At the international level, governments have responded to the pandemic crisis with a series of funding programs. These programs involve investments and reforms to stimulate economic growth while generating environmental and social benefits. Above all, the recovery programs are intended to accelerate the ecological transition by asking states to present investment packages and reforms for sustainable economic growth.

This special issue is focused on identifying how the various financing and investment programs can give a decisive input to the increase of sustainable energy, improving various reforms at the state and supranational level. These reforms concern strategic issues, such as environmental protection and the fight against climate change, the increase of renewable energy and the production and use of hydrogen, the spread of sustainable mobility and related infrastructures.

Through the contributions of this special edition, we want to demonstrate how ecological transition financing programs can be the main tool for achieving sustainable economic growth and, at the same time, greater social equity.