Research progress on low-carbon technologies for comprehensive land consolidation in China: A bibliometric analysis based on patents and academic literature

Low-carbon technologies serve as a key pathway for unlocking the emission reduction and carbon sequestration potential of comprehensive land consolidation, playing a vital role in advancing China's "dual carbon" goals. However, a systematic review of low-carbon technologies for comprehensive land consolidation in China remains lacking. With the research boundary of low-carbon technologies for comprehensive land consolidation clearly defined, this study conducted a bibliometric analysis of patents and academic literature to systematically examine key technical areas, development stages, research actors and modes, and research hotspots, thereby synthesizing major technological progress and future trends.The results show that: (1) Research on low-carbon technologies for comprehensive land consolidation mainly focuses on three directions: agricultural land consolidation, construction land consolidation, and ecological protection and restoration. The key technical areas include soil improvement, irrigation and drainage, demolition and reconstruction, rural human settlement enhancement, and water environment management. (2) The development of these technologies is closely aligned with China's land consolidation practices. It has undergone a slow stage from 1996 to 2006, a steady growth stage from 2007 to 2016, and a rapid growth stage from 2017 to 2024. The research focus has continuously broadened in line with the deepening conceptual connotations of land consolidation. (3) Although the technical system has been preliminarily established, further efforts are needed to strengthen research and innovation in emerging and underdeveloped areas, and to enhance the functional adaptability and systemic coordination of key technical areas. In the future, it is imperative to establish a synergistic mechanism integrating patent research and development, pilot application, and academic evaluation, so as to continuously advance the innovation, application and transformation of low-carbon technologies for comprehensive land consolidation, thereby providing a scientific and feasible pathway to support the realization of China's "dual carbon" goals.