Mapping Research on Carbon Emissions in Sustainable Development Goals: A Bibliometric Analysis in Scopus Database

The intensifying global climate change has made carbon emissions a strategic issue in the sustainable development agenda. Carbon emissions, which mostly come from fossil fuel combustion, urbanization, and industrial activities, are a major contributor to global warming. In the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13 on climate action, controlling carbon emissions is crucial. This study aims to map research trends on carbon emissions in relation to the SDGs through a bibliometric approach. Data were collected from the Scopus database for the 2014–2024 period using the keywords ‘carbon emissions’ and ‘sustainable development goals,’ then analyzed using VOSviewer software. The results show a significant increase in the number of publications each year, with a sharp spike from 2019 to 2024. Bibliometric visualization shows that themes such as "sustainable development," "carbon emissions," and "renewable energy" are the main focus of attention in the literature. Institutions such as King Saud University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences demonstrate significant contributions to publications, while China, India, and Turkey are the countries with the highest number of publications. Network visualizations, topic development (overlay), and research density demonstrate strong relationships between topics and a shift in research focus from economic issues to sustainability solutions and climate change mitigation. This study makes a significant contribution to understanding the direction and dynamics of research related to carbon emissions within the SDGs framework, and helps academics and policymakers identify research gaps and potential cross-disciplinary collaborations to promote more sustainable development.