Ever since 2002, when the first Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES) was held in Dubrovnik, the SDEWES conferences series has been providing a forum for world-wide scientists and those interested in learning about the sustainability of development, to present research progress and to discuss the state of the art, the future directions and priorities in the various areas of sustainable development. This includes the improvement and dissemination of knowledge on methods, policies and technologies for increasing the sustainability of development, taking into account its economic, environmental and social pillars, as well as methods for assessing and measuring sustainability of development, regarding energy, transport, water, food production and environment systems and their many combinations. SDEWES has maintained high publishing standard as nearly 1100 SDEWES papers are published in special issues of leading scientific journals including “Energy - The International Journal".

In 2016, the two SDEWES conferences - the regional one, South East European (2nd SEE SDEWES, 15–18 June, Piran/Portorož, Slovenia) and the regular one (11th SDEWES, 4–8 September, Lisbon, Portugal) delivered 538 contributions and 10 special sessions devoted to various sustainability topics. The Energy journal has continued its cooperation with SDEWES launching a special issue dedicated to both 2016 Conferences (SDEWES 2016 SI). It includes 35 papers which focus on various low-carbon technologies in energy supply, buildings, transport, and industry, as well as address other key issues like demand response, co-benefits to other energy policies objectives, the role of declining costs for renewables and markets - all needed to facilitate energy sector transition. This editorial outlines SDEWES contribution, including of SDEWES 2016 SI, in shedding light on the essential elements of that transition.