Evolving Research Dynamics at the Climate–Migration Nexus: A Global Bibliometric Analysis (1995–2024)

Abstract

Climate change is increasingly recognized as a critical driver of human mobility, with environmental stressors such as droughts, flooding and sea-level rise shaping migration patterns globally. Despite substantial scholarly attention, research on climate-induced migration remains fragmented across disciplines and geographies. This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global literature on climate-induced migration from 1995 to 2024, employing 1,980 publications retrieved from the Dimensions database. Analytical methods included performance analysis, co-authorship network mapping, source citation analysis, institutional collaboration profiling, and keyword co-occurrence mapping, implemented via Biblioshiny and VOSviewer. Results reveal a marked surge in research output post-2019, with the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany dominating publication volume and citation impact. India ranks fourth in output but exhibits limited international collaboration. Key intellectual clusters are identified around prominent scholars such as Clark Gray, Robert McLeman, and Caroline Zickgraf. Keyword analysis highlights central themes including “displacement,” “drought,” and “livelihood,” reflecting the field’s focus on rural vulnerability and adaptive capacity. Thematic evolution indicates a shift from deterministic “environmental refugee” narratives toward household-centered adaptation frameworks and climate justice paradigms. The study underscores structural disparities between empirical foci in the Global South and intellectual authority in the Global North, proposing pathways to foster South-South collaborations and integrate mobility research into climate adaptation policies. Findings provide a systematic taxonomy of climate-migration scholarship, supporting evidence-based policy-making and guiding future interdisciplinary research.