Multi-Dimensional Collaborative Paths for Low-Carbon Transformation in Manufacturing: Policy Responses, Techno-Economic Bottlenecks, and System Optimization

Abstract

The low-carbon transformation of the manufacturing industry is a key path to balance climate goals and industrial competitiveness. This systematic review critically analyzes 145 studies from 2012 to 2025 to explore the low-carbon transformation. Findings show that low-carbon city pilots reduce manufacturing carbon intensity via fiscal and tech expenditures; industrial internet and additive manufacturing reshape low-carbon production, with digital and green process innovations driving emission reduction. Yet, bottlenecks exist: SMEs face digital adaptation and green financing constraints; excessive digitalization causes energy rebound; high-carbon industries’ deep decarbonization is hindered by unproven large-scale economic feasibility of low-carbon tech, alongside policy-technological disconnection, and green finance structural contradictions. This study proposes core solutions: dynamic policy adjustment mechanisms, multi-dimensional SME support systems, and technology–economy coupling evaluation models. It establishes research coordinates for academia, designs policy tools for decision-makers, and provides a technological framework for industrial deep decarbonization, offering global references for balancing climate goals and manufacturing competitiveness.