Land is essential for the flourishing of human civilizations. It is a complex interplay of natural processes, socio-economic dynamics, and environmental sustainability. Hence, it influences policy, research, and practice. This study critically reviews the literature about the challenges and issues currently explored for sustainable development in global land use systems based on an extensive bibliographic database from the Web of Science. It explores the complex world of global land use system development, examining research trends, tools, and future directions. This study’s findings indicate that current research trends emphasize the use of emerging digital technologies, including geospatial and informatics techniques, Geo-detectors, regression models, artificial intelligence, and socio-economic models. These tools are instrumental in addressing the challenges posed by land use change at various scales. They enable us to effectively identify, track, and enhance our understanding of the sustainability, science, and management of land use systems. The studies reviewed offer valuable support for initiatives aimed at adopting innovative theories, methods, instruments, and procedures to tackle land use and sustainability issues related to natural resources globally. Furthermore, new fields within land use systems are increasingly recognized for their potential to transform traditional practices, strengthen urban-rural linkages, and contribute to the realization of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. This recognition stems from the multidisciplinary nature of the discipline.
Sarfo et al. (2025) studied this question.