Sustainability and the Digital Transition: A Literature Review

Albérico Travassos Rosário and Joana Carmo Dias
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Albérico Travassos Rosário: The Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies (GOVCOPP), Universidade Europeia, 1200-649 Lisbon, Portugal
Joana Carmo Dias: Centro de Investigação em Organizações, Mercados e Gestão Industrial (COMEGI), Universidade Lusíada, 1349-001 Lisbon, Portugal

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-18

Abstract: The digital transition processes have demonstrated an enormous capacity to develop and implement sustainable solutions, which allow solving several problems such as poverty, high rates of species extinction and lack of equal opportunity. However, little attention is paid to the connection between the digital transition and sustainability. Thus, a systematic bibliometric literature review was developed to fill this knowledge gap and demonstrate the potential contributions of the digital transition to environmental, economic, and social sustainability aspects. In environmental sustainability, the digital transition involves the application of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), big data analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), and mobile technologies that are used to develop and implement sustainability solutions in areas such as sustainable urban development, sustainable production, and pollution control. In economic sustainability, emerging digital technologies can drive transformation into a more sustainable circular economy, the digital sharing economy, and establish sustainable manufacturing and infrastructure design. In the digital transition to social sustainability, the studies analyzed demonstrate the need for multidimensional policy perspectives to address the current digital divide. For effective management of the digital transition that achieves sustainability goals, the study discusses alternative approaches that include innovation through experimentation and dynamic and sustainable advantages achievable through temporary benefits.

Keywords: sustainability; digital transition; sustainable development; systematic bibliometric literature review (LRSB) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (19)

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