Urban energy transition in smart cities: a comprehensive review of sustainability and innovation

Ashish Sharma; Satya Narayan Singh; Mariana Martinez Serratos; Divyanshi Sahu; Vladimir Strezov

doi:10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100940

Urban energy transition in smart cities: a comprehensive review of sustainability and innovation

Ashish Sharma^*, Satya Narayan Singh, Mariana Martinez Serratos, Divyanshi Sahu, Vladimir Strezov

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Natural Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

Global urbanization strains city energy systems, with cities consuming 75 % of global energy and emitting 80 % of CO2. By 2050, 68 % of population will reside in cities, adding 2.5 billion people. This systematic review assesses the sustainability, air quality, and economic benefits of urban energy transitions in megacities. Objectives include assessing net-zero energy pathways, impact of digital transformation on cities efficiency and resilience and technology GHG reduction. This study emphasises community roles, policy recommendations for inclusive, net-zero cities aligned with SDG 11 and highlight international best practices for urban transformation, offering practical recommendations for policymakers. [Graphical abstract]

Original language	English
Article number	100940
Pages (from-to)	1-12
Number of pages	12
Journal	Sustainable Futures
Volume	10
Early online date	10 Jul 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100940
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2025. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

Air pollution
climate change
Greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction
Net-zero energy pathways
Renewable energy
Sustainable development goals (SDGs)
Smart cities
Urban energy transition

Access to Document

10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100940Licence: CC BY

Publisher version (open access)Final published version, 3.59 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Urban energy transition in smart cities: a comprehensive review of sustainability and innovation",

abstract = "Global urbanization strains city energy systems, with cities consuming 75 \% of global energy and emitting 80 \% of CO2. By 2050, 68 \% of population will reside in cities, adding 2.5 billion people. This systematic review assesses the sustainability, air quality, and economic benefits of urban energy transitions in megacities. Objectives include assessing net-zero energy pathways, impact of digital transformation on cities efficiency and resilience and technology GHG reduction. This study emphasises community roles, policy recommendations for inclusive, net-zero cities aligned with SDG 11 and highlight international best practices for urban transformation, offering practical recommendations for policymakers. [Graphical abstract] ",

keywords = "Air pollution, climate change, Greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction, Net-zero energy pathways, Renewable energy, Sustainable development goals (SDGs), Smart cities, Urban energy transition",

author = "Ashish Sharma and Singh, \{Satya Narayan\} and Serratos, \{Mariana Martinez\} and Divyanshi Sahu and Vladimir Strezov",

note = "Copyright the Author(s) 2025. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher. ",

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doi = "10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100940",

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T2 - a comprehensive review of sustainability and innovation

AU - Sharma, Ashish

AU - Singh, Satya Narayan

AU - Serratos, Mariana Martinez

AU - Sahu, Divyanshi

AU - Strezov, Vladimir

N1 - Copyright the Author(s) 2025. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - Global urbanization strains city energy systems, with cities consuming 75 % of global energy and emitting 80 % of CO2. By 2050, 68 % of population will reside in cities, adding 2.5 billion people. This systematic review assesses the sustainability, air quality, and economic benefits of urban energy transitions in megacities. Objectives include assessing net-zero energy pathways, impact of digital transformation on cities efficiency and resilience and technology GHG reduction. This study emphasises community roles, policy recommendations for inclusive, net-zero cities aligned with SDG 11 and highlight international best practices for urban transformation, offering practical recommendations for policymakers. [Graphical abstract]

AB - Global urbanization strains city energy systems, with cities consuming 75 % of global energy and emitting 80 % of CO2. By 2050, 68 % of population will reside in cities, adding 2.5 billion people. This systematic review assesses the sustainability, air quality, and economic benefits of urban energy transitions in megacities. Objectives include assessing net-zero energy pathways, impact of digital transformation on cities efficiency and resilience and technology GHG reduction. This study emphasises community roles, policy recommendations for inclusive, net-zero cities aligned with SDG 11 and highlight international best practices for urban transformation, offering practical recommendations for policymakers. [Graphical abstract]

KW - Air pollution

KW - climate change

KW - Greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction

KW - Net-zero energy pathways

KW - Renewable energy

KW - Sustainable development goals (SDGs)

KW - Smart cities

KW - Urban energy transition

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105010932754

U2 - 10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100940

DO - 10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100940

M3 - Review article

SN - 2666-1888

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EP - 12

JO - Sustainable Futures

JF - Sustainable Futures

M1 - 100940

ER -

Urban energy transition in smart cities: a comprehensive review of sustainability and innovation

Abstract

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Keywords

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