Abstract:
This study aims to analyze and interpret the relationship between the digital economy
and sustainable development by identifying different indicators and comparing them to
justify the ranking differences among countries according to each indicator. Additionally,
it reviews the importance of the digital economy amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and
its impact on climate change. The study utilized descriptive and historical approaches
to analyze the relationship variables and review previous literature, as well as statistical
and quantitative methods to formulate the econometric model and estimate results. The
study was applied to a sample of 105 countries, which were divided into two groups
based on their digital economy indicators. The relationship in each group was measured
by estimating the correlation and linear regression based on cross-sectional data from
the United Nations and Strategy& Middle East for the years 2020 and 2021. The results
showed a significant negative relationship between the digital economy and sustainable
development, indicating that the digital economy played a role in mitigating the negative
impacts of global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. The
study also found that the positive impact of the digital economy on achieving sustainable
development goals was relatively lower in countries that have made significant progress
in transitioning to a digital economy, such as Saudi Arabia. These findings will inform
decision-makers in Saudi Arabia in assessing the role of the digital economy in accelerating
the achievement of sustainable development goals and formulating suitable policies.
