Systematic and critical literature review of low carbon lifestyle implementation in urban planning

This literature review explores the integration of low-carbon lifestyles within urban planning, addressing the urgent need to mitigate climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in rapidly expanding urban areas. By synthesizing research from various case studies, Scopus database, and theoretical frameworks, the study examines how sustainable practices in energy consumption, transportation, waste management, and resource use can be effectively incorporated into city designs. A bibliometric analysis of nearly 50 articles, with inclusion criteria of methodological rigor, peer-reviewed sources, relevance to scope, language, and timeframe, using advanced tools from Bibliometrix and VOSviewer, reveals trends, research gaps, co-occurrence analysis, and the geographical distribution of scholarly work in this field. Furthermore, the review highlights the significance of urban form, renewable energy adoption, and smart technologies in facilitating low-carbon living, while also identifying key challenges such as socio-economic barriers and the need for coordinated stakeholder efforts. This review makes several key contributions. First, it synthesizes fragmented literature on low-carbon lifestyles and urban planning, bridging gaps between behavioral, infrastructural, and technological dimensions. Second, it highlights critical research gaps, such as the underrepresentation of equity-focused studies and the limited scalability of localized solutions. Third, it provides actionable insights for policymakers, emphasizing the importance of integrating global frameworks like the SDGs with grassroots initiatives. In conclusion, this review aims to contribute to sustainable urban development discourse and offer valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners striving to promote low-carbon lifestyles in cities worldwide.