Green Technologies and Their Contribution to a Sustainable Global Economy in 2020-2025: A Literature Review

Eco-efficiency and a sustainable economy are the new rhythms of the world's economic stride. Green technology is shaping the world, ensuring economic progress with environmental responsibility. In academics, green technology is taking center stage, with many countries having developed frameworks for the adoption and incorporation of green technology into mainstream economic activities. As a result, the objective of this study is to examine the effect of green technology on global economic sustainability. The study carried out a qualitative assessment of the effects of this carbon-efficient technology on global economic sustainability using content and thematic analysis of 53 types of research in the literature found through comprehensive searches over multiple online platforms. The selection of these 53 studies was informed by the year of publication (2020-2025), as well as peer-reviewed articles, journal articles, and conference papers. The study found that clean energy occupies the most researched area of clean technology, with over 35% of the research papers focusing on clean energy. This is followed by waste management, with 27% of the papers focusing on clean waste management and 20% of the papers focusing on clean water treatment technologies. Clean production accounted for 12%, and clean logistics accounted for 6% of the total research papers. The study also found that green technology is fundamental to ensuring a circular economy. It is therefore concluded that green technology enhances the sustainability of the global economy. This study recommends that policies encouraging investment in green technology, particularly in developing countries, support interdisciplinary research on incorporating green technology into mainstream economic activities and standardize regulations and compatible frameworks to facilitate technology integration across industries.