Introduction/Objective: In today’s context, the green economy has emerged as a pivotal multidisciplinary field of study and research. This study aims to delve deeply into its bibliometric trends, primary research themes, and critical challenges within the framework of sustainable development. The objective was to explore influential literature, conducted through analysis of the Scopus database spanning from 2022 to 2024.

Methodology: This study employed a two-phase mixed-method review with an embedded design (quan-qual). The first phase utilized bibliometric analysis, while the second phase adopted a hermeneutic approach. A total of 822 studies were analyzed in the initial phase, followed by an in-depth examination of 23 studies in the second phase.

Results: The findings underscore the burgeoning growth and increasing relevance of the green economy. Moreover, they outline the key thematic tensions that define the intersection between sustainability and the principles of the green economy.

Conclusions: This study provides a comprehensive synthesis of the challenges and potentials inherent in the green economy as a field of study. It also offers insights into future research directions to further elucidate its current state and trajectory.

---

Keywords:
Bibliometric analysis,
green economy,
economic development,
sustainable development,
Latin America,
sustainability.

08_RSN_15(32)_24014_Economia

Abbasi, S., & Erdebilli, B. (2023). Green closed-loop supply chain networks’ response to various carbon policies during COVID-19. Sustainability, 15(4), 3677. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043677

Acosta Castellanos, P. M., & Queiruga-Dios, A. (2022). From environmental education to education for sustainable development in higher education: A systematic review. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 23(3), 622-644. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-04-2021-0167

Afanador Cubillos, N. (2023). History of production and its challenges in the current era. Región Científica, 202315. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202315

Ahmad, S., Islam, T., Sadiq, M., & Kaleem, A. (2021). Promoting green behavior through ethical leadership: A model of green human resource management and environmental knowledge. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 42(4), 531-547. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-01-2020-0024

Ali, S. M., Appolloni, A., Cavallaro, F., D’Adamo, I., Di Vaio, A., Ferella, F., Gastaldi, M., Ikram, M., Kumar, N. M., & Martin, M. A. (2023). Development goals towards sustainability. Sustainability, 15(12), 9443. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129443

Bali Swain, R., & Yang-Wallentin, F. (2020). Achieving sustainable development goals: Predicaments and strategies. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 27(2), 96-106. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2019.1692316

Begum, S., Ashfaq, M., Xia, E., & Awan, U. (2022). Does green transformational leadership lead to green innovation? The role of green thinking and creative process engagement. Business Strategy and the Environment, 31(1), 580-597. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2911

Belmonte-Ureña, L. J., Plaza-Úbeda, J. A., Vázquez-Brust, D., & Yakovleva, N. (2021). Circular economy, degrowth and green growth as pathways for research on sustainable development goals: A global analysis and future agenda. Ecological Economics, 185, 107050. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107050

Berrone, P., Rousseau, H. E., Ricart, J. E., Brito, E., & Giuliodori, A. (2023). How can research contribute to the implementation of sustainable development goals? An interpretive review of SDG literature in management. International Journal of Management Reviews, 25(2), 318-339. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijmr.12331

Brychko, M., Bilan, Y., Lyeonov, S., & Streimikiene, D. (2023). Do changes in the business environment and sustainable development really matter for enhancing enterprise development? Sustainable Development, 31(2), 587-599. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2410

Chaaben, N., Elleuch, Z., Hamdi, B., & Kahouli, B. (2022). Green economy performance and sustainable development achievement: Empirical evidence from Saudi Arabia. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 26(1), 549-564. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-022-02722-8

Chen, H.-S., Tam, K.-I., Zhao, Y.-L., Yuan, L., Wang, W., Lin, M., & Chiang, P.-C. (2023). Development of environmental action plans for adaptation to climate change: A perspective of air quality management. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 23(10), 220377. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.220377

Çop, S., Olorunsola, V. O., & Alola, U. V. (2021). Achieving environmental sustainability through green transformational leadership policy: Can green team resilience help? Business Strategy and the Environment, 30(1), 671-682. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2646

Cronin, M. A., & George, E. (2023). The why and how of the integrative review. Organizational Research Methods, 26(1), 168-192. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428120935507

Cucco, P., Maselli, G., Nesticò, A., & Ribera, F. (2023). An evaluation model for adaptive reuse of cultural heritage in accordance with 2030 SDGs and European Quality Principles. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 59, 202-216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2022.12.002

D’amato, D., & Korhonen, J. (2021). Integrating the green economy, circular economy and bioeconomy in a strategic sustainability framework. Ecological Economics, 188, 107143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107143

Durán-Romero, G., López, A. M., Beliaeva, T., Ferasso, M., Garonne, C., & Jones, P. (2020). Bridging the gap between circular economy and climate change mitigation policies through eco-innovations and Quintuple Helix Model. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 160, 120246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2020.120246

Eisenmenger, N., Pichler, M., Krenmayr, N., Noll, D., Plank, B., Schalmann, E., Wandl, M.-T., & Gingrich, S. (2020). The Sustainable Development Goals prioritize economic growth over sustainable resource use: A critical reflection on the SDGs from a socio-ecological perspective. Sustainability Science, 15(4), 1101-1110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-020-00813-x

Espinoza Gallardo, R., Lioo Jordan, F. D. M., Baldeos Ardian, L. A., Ramos, Y., Yovera, S., & Ausejo Sanchez, J. (2023). Economía circular y sostenibilidad empresarial de una empresa agraria azucarera en Perú. Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología-Serie de Conferencias, 2(2), 178. https://doi.org/10.56294/sctconf2023178

Fonseca, L. M., Domingues, J. P., & Dima, A. M. (2020). Mapping the sustainable development goals relationships. Sustainability, 12(8), 3359. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083359

Fu, Y., Wu, J., Ma, C., & Fu, X. (2023). Agency, reselling, or hybrid: Strategic channel selection in a green supply chain. Sustainability, 15(3), 2016. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032016

Fukuda-Parr, S., & Muchhala, B. (2020). The Southern origins of sustainable development goals: Ideas, actors, aspirations. World Development, 126, 104706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.104706

Godinho, M. A., Ashraf, M. M., Narasimhan, P., & Liaw, S.-T. (2023). Understanding the convergence of social enterprise, digital health, and citizen engagement for co-producing integrated Person-Centred health services: A critical review and theoretical framework. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 105174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2023.105174

González-Argote, J. (2021). Navigating the labyrinth of communities and interculturality. Community and Interculturality in Dialogue, 1, 1. https://doi.org/10.56294/cid20211

Granikov, V., Hong, Q. N., Crist, E., & Pluye, P. (2020). Mixed methods research in library and information science: A methodological review. Library & Information Science Research, 42(1), 101003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2020.101003

Gureyev, V. N., & Mazov, N. A. (2022). Bibliometrics as a promising tool for solving publication ethics issues. Heliyon, 8(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09123

Harrison, R. L., Reilly, T. M., & Creswell, J. W. (2020). Methodological rigor in mixed methods: An application in management studies. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 14(4), 473-495. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689819900585

He, B., Cai, H., Ji, Y., & Zhu, S. (2023). Supply chain green manufacturing and green marketing strategies under network externality. Sustainability, 15(18), 13732. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813732

Hirose, M., & Creswell, J. W. (2023). Applying core quality criteria of mixed methods research to an empirical study. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 17(1), 12-28. https://doi.org/10.1177/15586898221086346

Hong, Q. N., Rees, R., Sutcliffe, K., & Thomas, J. (2020). Variations of mixed methods reviews approaches: A case study. Research Synthesis Methods, 11(6), 795-811.

Jamouli, Y., Tetouani, S., Cherkaoui, O., & Soulhi, A. (2023). A model for Industry 4.0 readiness in manufacturing industries. Data and Metadata, 2, 200-200. https://doi.org/10.56294/dm2023200

Jiang, J., Zhu, S., & Wang, W. (2022). Carbon emissions, economic growth, urbanization and foreign trade in China: Empirical evidence from ARDL Models. Sustainability, 14(15), 9396. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159396

Kopnina, H. (2020). Education for the future? Critical evaluation of education for sustainable development goals. The Journal of Environmental Education, 51(4), 280-291. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2019.1710444

Kozar, Ł. J., & Sulich, A. (2023). Green jobs: Bibliometric review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(4), 2886. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20042886

Kuc-Czarnecka, M., & Olczyk, M. (2020). How ethics combine with big data: A bibliometric analysis. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 7(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-020-00638-0

Leal-Filho, W., Trevisan, L. V., Rampasso, I. S., Anholon, R., Dinis, M. A. P., Brandli, L. L., Sierra, J., Salvia, A. L., Pretorius, R., & Nicolau, M. (2023). When the alarm bells ring: Why the UN sustainable development goals may not be achieved by 2030. Journal of Cleaner Production, 407, 137108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.137108

Leal-Filho, W., Wolf, F., Lange Salvia, A., Beynaghi, A., Shulla, K., Kovaleva, M., & Vasconcelos, C. R. (2020). Heading towards an unsustainable world: Some of the implications of not achieving the SDGs. Discover Sustainability, 1, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-020-00002-x

Li, C., Wang, J., & Shi, Y. (2022). The impact of government intervention and cap-and-trade on green innovation in supply chains: A social welfare perspective. Sustainability, 14(13), 7941. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137941

Li, M., Wang, X., Wang, Z., Maqbool, B., Hussain, A., & Khan, W. A. (2022). Bibliometric analysis of the research on the impact of environmental regulation on green technology innovation based on CiteSpace. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(20), 13273. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013273

Li, Z., Chen, J., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Can “Internet Plus” Enhance the green transition? The moderating roles of environmental regulation and sewage fee-to-tax. Sustainability, 15(4), 2854. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15042854

Linnenluecke, M. K., Marrone, M., & Singh, A. K. (2020). Conducting systematic literature reviews and bibliometric analyses. Australian Journal of Management, 45(2), 175-194. https://doi.org/10.1177/0312896219877678

Liu, X., Cao, F., & Fan, S. (2022). Does human capital matter for China’s green growth? Examination based on econometric model and machine learning methods. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(18), 11347. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811347

Liyanage, S. I. H., & Netswera, F. G. (2021). Greening universities with mode 3 and quintuple helix model of innovation-production of knowledge and innovation in knowledge-based economy, Botswana. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 1-31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-021-00769-y

Ma, L., Hong, Y., Chen, X., & Quan, X. (2022). Can green innovation and new urbanization be synergistic development? Empirical Evidence from Yangtze River Delta City Group in China. Sustainability, 14(10), 5765. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14105765

Magliacani, M. (2023). How the sustainable development goals challenge public management. Action research on the cultural heritage of an Italian smart city. Journal of Management and Governance, 27(3), 987-1015. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10997-022-09652-7

Maliwichi, P., Chigona, W., & Sowon, K. (2021). Appropriation of mHealth interventions for maternal health care in Sub-Saharan Africa: Hermeneutic review. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 9(10), e22653. https://doi.org/10.2196/22653

Marini Govigli, V., Rois‐Díaz, M., den Herder, M., Bryce, R., Tuomasjukka, D., & Górriz‐Mifsud, E. (2022). The green side of social innovation: Using sustainable development goals to classify environmental impacts of rural grassroots initiatives. Environmental Policy and Governance, 32(6), 459-477. https://doi.org/10.1002/eet.2019

Mathiasson, M. H., & Jochumsen, H. (2022). Libraries, sustainability and sustainable development: A review of the research literature. Journal of Documentation, 78(6), 1278-1304. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-11-2021-0226

Merino-Saum, A., Clement, J., Wyss, R., & Baldi, M. G. (2020). Unpacking the Green Economy concept: A quantitative analysis of 140 definitions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 242, 118339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118339

Mourad, R., & Wahid, J. B. (2022). Un estudio comparativo sobre el nivel de evaluación de la sostenibilidad (BREEAM, LEED y Estidama) para desarrollar una mejor evaluación de la sostenibilidad medioambiental. Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología, 2, 237-237. https://doi.org/10.56294/saludcyt2022237

Muljaningsih, S., Khusniyah Indrawati, N., & Amalina Nur Asrofi, D. (2023). Waste bank policy as social engineering based on the green economy concept in the Malang City, Indonesia. Civil and Environmental Engineering, 19(1), 271-279. https://doi.org/10.2478/cee-2023-0024

Muñoz Bonilla, H. A., Garrido, I. S. M., Coronado, L. R., & Rodríguez, M. A. E. (2024). La innovación en el sector servicios y su relación compleja con la supervivencia empresarial. Región Científica, 3(1), 2024214-2024214. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc2024214

Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., … Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. International Journal of Surgery, 88, 105906. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2021.105906

Peng, J., Hu, X., Fan, X., Wang, K., & Gong, H. (2023). The impact of the green economy on carbon emission intensity: Comparisons, challenges, and mitigating strategies. Sustainability, 15(14), 10965. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151410965

Peng, W., Xu, J., & He, Z. (2023). The impact of human capital on green economic efficiency: Evidence from 280 prefectural cities in China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(28), 72415-72429. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-27014-0

Pérez Gamboa, A. J., Gómez Cano, C. A., & Sánchez Castillo, V. (2022). Decision making in university contexts based on knowledge management systems. Data and Metadata, 1, 92. https://doi.org/10.56294/dm202292

Pérez-Núñez, J., Quispe-Ubilla, A. S., Gutiérrez-Flores, J., & Meneses-Claudio, B. (2024). Las buenas prácticas del green it en el ahorro de energía y su influencia en el costo del servicio eléctrico de un centro educativo superior, en el distrito de Surco-Lima 2022. Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología. Serie de Conferencias, 3, 363. https://doi.org/10.56294/sctconf2022363

Piromgarn, T., Ariyakuare, K., & Egwutvongsa, S. (2023). Green economy: Community pottery development process from Kradong Volcanic Rock Powder for the sustainable development of communities in Thailand. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 12(3), 348. https://doi.org/10.36941/ajis-2023-0083

Pizzi, S., Caputo, A., Corvino, A., & Venturelli, A. (2020). Management research and the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs): A bibliometric investigation and systematic review. Journal of cleaner production, 276, 124033. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124033

Pol, M., Rutkowska, M., & Tutaj, J. (2023). Added value on a day in the pandemic in tourist attractions in the Polish-Czech Borderland as a green economy initiative. Sustainability, 15(4), 2911. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15042911

Pu, R., Li, X., & Chen, P. (2021). Sustainable development and sharing economy: A bibliometric analysis. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 19(4), 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/ppm.19(4).2021.01

Pudryk, D., Kwilinski, A., Lyulyov, O., & Pimonenko, T. (2023). Towards achieving sustainable development: Interactions between migration and education. Forum Scientiae Oeconomia, 11(1), 113-132. http://dx.doi.org/10.23762/FSO_VOL11_NO1_6

Raihan, A. (2023). The influences of renewable energy, globalization, technological innovations, and forests on emission reduction in Colombia. Innovation and Green Development, 2(4), 100071. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.igd.2023.100071

Raudales-Garcia, E. V., Acosta-Tzin, J. V., & Aguilar-Hernández, P. A. (2024). Circular economy: A systematic and bibliometric review. Región Científica, 2024192. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc2024192

Roman-Acosta, D., Caira-Tovar, N., Rodríguez-Torres, E., & Pérez Gamboa, A. J. (2023). Effective leadership and communication strategies in disadvantaged contexts in the digital age. Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología. Serie de Conferencias, 2, 532. https://doi.org/10.56294/sctconf2023532

Shen, T., Li, D., Jin, Y., & Li, J. (2022). Impact of environmental regulation on efficiency of green innovation in China. Atmospherek 13(5), 767. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13050767

Song, J., Zhou, H., Gao, Y., & Guan, Y. (2022). Digital inclusive finance, human capital and inclusive green development. Evidence from China. Sustainability, 14(16), 9922. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14169922

Soomro, B. A., Ghumro, I. A., & Shah, N. (2020). Green entrepreneurship inclination among the younger generation: An avenue towards a green economy. Sustainable Development, 28(4), 585-594. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2010

Sun, L., Duan, Z., & Yang, L. (2023). Spatial and temporal evolution of couplingand coordination between scientificand technological innovation and green economyin Anhui Province. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, 33(1), 375-389. https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/170773

Suri, H. (2020). Ethical considerations of conducting systematic reviews in educational research. In O. Zawacki-Richter, M. Kerres, S. Bedenlier, M. Bond & K. Buntins (Eds.). Systematic reviews in educational research: Methodology, perspectives and application (pp. 41-54), Springer VS. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-27602-7_3

Tan, H., Li, J., He, M., Li, J., Zhi, D., Qin, F., & Zhang, C. (2021). Global evolution of research on green energy and environmental technologies: A bibliometric study. Journal of Environmental Management, 297, 113382. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113382

Tao, H., Tao, M., & Wang, R. (2022). Do education human capital and environmental regulation drive the growth efficiency of the green economy in China? Sustainability, 14(24), 16524. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416524

Vázquez Vidal, V., & Martínez Prats, G. (2023). Regional development and its impact on Mexican society. Región Científica, 202336. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202336

Wang, X., Li, J., Ren, X., & Lu, Z. (2022). Exploring the bidirectional causality between green markets and economic policy: Evidence from the time-varying Granger test. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(58), 88131-88146. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-21685-x

Wang, X., Li, J., Shi, J., Li, J., Liu, J., & Sriboonchitta, S. (2023). Does China-Europe railway express improve green total factor productivity in China? Sustainability, 15(10), 8031. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15108031

Wang, Y., Yuan, K., Zhu, M., & Li, S. (2023). A time-and-space-network-based green fleet planning model and its application for a hub-and-spoke network. Sustainability, 15(7), 5832. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075832

Wei, Z., & Huang, Y. (2022). Supply chain coordination under carbon emission tax regulation considering greening technology investment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 9232. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159232

Xu, J., Wang, T., Wang, J., Li, C., & Zhao, L. (2022). “Forced transformation” or “Regulation Capture”. Research on the interactive mechanism between environmental regulation and green transformation of dairy farming subject production. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 12982. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912982

Xuan, V. N., Hoa, P. X., Thu, N. T. P., & Huong, L. M. (2024). Factors affecting environmental pollution for green economy: The case of ASEAN countries. Environmental Challenges, 14, 100827. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2023.100827

Yang, L., Li, H., Feng, C., Peng, L., & Sun, R. (2023). Study on the evolution and adaptability of the River Network System under rapid urbanization in the Xiangjiang River Basin, China. Water, 15(21), 3768. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15213768

Yue, J.-P., & Zhang, F.-Q. (2022). Evaluation of industrial green transformation in the process of urbanization: Regional difference analysis in China. Sustainability, 14(7), 4280. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14074280

Zhang, D., Mohsin, M., Rasheed, A. K., Chang, Y., & Taghizadeh-Hesary, F. (2021). Public spending and green economic growth in BRI region: Mediating role of green finance. Energy Policy, 153, 112256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112256

Zhang, L., Xu, M., Chen, H., Li, Y., & Chen, S. (2022). Globalization, green economy and environmental challenges: State of the art review for practical implications. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10, 870271. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.870271

Zioło, M., Ba˛k, I., Spoz, A., Oesterreich, M., Niedzielski, P., & Raczkowski, K. (2023). Relationship between sustainable development and financial development from the perspective of the European green economy. Fuzzy approach. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 11, 1244119. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1244119

Dimensions

PlumX