Paving the way for the Paris Agreement: Contributions of SDEWES science

Today, coal is responsible for 40% of annual CO 2 emissions. At the same time, global warming causes climate changes accompanied with catastrophic meteorological phenomena all over the world. After the 2015 Paris Agriment many countries set ambitious energy policy to reduce the annual greenhouse gas emission. The 2021 UN Climate Change Conference, COP26 - Glasgow, ended with the adoption of a less stringent resolution than some anticipated: countries only agreed to “phase down” rather than “phase out” coal. Is possible the realization of the Paris Agreement after COP-26? For achieving this ambitious targets in such conditions, the support of the multi-disciplinary scientific knowledge is needed. Since 2002 a series of SDEWES Conferences were founded. This paper presents an overview of published researches in special issues of leading journals dedicated to the series SDEWES Conferences, including also the papers in current special issue presented on Conferences held in 2020: 2nd LA SDEWES Conference - Buenos Aires, 1st AP SDEWES Conference - Gold Coast, 4th SEE SDEWES Conference - Sarajevo and 15th SDEWES Conference - Cologne. The focus is on five main fields: (1) energy system analysis; (2) energy savings in the building sector; (3) district heating; (4) electrification of transport and (5) water-energy nexus. Undoubtedly, the researches presented in this special issue as well as in previous ones, will contribute to the achievement of the goals of the Paris Agreement in difficult conditions after COP26. • Sustainability concept of energy, water and environment systems becomes an unavoidable issue. • SDEWES Conferences are one of the most relevant in the world in its field. • RES, DH and EV represents a promising strategies to achieve a carbon neutral society. • The zero CO 2 buildings (green buildings) can help in solution of climate crisis. • Water-energy nexus is important due to increasing energy demands and decreasing freshwater.