Three Decades of Sustainability Research: A Bibliometric Perspective (1996-2025)

Abstract

Over the past three decades, research on sustainable development has evolved from a predominantly environmental and economic concern into a broader field encompassing cultural, social, and ethical dimensions of global transformation. This study conducts a bibliometric and scientometric analysis of the sustainable development literature from 1996 to 2025, using data from the Web of Science. By examining publication and citation patterns, identifying key authors, institutions, and countries, and visualizing collaboration networks, the study captures how sustainability has emerged as both a scientific paradigm and a cultural discourse shaped by diverse worldviews and power dynamics. The analysis identifies five major research clusters: (1) Resources, Growth, and Sustainability; (2) Global Sustainability and Trade; (3) FinTech and Resource Management; (4) Urbanization and Natural Resources; and (5) Ecosystem Valuation and Adaptation. These thematic areas illustrate how sustainability research reflects evolving societal narratives about progress, equity, and ecological responsibility.

Our findings reveal increasing interdisciplinarity across environmental science, economics, and political studies, yet underscore the continuing need to integrate cultural analysis and voices from the Global South into global sustainability debates. By mapping the intellectual and social architecture of the field, this article provides a critical reflection on the ways in which knowledge production both mirrors and influences contemporary social change. It offers pathways for more inclusive and culturally grounded research agendas capable of addressing the complex interplay between sustainability, justice, and global transformation.