Emerging Markets Finance and Trade

Digitalization-Greenization Synergy in Emerging Markets

With the accelerating pace of digitalization and green transition, emerging markets are undergoing a structural transformation shaped by the growing synergy between technological advancement and environmental imperatives. This digitalization-greenization synergy refers to the coordinated integration of digital technologies—such as intelligent computing, data analytics, and automated platforms—with low-carbon energy systems to enhance economic efficiency, sustainability, and resilience. The rising demand for digital infrastructure and computing power, combined with deep energy transitions and uneven access to renewable resources, is driving the need for systemic strategies that align energy policy, investment planning, and technological deployment.

For emerging markets, this evolving synergy offers transformative potential—unlocking new sources of growth, improving trade competitiveness, and enhancing integration into global value chains. However, it also presents complex challenges, including regulatory misalignment, financial constraints, data governance risks, and growing inequality in access to energy and digital infrastructure. These dynamics are reshaping patterns of capital flows, trade structures, and institutional frameworks. As such, there is a pressing need to deepen our understanding of the economic mechanisms and financial implications behind the digital-green transition and how it can support inclusive, sustainable development across diverse emerging market contexts.

This special issue invites research that explores how this digital-green transformation affects macroeconomic dynamics, financial systems, investment flows, trade patterns, and development policies in emerging markets. We seek both theoretical and empirical studies that examine the implications for inclusive growth, green finance, trade competitiveness, and regulatory design. By grounding this theme, the special issue will contribute to EMFT’s core mission while advancing understanding of how emerging economies can achieve sustainable and high-quality development through this dual transition.

The special issue is particularly interested in, but not limited to, the following topics:

• Digital-Green Investment Efficiency
• Carbon Markets and Digital Platforms
• Energy-Digital Infrastructure Finance
• Digitalization and Trade Costs
• Green Innovation and Firm Productivity
• Smart Grid Investment Models
• Digital Electricity Pricing Mechanisms
• Renewables, Data, and Capital Flows
• Digitalization and Energy Subsidies
• Climate Tech and FDI Flows
• •Socioeconomic Impacts of Energy Transition in Emerging Markets

All papers should focus on the economic, financial, or trade-related dimensions of these topics and use rigorous methods appropriate for a scholarly journal in applied economics and finance.