Decades of carbon tax research: Insights from a bibliometric analysis of Scopus data (1989-2023)

Background and Purpose: As climate change intensifies, carbon taxes have become an important policy instrument for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Understanding the evolution, key contributors, and collaboration patterns in carbon tax research is essential for guiding future studies and supporting effective climate policy. This study examines the development and structure of carbon tax research to identify major trends and influential contributors. Methodology: This study employs a bibliometric analysis of carbon tax–related publications indexed in the Scopus database from 1989 to 2023. Key indicators analysed include publication trends, leading institutions, influential authors, prominent journals, geographical distribution, and collaboration networks. Findings: The results show a significant increase in research output, particularly between 2008 and 2022. Major contributions come from institutions such as Tsinghua University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with Lin Boqiang and Gilbert E. Metcalf as leading authors. Energy Policy is the most influential journal, and strong international collaboration is evident. Contributions: This study provides a comprehensive overview of global carbon tax research, offering insights to support future research and evidence-based climate policy development. Keywords: Carbon tax, carbon pricing, CO2 tax, emission tax, climate policy. Cite as: Jamaluddin, N. A. A., Khairuddin, N. A., Somasuntharam, R. S., Palil, M. R., & Azemi, A. (2026). Decades of carbon tax research: Insights from a bibliometric analysis of Scopus data (1989-2023). Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(1), 116-140. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss1pp116-140