This analysis explored the effect of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) on greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in a panel of twenty-nine countries from the European Union (EU) from 2010 to 2020. The method of moments quantile regression (MM-QR) was used, and the ordinary least squares with fixed effects (OLSfe) was used to verify the robustness of the results. The MM-QR support that in all three quantiles, economic growth causes a positive impact on GHGs. In the 50th and 75th quantiles, energy consumption causes a positive effect on GHGs. BEVs in the 25th, 50th, and 75th quantiles have a negative impact on GHGs. The OLSfe reveals that economic growth has a negative effect on GHGs, which contradicts the results from MM-QR. Energy consumption positively impacts GHGs. BEVs negatively impacts GHGs. Although the EU has supported a more sustainable transport system, accelerating the adoption of BEVs still requires effective political planning to achieve net-zero emissions. Thus, BEVs are an important technology to reduce GHGs to achieve the EU targets of decarbonising the energy sector. This research topic can open policy discussion between industry, government, and researchers, towards ensuring that BEVs provide a climate change mitigation pathway in the EU region.

The decarbonization of the energy sector is among the leading global goals, and the electricity sector plays a crucial role in this low-carbon transition. However, South American countries have been underrepresented in this discussion. Understanding the particularities and the shifts in the electricity sector landscape of these countries over time and how natural resource availability, technology, and energy policies are decisive to a low-carbon transition summarizes the proposed matters in this research. This work aims to fill this gap by investigating past renewability trends in the electricity sector of five South American countries from 1990 to 2020 through five indicators. As a result, we observed a trend of low-carbon reverse transition in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, despite the efforts and the success of renewable energy auctions, making short-term energy policy measures necessary. In Venezuela, there is a decrease in consumption and an increase in electricity generation using fossil fuels. Uruguay showed a rise in consumption and continued high use of renewables. Finally, energy policies focusing on quantifiable emission reduction should be a target of the electricity sector to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

The emerging green hydrogen value chain provides an opportunity to develop joint sustainable strategies between different countries and implement measures to mitigate potential adverse effects. We analyze whether the green hydrogen value chain can aid in meeting the objectives outlined in the 2030 Agenda. The Value Chain Assessment methodology that we developed enables the identification of direct and indirect influences, and the categorization of positive and negative effects, of each segment (production, transportation, and end-use) of the green hydrogen value chain on the 17 SDGs and their 169 targets. We also analyze the associated temporal dimensions and reciprocal interdependences, to clarify the dynamics of the value chain over time and across different geographical scales. We present a strategic framework that can help in fostering the green hydrogen value chain for the implementation of sustainable development. We find that the use of green hydrogen can clearly accelerate progress on the SDGs in the short-term, but adverse effects could arise in the medium- to long-term. The realization of the green hydrogen value chain requires synchronized investments and policies across space and time.

Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente