Chapter 3: Green Finance and Sustainable Development: A Bibliometric Review

Purpose: This study seeks to thoroughly examine the literature surrounding green finance and sustainable development, aiming to delineate the existing landscape of publications in this field.

Need for the study: This study on green finance and sustainable development is needed to consolidate existing knowledge, identify gaps and provide insights for policymakers, investors and researchers aiming to advance environmentally sustainable economic practices.

Methodology: The analysis of 410 documents from the Web of Science database, spanning 2007–2024, seeks to identify influential contributors to green finance and sustainable development. The researchers use descriptive-analytical methods such as trend, author, country and keyword analysis alongside advanced techniques like thematic maps and co-word analysis to map the landscape and pinpoint research gaps in this field.

Findings: The study highlights a significant rise in articles on green finance and sustainable development between 2007 and 2024, originating from 67 countries with notable contributions from China, Pakistan and India. Common keywords such as ‘renewable energy’, ‘China’, ‘green bonds’ and ‘sustainable finance’ underscore prevalent themes. Identified research gaps include areas like ‘renewable energy’, ‘climate finance’ and ‘human capital’, suggesting a need for exploration into the relationship between green finance and sustainable development.

Practical implications: The study provides policymakers with insights into key research trends, aiding targeted investment and policy formulation for environmental sustainability. It also fosters interdisciplinary collaborations among researchers, accelerating innovation towards global sustainability goals.