Bridging Digital Transformation and Sustainability: Overcoming Governance Challenges for Green Policy Implementation

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Abstract

The research explores the intersection of digital transformation and sustainability, emphasizing the challenges and opportunities in e-waste management and green policy formulation. The central issue addressed is the absence of holistic methodologies for assessing the environmental impact of both conventional and digital devices throughout their lifecycle, from material extraction to disposal. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating literature review, case study analysis, stakeholder interviews, and comparative policy evaluation. Key governance challenges include fragmented data metrics, institutional silos, cultural and normative resistance, and infrastructural and financial limitations. Findings suggest that overcoming these barriers requires comprehensive lifecycle assessment methods, stronger Extended Producer Responsibility policies with digital tracking, enhanced interagency collaboration, public-private partnerships, and educational campaigns promoting sustainability. The study contributes to policy discourse by offering institutional and organizational strategies for integrating digital transformation with sustainability objectives, thereby advancing greener governance frameworks.

Author

• Eduardo Carvalho Nepomuceno Alencar, University of California, Irvine