Mapping Global Research Trends on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): A Bibliometric Analysis using VOSviewer
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69930/ajer.v3i2.757Keywords:
Bibliometric Analysis, Emerging Keywords, Research Trends, Sustainable Development Goals, VOSviewerAbstract
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a comprehensive global framework to address pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. Despite the growing body of research, knowledge fragmentation and limited cross-disciplinary mapping hinder a holistic understanding of SDG research trends. This study aims to systematically map and analyze global SDG research developments from 2020 to 2026 using a bibliometric approach, with the 2025-2026 records treated as partial Scopus-indexed data rather than complete annual outputs. Data were retrieved from the Scopus database and processed with Publish or Perish, followed by scientific mapping in VOSviewer. The methodology included publication trend analysis, document-type distribution analysis, and keyword co-occurrence analysis to identify dominant research themes and emerging topics. A total of 186 publications were analyzed, revealing that comparable full-year research activity peaked in 2021-2022 and remained dominated by journal articles. Keyword analysis identified core clusters related to sustainable development, climate change, and food security, alongside emerging topics such as bioplastics, nanotechnology, low-carbon consumption, digital transformation, and sustainability education. These findings highlight both the evolution and diversification of SDG research, emphasizing the integration of technology, education, and practical applications. Understanding SDG research trends is essential for accelerating evidence-based environmental action, supporting climate mitigation strategies, and fostering interdisciplinary solutions to pressing ecological challenges such as biodiversity loss, pollution, and resource depletion. The study provides critical insights for researchers, educators, and policymakers to prioritize underexplored areas, foster cross-disciplinary collaborations, and guide evidence-based strategies for sustainable development.
References
1. Morton S, Pencheon D, Squires N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and their implementation. Br Med Bull [Internet]. 2017;124(1):81–90. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/bmb/ldx031.
2. Griggs D, Smith MS, Rockström J, Öhman MC, Gaffney O, Glaser G, et al. An integrated framework for sustainable development goals. Ecol Soc [Internet]. 2014;19(4):49. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5751/es-07082-190449.
3. Halisçelik E, Soytas MA. Sustainable development from millennium 2015 to Sustainable Development Goals 2030 [Internet]. Vol. 27, Sustainable Development. 2019. p. 545–72. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.1921.
4. Mishra M, Desul S, Santos CAG, Mishra SK, Kamal AHM, Goswami S, et al. A bibliometric analysis of sustainable development goals (SDGs): a review of progress, challenges, and opportunities. Environ Dev Sustain [Internet]. 2024;26(5):11101–43. Available from: https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85158120838
5. Sianes A, Vega-Muñoz A, Tirado-Valencia P, Ariza-Montes A. Impact of the Sustainable Development Goals on the academic research agenda. A scientometric analysis [Internet]. Vol. 17, PLoS ONE. 2022. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265409.
6. Bautista-Puig N. Unveiling the Research Landscape of Sustainable Development Goals and Their Inclusion in Higher Education Institutions and Research Centers: Major Trends in 2000–2017. Front Sustain [Internet]. 2021;2. Available from: https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85117860364
7. Bueno C, Macharete R, Rodrigues CA, Kamia F, Moreira J, Freitas CR, et al. Global Knowledge Asymmetries in Health: A Data-Driven Analysis of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [Internet]. Vol. 17, Sustainability (Switzerland). 2025. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146449.
8. Prieto-Jiménez E, López-Catalán L, López-Catalán B, Domínguez-Fernández G. Sustainable development goals and education: A bibliometric mapping analysis. Sustain [Internet]. 2021;13(4):1–20. Available from: https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85101643436
9. Yamaguchi NU, Bernardino EG, Ferreira MEC, de Lima BP, Pascotini MR, Yamaguchi MU. Sustainable development goals: a bibliometric analysis of literature reviews. Environ Sci Pollut Res [Internet]. 2023;30(3):5502–15. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-24379-6.
10. Raman R, Lathabai HH, Nedungadi P. Sustainable development goal 12 and its synergies with other SDGs: identification of key research contributions and policy insights. Discov Sustain [Internet]. 2024;5(1). Available from: https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85198106178
11. Xin S, Dong R, Cui C, Yang T, Zhan X, Wang F, et al. Bibliometric Analysis of Research Hotspots and Frontiers in Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals [Internet]. Vol. 16, Sustainability (Switzerland) . 2024. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/su16052005.
12. Bennich T, Weitz N, Carlsen H. Deciphering the scientific literature on SDG interactions: A review and reading guide. Sci Total Environ [Internet]. 2020;728:138405. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138405.
13. Fields L, Perkiss S, Dean BA, Moroney T. Nursing and the Sustainable Development Goals: A Scoping Review. J Nurs Scholarsh [Internet]. 2021;53(5):568–77. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12675.
14. Trane M, Marelli L, Siragusa A, Pollo R, Lombardi P. Progress by Research to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in the EU: A Systematic Literature Review [Internet]. Vol. 15, Sustainability (Switzerland). 2023. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097055.
15. Pizzi S, Caputo A, Corvino A, Venturelli A. Management research and the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs): A bibliometric investigation and systematic review. J Clean Prod [Internet]. 2020;276. Available from: https://api.elsevier.com/content/article/eid/1-s2.0-S0959652620340786
16. Yumnam G, Gyanendra Y, Singh CI. A systematic bibliometric review of the global research dynamics of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030 [Internet]. Vol. 7, Sustainable Futures. 2024. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2024.100192.
17. Sorooshian S. The sustainable development goals of the United Nations: A comparative midterm research review. J Clean Prod [Internet]. 2024;453. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.142272.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Vika Puji Cahyani, Dewiyanti Fadly
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
