New Paper Published! A Systematic Scoping Review of Biogas as an Instrumental Technology for a Circular Economy and a Way Forward to Ensure Sustainable Development in the Context of Global South Nations
BioResources and Technology Division (BRT) junior researcher and PhD student Tewodros Tarekegn Lapiso and BRT Director Assoc Prof. Dr. Hynek Roubík recently published an article in the Sustainable Development journal!
Biogas technology leverages natural microorganisms to degrade organic waste via anaerobic digestion, converting waste into energy and fertilizer without the presence of oxygen. This approach supports circular economy principles by managing resources, circulating products and resources, and improving system efficiency, contributing to sustainable development. It is a viable solution for Global South Nations facing energy and fertilizer shortages and challenges in achieving sustainable development.
Therefore, this review examines trends in employing research methods, themes, and inquiries connecting biogas technology with circular economy and sustainable development, focused on the Global South, in peer-reviewed articles from 1988 to 2024. The PRISMA 2020 protocol ensures quality selection and appraisal, using manual interpretative coding and bibliometric analysis.
The findings include:
- Included articles: 43 peer-reviewed articles qualified from 3710 search results.
- Methodological trend: 67% used quantitative methods, 26% mixed, and 11% qualitative.
- Thematic trends: Circular economy and sustainable development combined dominate with 40%, sustainable development alone 37%, and circular economy 23% which is even difficult to find in a bibliometric analysis as a theme.
- Global South contribution and publication trend: 21 of 31 lead nations in publishing are from the Global South, with an increasing trend from 2007, except for decreases in 2015–2016 and 2020.
Overall, the study highlights the need for balanced research methods combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. This integration will improve understanding of biogas's role in sustainable development, the circular economy, and SDGs in the Global South. Additional research is needed to support these findings. Policies should align with CE and SD frameworks to boost innovation, efficiency, and collaboration among stakeholders, with clear roles and obligations, tailored to the socio-economic contexts of Global South Nations using a bottom-up approach.
Citation:
Lapiso, T. T., and Roubik. H. 2025. A Systematic Scoping Review of Biogas as an Instrumental Technology for a Circular Economy and a Way Forward to Ensure Sustainable Development in the Context of Global South Nations. Sustainable Development 1–33. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.70080.
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