A Bibliometric Analysis of Climate Journalism Research in English-Language Publications

Abstract

Climate change is one of the most pressing global challenges, with significant environmental and societal implications. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and natural disasters threaten sustainable development and compel societies to adopt diverse adaptation strategies. In this context, public awareness and accurate information dissemination are crucial not only for individual behavioral change but also for supporting policy-making processes. Media and journalism play a central role in this regard. Science, environmental, and climate journalism contribute to making complex information accessible, while digital platforms and social media enhance the visibility of climate issues, shaping public understanding and responses. This study employs bibliometric methods to systematically map the development of climate journalism research between 1990 and 2025. It identifies key research themes, publication trends, prominent authors and countries, collaborative networks, and keyword co-occurrences. Findings highlight the evolution of the field, revealing a shift from early risk- and uncertainty-focused studies to more recent research emphasizing science communication, public engagement, adaptation strategies, and media framing. This analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the field's structural and thematic dynamics and offers insights for future research in journalism studies on climate change reporting.