Article: Mapping carbon disclosure research: bibliometric analysis and frontier exploration Journal: International Journal of Environment and Pollution (IJEP) 2026 Vol.76 No.7 pp.1 - 28 Abstract: This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of carbon disclosure research, clarifying its knowledge structure, evolutionary trajectory, and emerging research frontiers. Examination of 985 papers from the Web of Science Core Collection (1982-2024) using CiteSpace indicates exponential growth in publications and a paradigm shift within the global research landscape. China has become a leading contributor, joining established nations such as the USA and the UK. The main thematic research clusters identified include: 1) institutional legitimacy and value addition; 2) stakeholder engagement and institutional governance; 3) inter-country comparisons; and 4) policy effectiveness and innovation complementarity. Burst analysis reveals a shift in the research frontier from legitimacy theory to strategic management, with 'green innovation' and 'investment' emerging as recent focal areas. The research paradigm has evolved from a compliance-driven approach to one that integrates disclosure with corporate strategy and sustainable finance. A substantial knowledge gap remains between policy-driven and innovation-driven research, and the growing significance of non-Western institutional contexts is emphasised. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Mapping carbon disclosure research: bibliometric analysis and frontier exploration

Authors: Jiawei Shi; Razif Bin Rosli; Zixuan Yuan

Addresses: School of Digital Economy, Xiangsihu College of Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning, 530225, Guangxi, China; GSB, SEGi University, Petaling Jaya, 47810, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia ' Faculty of Business Management and Professional Studies (FBMP), Management and Science University (MSU), No. 4, Persiaran Olahraga, Section 13, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia ' School of Management, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, Shaanxi, China

Abstract: This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of carbon disclosure research, clarifying its knowledge structure, evolutionary trajectory, and emerging research frontiers. Examination of 985 papers from the Web of Science Core Collection (1982-2024) using CiteSpace indicates exponential growth in publications and a paradigm shift within the global research landscape. China has become a leading contributor, joining established nations such as the USA and the UK. The main thematic research clusters identified include: 1) institutional legitimacy and value addition; 2) stakeholder engagement and institutional governance; 3) inter-country comparisons; and 4) policy effectiveness and innovation complementarity. Burst analysis reveals a shift in the research frontier from legitimacy theory to strategic management, with 'green innovation' and 'investment' emerging as recent focal areas. The research paradigm has evolved from a compliance-driven approach to one that integrates disclosure with corporate strategy and sustainable finance. A substantial knowledge gap remains between policy-driven and innovation-driven research, and the growing significance of non-Western institutional contexts is emphasised.

Keywords: carbon disclosure; CiteSpace; bibliometrics; stakeholders; green innovation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2026.154045

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2026 Vol.76 No.7, pp.1 - 28

Received: 26 Aug 2025
Accepted: 27 Jan 2026
Published online: 10 Jun 2026 *

Title: Mapping carbon disclosure research: bibliometric analysis and frontier exploration

Keep up-to-date