Blockchain’s role in environmental sustainability: Bibliometric insights from scopus

Blockchain technology is increasingly acknowledged as a transformative tool for advancing environmental sustainability. Although blockchain has the potential to enhance transparency, trust, and accountability, research on blockchain’s sustainability applications remains fragmented with inconsistent methodologies and limited integration of theoretical frameworks. One major barrier to achieving sustainability goals is the lack of standardized verification systems, which hinders regulatory oversight and consistent assessment of environmental claims. This study employs bibliometric analysis using the Scopus database and analytical tools such as VOSviewer to systematically examine the research landscape. By identifying key trends, influential authors, and thematic research clusters, this study synthesizes blockchain’s roles in environmental sustainability. Our findings indicate that blockchain strengthens data integrity, enhances sustainability reporting, and promotes stakeholder collaboration across environmental sectors. However, challenges such as scalability, energy-intensive consensus mechanisms, and regulatory uncertainty persist. This study contributes to the literature by clarifying foundational concepts, identifying research gaps, and proposing directions for future work in blockchain-based sustainability frameworks. • Blockchain enhances transparency in sustainability reporting. • Bibliometric analysis reveals core thematic research clusters. • Institutional trust theories contextualize blockchain’s role. • Smart contracts reinforce trust in green governance. • Decentralized systems streamline sustainability verification.