In the field of economic analysis, the study of the EU ETS policy has primarily focused on the impact of renewable energy consumption on economic growth, as well as the role of legal and fiscal instruments in the development of clean energy. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the EU ETS policy in altering the energy mix of selected European countries, providing both cognitive and applicational value. The evaluation of the effectiveness of this policy focused on the structure of the energy mix and the relationship between rising CO₂ emission allowance prices and the decreasing share of coal in the energy mix. The goal was achieved through statistical analysis of secondary sources, primarily sourced from Bloomberg (2016–2024). The research findings indicated that changes in the structure of energy sources varied across the studied European countries, due to the adopted energy source utilization strategy, resource availability, and geopolitical situations. Additionally, different correlation values were noted between rising CO₂ emission allowance prices and the expected reduction in fossil fuel use. Therefore, the EU ETS policy does not fulfill its assigned role—its implementation contributes to disparities in the economic situations of European economies and creates conditions for unequal competition.

In the area of the European Union (EU) energy policy, among the entities involved in the process of financing investments in renewable energy sources (RESs), the European Investment Bank (EIB) plays a particularly important role. Therefore, the aim of the research was to identify the relationship between the EIB’s financing of RES projects and the level of energy transition, measured by the share of RES in gross final energy consumption (RE). The goal was achieved using quantitative methods and a two-way fixed-effects panel model FE (country and year), based on data from EIB, Eurostat, World Bank, OECD, EDGAR, and Our World in Data for 2012–2023. As a result of the research, it was determined that the scale of EIB financing alone does not translate into short-term growth of the RE in the examined sample (EU countries). Indeed, the effectiveness of funding depends on the regulatory and institutional context; the grid’s ability to absorb new capacities (throughput, storage, demand flexibility); and from the time horizon (delayed materialization of effects). Increasing the efficiency of converting euros into RE percentage points requires better targeting (power + grid), simplification of procedures and good financial assembly with the right allocation of risks.

Long-term and large-scale power outages (blackouts) pose a significant threat to the functioning of modern cities, exposing the level of their preparedness for crisis situations. A blackout is a systemic phenomenon whose cascading impacts extend far beyond the energy sector, affecting multiple interdependent domains of urban operations. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the resilience of urban systems to electricity supply disruptions across infrastructural, institutional, social, and functional dimensions, based on blackout case studies from selected cities in Poland, Spain, and Portugal. Utilising data spanning the period 2008–2025, a qualitative cross-case comparison was conducted based on indicator coding and the identification of recurrent patterns. The results indicate that a blackout simultaneously impacts all four dimensions of urban resilience. The highest vulnerability was observed within the social and functional dimensions, manifested by the limited preparedness of residents for prolonged power deprivation, as well as disruptions in information flow and municipal service delivery. Furthermore, the findings reveal that a high level of infrastructural resilience does not guarantee effective crisis response without adequate institutional and social support. Based on these insights, it is recommended to develop a European Union-level framework to secure financial resources aimed not only at mitigating the consequences of blackouts—which frequently exhibit cross-border characteristics—but primarily at funding proactive prevention and preparedness measures against power grid failures.

The pursuit of sustainable development in the implementation of EU energy policy concerns, among other things, the area of trading greenhouse gas emission allowances. The increasing price volatility in the European Union Allowances (EUA) market necessitates the implementation of hedging strategies to minimize the impact of price risk on the operational performance of European enterprises. An intriguing research goal (both in terms of cognitive and practical applications) was to compare the effectiveness of hedging strategies for purchasing EUA in three scenarios: (1) without hedging; (2) hedging based on an unconditional instrument; and (3) hedging based on a conditional instrument. The analysis was conducted on a theoretical-comparative variant and on the example of an entity operating in the real economy. The research objectives were supported by the following methods: 1. Data collection, which included a review of the literature on hedging EUA purchases in the context of connections with financial risk management theories and corporate responsibility, as well as connections with EU ETS policy regulations. 2. Data processing, which involved a quantitative analysis of data mainly from the ICE Endex exchange and its historical quotations (2016–September 2024), including the determination of option pricing using the Black–Scholes model. 3. Expert judgment was used to justify the time frames adopted for the research. The findings revealed that the use of hedging in EUA purchases was effective and led to a reduction in the overall cost of acquisition throughout the analyzed period. The effectiveness of hedging based on an unconditional instrument, such as a futures contract, was higher than that of hedging based on a conditional instrument, such as an option. The results obtained provide a good basis for continuing research on the effectiveness of EUA hedging in extreme scenarios and in conditions of increased volatility. This research approach is justified by the upcoming dismantling of climate initiatives starting in 2025, related to the USA’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.