The Research Progress and Development Trend of Carbon Accounting: An Analysis Based on CiteSpace

In this study, we analyzed the carbon accounting literature from 2015 to 2020 included in the Web of Science database to determine the current research status, hotspots, and trends of carbon accounting. CiteSpace visual analysis software and bibliometric method were used to analyze major countries, journals, research institutions, authors, keywords, and annual publication volume related to carbon accounting research. The results show that in recent years, the number of published papers has been increasingin recent years, and several major research institutions have been formed, such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the University of Leeds, and the Beijing Institute of Technology. Geoffrey P. Hammond, Paul W. Griffin, Connor C. Turvey, Jiahui Hong, et al. are the main contributors to carbon accounting publications. However, there is still a lack of cooperation between scholars and institutions. Currently, research on carbon accounting focuses on climate change, carbon emissions, and carbon footprints. This research will provide carbon accounting researchers and practitioners with the latest information on the current research status, hotspots, and trends in the field of carbon accounting research.