Study goals
This article aims to conduct a scientometric study of the evolution of scientific production in the last 13 years regarding the environment in smart cities.
Relevance / originality
The work demonstrates how research is distributed in terms of countries, institutions, and scientific journals.
Methodology / approach
The Scopus Elsevier database was thoroughly investigated, resulting in a robust bibliometric analysis comprising 126 carefully selected studies.
Main results
The findings reveal a significant increase in the approach to the theme between 2017 and 2023. Two clusters were observed, one with a focus on technology and the other on sustainable development.
Theoretical / methodological contributions
As the study indicates, the hotspots focused on research that addresses sustainable development, energy efficiency, sustainability, urban development, and the use of technologies such as IoT to enhance city performance.
Social / management contributions
This study contributes to providing an overview of the past thirteen years and brings to light that the environmental issue permeates smart cities but is superficially addressed without significance.