Advances in sustainable technologies for industry and environment for a greener future

Accelerating climate change and resource degradation demand technological pathways that simultaneously reduce emissions, enhance efficiency, and build resilience. This review systematically synthesizes recent peer-reviewed advances in sustainable and green technologies across five domains: energy, materials and construction, water and waste management, manufacturing, and nature-based urban systems. Literature published between 2014 and early 2025 was retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, and Elsevier databases using domain-specific search strings covering renewable energy, low-carbon materials, circular economy, smart manufacturing, and urban sustainability. Studies were included if they presented validated models, life-cycle assessments, or technologies with a technology-readiness level ≥ 4. Findings reveal rapid progress in multiple sectors: photovoltaic and hybrid microgrids delivering community-level cost and equity gains (NPV €2042-8195 kW⁻¹), recycled ceramic and foam-glass aggregates reducing embodied carbon without compromising strength, microalgae wastewater systems removing over 90% of nutrients while generating biomass, digital twins and green IoT reducing industrial downtime by ~ 30%, and sponge-city measures increasing floodwater retention by ~ 70%. A cross-sector synthesis identifies enabling mechanisms-policy instruments (PPAs, subsidies, carbon pricing), financial incentives, and digital MRV systems-that lower transaction costs and support large-scale adoption. Technologies are further classified by deployment horizons as fast wins (≤ 2030), no-regrets (to 2040), and long-lead transformations (to 2050). Overall, despite strong technical maturity, diffusion remains constrained by misaligned governance, investment, and circular-resource frameworks. The review proposes an integrative framework linking technology, policy, and finance to accelerate sustainable industrial and urban transitions.