Green Research Perspectives in the Visegrád Group: A Systematic Review and Research Agenda for the Energy Sector

This article presents the findings of a literature review and an empirical bibliometric analysis aimed at identifying green research perspectives within the energy sector of the Visegrád Group countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia). These perspectives reflect key scientific directions related to Sustainable Development (SD), environmental protection, and social responsibility. In this context, the theoretical principles of SD are translated into practical strategies, innovations, and solutions that support long-term economic growth while respecting ecological limits and social needs. Such themes frequently appear as dominant keywords in academic publications, underscoring their growing importance in energy research. The study pursued two main and complementary research objectives. The first was to identify green research perspectives prevalent within the energy sector of the Visegrád region. The second was to determine whether, and how, existing scientific publications address the topic of green jobs in this specific regional and sectoral context. The analysis led to the classification of five thematic categories: (1) green economy and finance, (2) green policies and strategies, (3) green energy and its sources, (4) green technology, and (5) green transport. These areas, when examined collectively, reveal important synergies that could support the creation of green jobs. Among the publications analyzed, green energy emerged as the most frequently addressed topic. However, the study found a lack of direct focus on green jobs, indicating that this subject—arising from the intersection of several research areas—represents a promising direction for future studies. In addition to these five categories, the study also identified several emerging green research directions within the Visegrád energy sector. These include: the development of green hydrogen technologies, the greening of the gas sector, the integration of prosumers into energy systems, the societal and political acceptance of nuclear energy, the role of green public transport in accelerating the energy transition, and the formulation of just transition policies. These themes highlight both technological opportunities and socio-political challenges that must be addressed to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive green transformation in the region.