Abstract
Purpose
– This paper aims to evaluate the progress towards achieving sustainabledevelopment goals in the transport sector of the Baltic States – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania– compared with Finland by identifying structural differences in renewable energydeployment and policy design that account for variation in transition outcomes over theperiod 2010–2024.
Research methodology
– The research employs a comparative analysis of Finland and theBaltic States, focusing on the transport sector’s transition towards Renewable EnergySources (RES). The study examines historical, geographical, economic, and policy factorsinfluencing sustainable transformation, using national and international datasets to assessprogress over time and applying a structured indicator-based framework to ensureanalytical comparability across countries.
Findings
– The results reveal significant variation in transition performance despite commonEU regulatory obligations. Finland demonstrates the most advanced and consistenttransition model, reaching a 20.3% share of RES in transport in 2024 while steadily reducingroad transport GHG emissions. Estonia shows rapid recent improvement, whereas Latviaand Lithuania display slower structural change, with RES shares remaining below EU targetsand transport emissions stagnating or increasing. The analysis shows that coordinatedpolicies, regulatory stability, and alignment of fiscal incentives with infrastructuredevelopment drive effective transport decarbonisation.
Research limitations – The study focuses solely on the road transport sector and selected countries. Practical implications – The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers aiming to improve renewable energy-based transport strategies.
Originality/Value – The study contributes to understanding regional differences in sustainable transport development by linking transition indicators with comparative policy analysis.
Norgren, E.; Stankevičienė, J. 2026. Green transformation in Finland and the Baltic States: comparative analysis of renewable energy transition in the road transport sector. Business, management and economics engineering : Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universitetas. ISSN 2669-2481. eISSN 2669-249X. p. 1–19. DOI: 10.3846/bmee.2026.25761. [Emerging Sources Citation Index (Web of Science); Scopus].