Integrating Natural Capital, Ecosystem Services, and Urban Planning a Bibliometric Review for Trends, Gaps, and Policy Alignment

This paper investigates the co-occurrence of three keywords— natural capital, ecosystem services, and urban planning—in academic research, highlighting how addressing these interconnected concepts can contribute to promoting sustainable urban regeneration. This aligns with the European Union’s goals of reducing regional disparities and fostering sustainable development. The study provides a comprehensive bibliometric review of trends from 2000 to 2024, analysing key shifts in academic focus driven by global and regional policy milestones, including the Paris Agreement, the EU Biodiversity Strategy, and the European Green Deal. Findings suggest that while the concepts of ecosystem services and urban planning, as well as ecosystem services and natural capital, are well-established in academic discourse, the full integration of natural capital with urban planning remains fragmented. The analysis reveals that the integration of all three concepts has gained traction in recent years. This paper emphasizes how AI and data-driven approaches can be applied to uncover deeper insights into patterns and trends in academic research. The findings can assist in steering future studies towards a more effective integration of these concepts.