A scientometric exploration of global research and evolving themes on the sustainable development goals

Abstract The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), established by the United Nations in 2015, have rapidly become a global framework guiding academic, institutional, and policy-level efforts toward sustainable development. As the SDG discourse gains momentum in scholarly literature, understanding the structural landscape of this research becomes essential. This study conducts a comprehensive scientometric analysis of 5,984 SDG-related publications indexed in Scopus, employing tools such as VOS viewer and Biblioshiny (R) to visualize and interpret research trends. The analysis reveals dominant SDGs such as SDG 3 (Good Health), SDG 4 (Education), and SDG 13 (Climate Action), a skewed geographic distribution favoring high-income countries, and strong disciplinary clusters around environmental science and public health. Thematic mapping and keyword co-occurrence also highlight emerging concepts like circular economy and post-COVID resilience. Despite the volume of research, notable gaps persist in terms of goal-specific imbalance, limited representation from low and middle-income regions, and insufficient cross-SDG integration. The findings offer actionable insights for researchers, fund providers, and policymakers seeking to align academic contributions with the holistic vision of the 2030 Agenda. The study contributes by providing an updated, visual, and empirical overview of SDG research output, collaboration patterns, and thematic evolution, with implications for fostering a more inclusive and balanced sustainability research ecosystem. The study not only advances methodological knowledge but also provides actionable implications for practice and policy. Findings can guide research funders in addressing underrepresented SDGs, policymakers in balancing regional inequities, and universities in aligning curricula with sustainability priorities.