Global Knowledge Structure of Energy Policy in the Sustainable Development Goals Era: A Bibliometric Analysis of Studies Indexed in Scopus

The narrative of energy policy constantly being renewed to adapt to our ever-changing society is not new in the modern era, but the challenges posed by the demand for sustainable development have introduced new perspectives and rendered this issue more urgent, giving ways to newer strategies for policymakers to prioritize. This study employs a bibliometric analysis from 1992 to 2024, using Scopus data and the VOSviewer tool with a total of 536 articles, to assess the general landscape and the evolution of scientific researches on energy policy and the SDGs. Notably, the data indicates that research emphasizing economic/financial aspects is generating greater scientific impact. Deeper bibliometric analysis, evidenced by data visualization, also reveals that traditional topics such as “renewable energy” and “CO2 emissions” are now being approached with fresh perspectives, integrating additional economic, policy, and financial elements. This is further emphasized by the rise of terms such as “green finance” and “economic growth”, “financial development”, shifting this field from a technical dominated field to be economically driven, displaying the importance of developing both simultaneously. The study particularly calls attention to the role of geopolitical factors, revealing their significant impact on how nations formulate energy and sustainability strategies, while also highlighting a gap in previous research, which has historically focused less on the geopolitical aspects of renewable energy compared to fossil fuels. Future research directions are also discussed, emphasizing the necessity of comprehensive assessments and enhanced strategic coordination to respond to the complex geopolitical landscape. Research purpose: The purpose of this research is to provide a systematic, bibliometric overview of scientific research connecting energy policy and SDGs. It specifically investigates the shift in focus among scholars and nations to green finance and economic growth within this field and discusses how geopolitics affect a nation’s approach to sustainable energy policy. Research motivation: With the urgent global need to achieve the SDGs given by the UN along with the importance of the transition to renewable energies for a sustainable future of each nation, scholars have produced an extensive library of work throughout the years. The research discourse is rapidly evolving, shifting from a primarily technical focus to one increasingly dominated by economic and financial considerations. A comprehensive analysis is necessary to map this change, signifying the rise of themes like “green finance”, and understand how this shift reflects the change in real-world policy. Research design, approach, and method: This study uses bibliometric analysis to identify the pattern and development of research regarding energy policies and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This approach allows us to thoroughly analyze publication trends, citation networks, and keyword co-occurrence to provide an overview of the topic and its shift towards economic, finance and how geopolitics affects policymakers. Main findings: This bibliometric analysis identifies a definitive shift in energy policy and SDGs research, where economic and financial topics have become a central focus as the field continues to develop, surpassing the technical research of earlier years. China, India, and the EU stood out as the leading research nations and regions, with their distinct geopolitical and economic needs to shape their unique approaches to energy policy and achieving SDGs. Furthermore, the data is represented to have a highly intertwined collaboration between countries, yet there is still a gap in addressing how geopolitics affects the transition to renewables. Practical/managerial implications: For policymakers, this paper serves as an indicator for the necessity of integration between energy policies and economic and financial development. The demonstrated importance of green finance and economic growth suggests future policies should prioritize not just technical but also economical and financially viable options for success. Furthermore, strategies must be geopolitically informed and locally relevant because there is no universal solution to achieving a transition to sustainable energy. This paper also signifies the importance of shifting beyond just technical focus research to embrace inclusive pathways that strike a balance between affordability, economic development, and energy security to ensure success.