Bibliometric and systematic analysis of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation research: Thematic evolution and intellectual structure

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Agronomy and Agricultural Extension, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Abstract

The rising rate and severity of climate-related disasters have placed resilience as a key paradigm in the practice of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA). This paper is a mixed-method study that incorporates bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review to map the intellectual structure and thematic evolution of disaster and climate change resilience research in 2011-2025. We analyzed 83 Scopus-indexed documents (including 46 peer-reviewed articles) to measure trends in publications, collaboration networks, and thematic progressions, with a qualitative synthesis following PRISMA guidelines. Results indicate that the number of publications experienced geometric growth after 2018, due to international policy frameworks, including the Sendai Framework and the Paris Agreement. The field has a strong collaborative culture with 3.24 co-authors per document and an international co-authorship rate of 31.33%. The United States is also the most prolific contributor, with increasing influence shown by China, Australia, India, and South Africa. Thematic analysis shows that there was a conceptual shift between the early years (2016-2019), when there was a strong emphasis on adaptive management and adaptation, and integrated concepts of vulnerability (2020), resilience (2021), and climate resilience (2022), indicating a shift towards proactive capacity-building rather than reactive risk management. Although this has come to pass, there has continued to be a theory-practice gap, especially in the operationalization of resilience in context-specific settings. The study also shows that indigenous knowledge systems, gendered vulnerabilities, and Global South perspectives are underrepresented in the mainstream literature. The present study is a contribution to a comprehensive intellectual map of the field and the identification of priority areas of focus in translational research, inclusive resilience strategies, and policy interventions that bridge global frameworks with local realities. 

Graphical Abstract

Bibliometric and systematic analysis of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation research: Thematic evolution and intellectual structure

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Aitsi-Selmi, A., Egawa, S., Sasaki, H., Wannous, C., & Murray, V. (2015). The Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction: Renewing the global commitment to people’s resilience, health, and well-being. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 6(2), 164-176. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13753-015-0050-9
Amin, M. R., Islam, M. R., Shaili, S. J., Khatun, M. R., & Mahedi, M. (2025). Climate change and its impact: A review of global strategies for adaptation and mitigation. Journal of Agriculture and Ecology Research International, 26(4), 205-221. https://doi.org/10.9734/jaeri/2025/v26i4694
Aziz, M., & Anjum, G. (2024). Transformative strategies for enhancing women’s resilience to climate change: A policy perspective for low- and middle-income countries. Women’s Health, 20, 17455057241302032 https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057241302032
Britchenko, I. (2025). Climate change as a threat multiplier: Assessing its impact on resource scarcity, migration, and political instability. Politics & Security, 12(2), 41-58. https://doi.org/10.54658/ps.28153324.2025.12.2
Cutter, S. L., Boruff, B. J., & Shirley, W. L. (2003). Social vulnerability to environmental hazards. Social Science Quarterly, 84(2), 242-261. https://doi.org/10.1111/1540-6237.8402002
Gan, Y., Li, D., Robinson, N., & Liu, J. (2022). Practical guidance on bibliometric analysis and mapping knowledge domains methodology: A summary. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 56, 102203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2022.102203
Gosselin, L., & Gauquelin, M. (2025). Rethinking knowledge cumulation: Foregrounding epistemic justice in environmental governance research. Environmental Policy and Governance, 35(4), 729-743. https://doi.org/10.1002/eet.2168
Imani, M., Lo, S.-L., Fakour, H., Kuo, C.-Y., & Mobasser, S. (2021). Conceptual framework for disaster management in coastal cities using climate change resilience and coping ability. Atmosphere, 13(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13010016
Islam, M. M., Hasan, M., Mimpa, A. S., & Islam, A. R. M. T. (2025). Incorporation of intersectionality in climate adaptation governance with special emphasis on Bangladesh: A review. GeoJournal, 90(4), 184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-025-11435-0
Islam, M. N., Tamanna, S., Van Amstel, A., Noman, M., Ali, M. S. S., Aparajita, D. M., Roy, P., Tanha, S. R., Sarkar, N., Ashiquzzaman, M., Ghosh, S. K., Hasnat, S. R., Bhuiyan, M. F., Sayef, M., Saha, P., Hasan, G. R., & Ghosh, A. (2021). Climate change impact and comprehensive disaster management approach in Bangladesh: A review. In M. N. Islam & A. Van Amstel (Eds.), Bangladesh II: Climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation in developing countries (pp. 1-39). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71950-0_1
Kenney, C., Phibbs, S., Meo-Sewabu, L., Awatere, S., McCarthy, M., Kaiser, L., Harmsworth, G., Harcourt, N., Taylor, L., Douglas, N., & Kereopa, L. (2023). Indigenous approaches to disaster risk reduction, community sustainability, and climate change resilience. In S. Eslamian & F. Eslamian (Eds.), Disaster risk reduction for resilience (pp. 37-59). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22112-5_2
Khatun, M. R., Amin, M. R., Pervez, A. K. M. K., Mahedi, M., & Ahmmed, M. B. (2025). Adoption of climate-smart agriculture innovations in drought-prone regions: A global bibliometric review (2016–2025). Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, 43(7), 199-213. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajaees/2025/v43i72801
Kim, D., Kwag, S., Hahm, D., Kim, J., & Eem, S. (2024). Investigating natural disaster-related external events at nuclear power plants: Towards climate change resilience. International Journal of Energy Research, 2024, 3921093. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/3921093
Leal-Arcas, R., Almaniya, T., Alawdah, A., Alshehri, M., & Al-Ruwayshid, S. (2025). Adapting smart: Rethinking climate resilience through finance, security, and governance. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5402506
Leichenko, R. M. (2011). Climate change and urban resilience. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 3(3), 164-168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2010.12.014
Lucatello, S., & Alcántara-Ayala, I. (2023). Addressing the interplay of the Sendai framework with sustainable development goals in Latin America and the Caribbean: Moving forward or going backwards? Disaster Prevention and Management, 32(1), 206-233. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPM-07-2022-0152
Mahedi, M., Pervez, A. K. M. K., Rahman, S. M. M., Sheikh, M. M., & Shaili, S. J. (2025). Emerging trends in livelihood diversification in rural communities: A bibliometric and systematic review. Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, 43(4), 162-177. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajaees/2025/v43i42727
Majlingova, A., & Kádár, T. S. (2025). From risk to resilience: Integrating climate adaptation and disaster reduction in the pursuit of sustainable development. Sustainability, 17(12), 5447. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17125447
Naicker, M., Naidoo, D., Slotow, R., & Ngidi, M. S. C. (2025). Exploring the effect of climate change on food supply chains in Africa: A systematic review with a focus on South Africa. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 9, 1604839. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1604839
Ni’mah, N. M., Wibisono, B. H., & Roychansyah, M. S. (2021). Urban sustainability and resilience governance: Review from the perspective of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. Journal of Regional and City Planning, 32(1), 83-98. https://doi.org/10.5614/jpwk.2021.32.1.6
Ramya, A., Poornima, R., Karthikeyan, G., Priyatharshini, S., Thanuja, K. G., & Dhevagi, P. (2023). Climate-induced and geophysical disasters and risk reduction management in mountain regions. In S. Sharma, J. C. Kuniyal, P. Chand., & P. Singh (Eds.), Climate change adaptation, risk management and sustainable practices in the Himalaya (pp. 361-405). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24659-3_16
Rana, I. A. (2020). Disaster and climate change resilience: A bibliometric analysis. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 50, 101839. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101839
Sheikh, M. M., & Pervez, A. K. M. K. (2025). Climate change and agriculture in Bangladesh: Impacts and adaptation strategies. Bangladesh Journal of Agriculture, 50(1), 132-148. https://doi.org/10.3329/bjagri.v50i1.82943
Siriporananon, S., & Visuthismajarn, P. (2018). Key success factors of disaster management policy: A case study of the Asian cities climate change resilience network in Hat Yai city, Thailand. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 39(2), 269-276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kjss.2018.01.005
Turner, M. G., Calder, W. J., Cumming, G. S., Hughes, T. P., Jentsch, A., LaDeau, S. L., Lenton, T. M., Shuman, B. N., Turetsky, M. R., Ratajczak, Z., Williams, J. W., Williams, A. P., & Carpenter, S. R. (2020). Climate change, ecosystems and abrupt change: Science priorities. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 375(1794), 20190105. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2019.0105
Zamiri, M., & Esmaeili, A. (2024). Methods and technologies for supporting knowledge sharing within learning communities: A systematic literature review. Administrative Sciences, 14(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci14010017
Iran Agricultural Research
Volume 45, Issue 2
Issue in Progress
2026
Pages 52-61

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics