Analysis of climate technology research trends using topic modeling

This study analyzes the research trends of climate technology in South Korea by collecting 285 related academic papers from the Korea Citation Index (KCI) and extracting a total of 1,893 keywords from their abstracts. Using topic modeling analysis, six major research topics were identified: (1) Development and Application of an Eco-Friendly Urban Design System, (2) Strategies for Climate Technology Cooperation and Corporate Management Utilization, (3) Legal and International Cooperation Measures for Carbon Neutrality and Climate Change Response through Climate Technologies, (4) Sustainable Development Strategies Based on Green Industry and Environmental Policy, (5) Analysis of the Impact of Low-Carbon Product Manufacturing on Consumer Behavior, and (6) Development and Application of Processes for Reducing Environmental Pollutants and Improving Energy Efficiency. The results show that the frequency of research on climate technology has increased significantly in response to major national policies such as the Framework Act on Low Carbon, Green Growth and the Climate Change Response Technology Development Promotion Act and that specific topics became more prominent during different periods. In particular, since 2020, the growing emphasis on ESG management and consumer awareness has led to an increase in related studies, particularly in Topic 5. Moreover, the annual hot topic analysis revealed that climate technology research has not been concentrated in a single domain, but has instead actively spanned multiple disciplines, including engineering and policy. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the current trajectory of domestic climate technology research and is expected to serve as a useful reference for future research planning and agenda-setting.