• Justice dimensions of energy transitions, including distributional, procedural, and intergenerational equity.

• Integration of techno-economic and policy models to support decision-making under uncertainty.

• Governance mechanisms for resource management and equitable access to clean energy technologies. This includes the adoption of integrated resource management frameworks, such as the UNRMS, which promote responsible stewardship of natural resources across their life cycles. By embedding UNRMS principles, policymakers and researchers can ensure coherence between energy transition goals and the sustainable management of minerals, water, and land resources that underpin those transitions.

• Scenario-based analyses of national or regional transition strategies that account for material, economic, and social factors.

• Systemic approaches linking industrial ecology, life-cycle thinking, and sustainable policy design.

• Sustainable natural resources management for energy transitions, aligned with UNRMS principles – including resource classification, responsible extraction, value retention, and circularity in critical materials and energy resources.

• Governance and institutional frameworks for the sustainable management of natural resources underpinning low-carbon systems.

By fostering dialogue between researchers in engineering, environmental science, economics, and social policy, this research topic aims to develop a holistic understanding of what makes the energy transition both technically achievable and socially inclusive. The contributions will help identify strategies that align material availability with climate goals, while ensuring that the benefits and burdens of transition are shared equitably across societies.

Ultimately, the goal is to inform the next generation of sustainability assessments – those that move beyond carbon metrics to encompass the intertwined material, environmental, and justice dimensions of global energy transformation. The collective insights from this topic will support policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders in designing pathways that are not only low-carbon but also resilient, fair, and grounded in real-world constraints.

Integrating UNRMS-based natural resource management perspectives ensures that these pathways remain consistent with international standards for sustainable resource governance, supporting resilience not only in energy systems but also in the ecosystems and communities that sustain them.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Integrating UNRMS principles for equitable and sustainable global energy transitions