Trend Analysis of Research in International Environmental Law Based on Web of Science Data and Scientific Mapping

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.

2 Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

10.22091/ethc.2026.13983.1069

Abstract

Objective: International environmental law plays a crucial role in protecting the planet and addressing emerging environmental challenges. This study aimed to identify the scientific structure, thematic trends, and key contributors in the field of international environmental law through science mapping and bibliometric analysis of publications indexed in the Web of Science database, thereby providing insights into the field’s intellectual landscape and research gaps.
Methods: This applied bibliometric study analyzed 789 documents indexed in the Web of Science database. Data analysis and scientific mapping were performed using Microsoft Excel, VOSviewer, and UCINET.
Results: The findings revealed that scientific production in this field has fluctuated over the years but has generally followed a positive upward trend. The United States, with 125 publications, the University of London, with 25 publications, and Kotzé, L. J., with 17 publications, were identified as the most productive country, institution, and author, respectively. Keyword co-occurrence cluster analysis identified seven major thematic clusters. Following international environmental law, the keywords climate change and environment were the most frequently occurring terms.
Conclusion: Given the long-standing history of research in international environmental law and the increasing global attention to environmental issues, scientific output in this field has shown a sustained upward trend. Furthermore, future research is expected to increasingly explore the intersections of international environmental law with disciplines such as economics, trade, technology, and public policy.

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References

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