The metaverse as a future form of smart cities: A systematic literature review of co-benefits and trade-offs for sustainable development goals

Abstract

The United Nations launched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 to address a multitude of complex challenges facing today's world. Concurrently, the concept of smart cities has evolved to embrace advanced digital technologies and artificial intelligence for urban management and sustainability. Within this context, the Metaverse has emerged as a virtual extension of smart cities, offering a revolutionary space to reimagine urban life and governance. This systematic review explores how the Metaverse, as a virtual form of smart cities, aligns with the SDGs. It focuses on identifying potential co-benefits and trade-offs between the Metaverse and SDGs. The results indicate that research primarily focuses on SDGs related to health, education, innovation, sustainable cities, and responsible consumption and production. In contrast, less attention is given to SDGs related to reducing inequalities, climate change, environmental sustainability, peace, and partnership. The synthesis highlights the potential of the Metaverse to enhance smart cities' operational efficiency, transparency, and evidence-based decision-making through big data analytics and virtual collaboration. However, it also identifies risks such as exacerbating disparities and increasing environmental burdens. While the Metaverse can offer transformative solutions for smart urban environments, its benefits must be balanced with equitable access and environmental sustainability to effectively contribute to the SDGs. This requires addressing the digital and technological divide and environmental concerns to foster inclusive urban societies that uphold peace, justice, and strong institutions. The review underscores the need for strategic policy frameworks to mitigate risks and maximize the positive impact of the Metaverse on sustainable and resilient urban development. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd