Open Access

Jolanta Kowal, Ewa Duda, Karolina Dunaj, Jarosław Klebaniuk, Juho Mäkiö, Ewa Pańka, Piotr Soja, Paweł Weichbroth

• This article aims to explore the relationship between digital innovations and sustainable development before and during the pandemic, taking into consideration the level of development of countries. The authors employed both qualitative and quantitative methods, including a critical review of the literature and the analysis of a database of 31 European countries, using various indicators such as the global sustainability index, global innovation index, human capital and research, infrastructure, business sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs, country innovation performance, and creative output. The investigated European countries have been categorized into three clusters based on the level of sustainable development, and their characteristics before and during the pandemic have been examined. The study also explored the relationship between global sustainability and digital innovation. The results suggest that global action is needed to address structural factors perpetuating inequality and underdevelopment in less-developed countries. Hence, this research offers insights into the potential of digital innovations in promoting sustainable development during crises. Policymakers, development practitioners, and scholars interested in sustainable development can benefit from this research to design more effective policies and interventions for different country clusters to understand the impact of the pandemic on sustainable development and develop more effective responses.