Carbon Pricing and Green Finance in Road Transport: A Bibliometric Analysis of Low-Carbon Transition Mechanisms

Résumé

Abstract

In the face of the escalating climate crisis, the decarbonization of road transport and the transition towards a low-carbon economy have become strategic priorities for governments, particularly given the transport sector’s significant contribution to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this context, carbon pricing and green finance have emerged as two complementary policy instruments capable of accelerating the sector’s transformation. Carbon taxation seeks to internalize the environmental costs associated with GHG emissions within economic decision-making, while green finance aims to mobilize the financial resources required to support sustainable development, enhance energy efficiency, and promote the adoption of lower-carbon mobility solutions. Despite the growing body of research in both fields, their interplay within the specific context of road transport decarbonization remains relatively fragmented in the scientific literature. This study is based on a systematic review of the scientific literature, primarily using the Scopus database to gather relevant publications on carbon pricing, green finance, and road transport. Bibliometric tools, notably VOSviewer, were employed to analyze and visualize keyword co-occurrence networks, author collaborations, and citation linkages to map the interactions among core concepts. The objective is to identify research trends, major contributions, and scientific gaps concerning the role of carbon pricing and green finance mechanisms in driving the low-carbon transition of the transport sector. The findings highlight a steady rise in academic interest regarding how fiscal instruments and sustainable investments support transportation decarbonization. Additionally, keyword and co-author networks reveal distinct research clusters focused on environmental governance, green economics, and sustainable transport development. These results underscore the critical importance of carbon pricing and green finance as key catalysts for transforming road transport systems.

Keywords: Carbon pricing, carbon tax, green finance, climate finance, road transport, decarbonization, sustainability.