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Examining the Role of Public Policy in Promoting Green Energy and Employment: A Bibliometric Analysis in a Circular Economy Framework

Author

Listed:
  • Asif Javed
  • Sadia Mahwish
  • Shahbaz Ali Khan
  • Aamir Javed
  • Agnese Rapposelli

Abstract

This study uses a bibliometric lens to link public policy in renewable energy with its broader employment effects, offering the first comprehensive mapping of this relationship. A total of 760 articles published between 2013 and 2025 were retrieved from the Scopus database on July 10, 2025. The key metrics included years of publication, countries, institutions, keywords, journal articles, coauthorship, and co‐citations contributing to the field. The findings indicate that the most significant surge in publications on green energy and employment impacts occurred in China, followed by the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. American scholars are leading global collaboration, while researchers from developing nations, such as South America and Africa, seldom engage in international cooperation. China is emerging as a hotspot for future research on green energy transitions, with policy‐driven investments accelerating renewable energy deployment and reshaping labor markets through direct, indirect, and induced effects. Unlike previous studies that primarily addressed sustainability outcomes, this study provides novel insights into labor market dynamics, highlights the mechanisms through which public policy influences employment, and identifies where global knowledge converges, where gaps persist, and how future collaborations can be strategically shaped. The major themes identified are instruments for green energy transition, renewable energy, employment impacts, technological innovations, and public policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Asif Javed & Sadia Mahwish & Shahbaz Ali Khan & Aamir Javed & Agnese Rapposelli, 2026. "Examining the Role of Public Policy in Promoting Green Energy and Employment: A Bibliometric Analysis in a Circular Economy Framework," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(S2), pages 637-654, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:34:y:2026:i:s2:p:637-654
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.70360
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    References listed on IDEAS

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