Climate Change Research in View of Bibliometrics (1602.03834v2)

Abstract: This bibliometric study of a large publication set dealing with research on climate change aims at mapping the relevant literature from a bibliometric perspective and presents a multitude of quantitative data: (1) The growth of the overall publication output as well as (2) of some major subfields, (3) the contributing journals and countries as well as their citation impact, and (4) a title word analysis aiming to illustrate the time evolution and relative importance of specific research topics. The study is based on 222,060 papers published between 1980 and 2014. The total number of papers shows a strong increase with a doubling every 5-6 years. Continental biomass related research is the major subfield, closely followed by climate modeling. Research dealing with adaptation, mitigation, risks, and vulnerability of global warming is comparatively small, but their share of papers increased exponentially since 2005. Research on vulnerability and on adaptation published the largest proportion of very important papers. Research on climate change is quantitatively dominated by the USA, followed by the UK, Germany, and Canada. The citation-based indicators exhibit consistently that the UK has produced the largest proportion of high impact papers compared to the other countries (having published more than 10,000 papers). The title word analysis shows that the term climate change comes forward with time. Furthermore, the term impact arises and points to research dealing with the various effects of climate change. Finally, the term model and related terms prominently appear independent of time, indicating the high relevance of climate modeling.

• The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of 222,060 climate change publications from 1980 to 2014, highlighting rapid growth trends.
• It employs bibliometric methods to quantify publication rates, subfield distributions, and top-cited research on adaptation and vulnerability.
• The study underscores interdisciplinary impacts and guides future policy and research priorities in climate change science.

Bibliometric Analysis of Climate Change Research

The paper by Haunschild, Bornmann, and Marx presents a comprehensive bibliometric paper of climate change research, encompassing a broad dataset of 222,060 papers published between 1980 and 2014. The paper offers a quantitative overview of the evolution and scope of literature within this domain, focusing on publication growth, distribution across subfields, journal contributions, national outputs, and an analysis of research topics based on title words.

Key Findings and Numerical Insights

The paper reveals a significant increase in climate change research publications, doubling approximately every 5-6 years since 1991, a rate much higher than the general scientific output, which doubles every 24 years. This surge is closely associated with the growing influence of the IPCC Assessment Reports, which highlighted the pressing need for enhanced understanding and mitigation of climate change impacts.

Continental biomass research emerges as the largest subfield, closely followed by climate modeling. In terms of citation impact, research on vulnerability and adaptation produced the most papers in the top 1% of citations, demonstrating their critical significance within the field. The paper also highlights the interdisciplinary reach of climate change research, showing substantial growth in disciplines beyond the natural sciences, particularly engineering and social sciences.

The Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal of Climate, and Geophysical Research Letters are the leading journals in terms of volume; however, Nature, although lower in publication count, shows exceptional citation impact. Nationally, the USA leads in research output, followed by the UK, Germany, and Canada. The UK, Switzerland, Denmark, and the Netherlands stand out for their high citation impact, each demonstrating significant influence in the field.

Implications for Future Research and Policy

The findings underline the dynamic and expanding nature of climate change research, with implications for resource allocation, policy development, and the strategic planning of future research endeavors. The exponential increase in publications, particularly in adaptation and vulnerability, suggests a shift towards preparing societies for the realities of climate impacts. The data also demonstrate the value of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing climate change, encouraging collaboration across scientific, engineering, and social domains.

The paper suggests further bibliometric analyses could focus on the detailed impacts of climate change on specific sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. These insights would not only deepen understanding of the impacts but also guide the formulation of targeted adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Concluding Remarks

This bibliometric paper contributes significantly to the understanding of climate change research dynamics over several decades. By systematically mapping the growth and impact of research within this pivotal area, it serves as a vital resource for researchers and policymakers aiming to tackle the myriad challenges posed by climate change. Moving forward, the insights from bibliometric analyses can inform the development of robust scientific agendas and policies equipped to mitigate and adapt to ongoing global climatic transformations.