Crafting effective climate, energy, and environmental policy: time for action

The evolving landscape of environmental, climate, and energy policy is marked by both pressing global challenges as well as opportunities for transformative action. Here, we discuss emerging debates and explore key themes in this dynamic field. We identify five key research strands that enhance climate change understanding and guide sustainable policymaking: actor dynamics, policy-science-society interface, stakeholder participation, global environmental cooperation, and environmental justice. A central question arises: How can we better reconcile the low-carbon transition with challenges such as climate justice, stakeholder collaboration, and cultural dimensions in policy formulation? We argue that the answer must lie in the application of a more wholesome vision of policymaking processes that focuses on the interconnectedness of these themes and emphasizes the need for integrated solutions, transdisciplinary collaboration, innovation, and inclusive governance to address complex environmental challenges. Our aim here is to deepen our understanding of environmental policy research’s complexities and future directions. We make the case for a concerted effort from policymakers, scholars, and stakeholders to navigate toward a more sustainable and equitable future.