How Do Smart, Green, and Circular Economies Shape Sustainable Development Goals? A Global Bibliometric and Evidence‐Based Systematic Review for Sustainable Transformation

ABSTRACT

The study examines how smart, green, and circular economies collectively contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Existing research has largely analyzed these paradigms separately, limiting understanding of their interconnections and combined sustainability impacts. To address this gap, the study integrates bibliometric science mapping with a PRISMA‐based systematic literature review of 690 peer‐reviewed articles indexed in Scopus and Web of Science between 2016 and 2026. Using Bibliometrix R, the analysis applies co‐word analysis, thematic mapping, and collaboration network analysis to identify the intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and global research patterns of the field. The findings reveal rapid scholarly growth and strong citation impact, although the knowledge base remains conceptually fragmented. The circular economy emerges as the central and integrative paradigm linking smart technologies with green sustainability outcomes. Smart cities, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, IoT, and Industry 4.0 are identified as major enablers of resource efficiency and sustainability transitions. The study further highlights significant geographical disparities in global collaboration networks, with China and European countries dominating research production while the Global South remains underrepresented. Key research gaps persist in governance quality, social equity, digital divides, and the life‐cycle environmental impacts of digitalization. The findings suggest that effective SDG transitions require integrated policy frameworks that combine smart technologies, circular system design, and green performance strategies through inclusive and context‐specific governance. The study contributes a comprehensive framework for understanding the smart–green–circular nexus and provides future directions for equitable and sustainable development transitions.