A Multidimensional Analysis of Digital Technologies in Environmental Sustainability Policymaking: A Systematic Review

Digital technologies provide effective tools for formulating sustainable, evidence-based policies; however, this field has so far lacked a cohesive and practical framework to guide their application. Providing comprehensive answers to six primary research questions, this study aims to address this critical gap concerning the prerequisites, challenges, opportunities, key technologies, policy areas, and critical success factors (CSFs) for applying digital technologies in environmental sustainability policymaking. In this study, 39 articles were analyzed from 293 documents indexed in the Web of Science as of 19 August 2025, in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The prerequisites are categorized into the following themes: fiscal incentives, a culture of innovation and sustainability, effective regulations, robust digital infrastructures, participation, and reliable and accessible data. We identified significant challenges, including financial constraints, human resource deficits, infrastructural and regulatory gaps, and the adverse environmental impacts of digital technologies themselves. Opportunities emerged under two main domains: effective policymaking and enhanced environmental management. Our study indicates that pioneering technologies at the core of this transformation include artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, the Internet of Things, machine learning, and robots. Their applications are predominant in key policy areas, including the environment, energy, climate change, urban sustainability, agriculture, industry, and food security. The analysis identifies four CSFs: the policy–digital–sustainability nexus, fundamental processes, soft capacities, and hard capacities.