The rapid integration of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and digital twins, into energy-intensive industries has created new technology governance challenges. This study develops and validates a multi-level governance framework to assess the factors influencing the management of emerging technology portfolios in the steel industry. Unlike conventional R&D evaluation approaches, the framework positions digital readiness and technological infrastructure as central governance dimensions. A systematic literature review and exploratory interviews identified the initial framework components, which were refined through a two-round Delphi study involving twelve cross-functional experts. The findings indicate strong expert consensus on data-driven governance mechanisms, with real-time carbon monitoring and systematic technology scanning emerging as the most influential indicators. The study further demonstrates that digital readiness extends beyond operational capability by linking firm-level technological capacity with regulatory compliance and broader environmental objectives, thereby addressing a key gap in existing governance literature. The results also reveal substantial weaknesses in the legal and institutional dimensions, exposing a regulatory governance gap that limits the adoption of rapidly evolving decarbonization technologies. To address this challenge, the study recommends agile, technology-specific regulatory frameworks and multi-stakeholder governance mechanisms that can better support the green industrial transition. The validated framework comprises fourteen governance dimensions and provides managers and policymakers with a practical tool for evaluating emerging technology portfolios, reducing innovation risks, strengthening governance capacity, and accelerating the transition toward digitally mature, low-carbon industrial systems.