Absolute environmental sustainability assessment of emerging industrial chains within planetary boundaries: A systematic literature review

The urgent need to sustainably manage emerging industries highlights the necessity of incorporating industrial chain perspectives within the absolute environmental sustainability assessment (AESA) framework. This study addresses a critical knowledge gap in evaluating inter-regional resource consumption and environmental impact dynamics associated with emerging industrial chains within the remaining safe operating space (SOS). We propose an AESA framework for emerging industrial chains, designed to: (1) holistically assess their environmental performance; (2) clarify the distribution of accountability and spatial characteristics of resource- environmental impacts along value chains; and (3) strengthen the integration of planetary boundaries (PBs), AESA, and regional policymaking. Building on a systematic synthesis of existing methodologies, this framework bridges industrial chain analysis with regional ecological boundaries, addressing both research and practical needs for multi-regional resource governance and industrial-environmental synergy. Through five structured steps, it systematically integrates policy instruments, theoretical foundations, hybrid modeling, and multi-source data to provide a holistic perspective for achieving SOS-compliant environmental sustainability in regional emerging industries, aligning with resource-efficient and eco-friendly development objectives. This study sets the stage for future empirical research and model integration, highlighting the critical contribution of incorporating an industrial chain perspective into the design of ASEA frameworks, ensuring Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are achieved within planetary boundaries.