GLOBAL TRENDS AND DYNAMICS OF THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS BASED ON SCOPUS (2010–2024)

Abstract

This article aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of scientific production on the circular economy in economics and business, spanning the period 2010–2024. A total of 2,584 open access articles in English or Spanish were retrieved from Scopus. For the analysis, tools such as Excel and VOSviewer were used, applying quantitative techniques to examine publications by (i) year, (ii) country, (iii) author, and (iv) journal, and to identify thematic trends through the co-occurrence of keywords. The results show steady growth in scientific production, with European countries, especially the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain, leading the field. Thematic clusters were identified on recycling, sustainability, circular business models, digitalization, and organizational innovation. Despite these advances, significant challenges persist, such as geographic and disciplinary concentration, with limited representation from Latin America. It is necessary to promote a broader inclusion of regional perspectives and interdisciplinary studies to understand the circular economy as a systemic model of sustainable development.