Mapping urban climate change research: Insights from 20 years of global research trends, thematic evolution, and future perspectives

Abstract

Urban climate change threatens rapidly growing cities, which are responsible for 60-75% of global greenhouse gas emissions. These cities face risks from urban heat islands (UHI) effects, extreme weather events, and socio-economic inequalities. Despite current research attention, a comprehensive synthesis of trends, knowledge gaps, and future directions remains limited. This study addresses this gap by conducting a dual-method analysis of 489 Scopus-indexed publications (2004-2024) using Bibliometrix and VOSviewer software. The findings revealed exponential publication growth (21.84% annual rate), driven by post-2015 climate agreements, with thematic evolution from foundational climate science to solution-oriented governance, nature-based solutions (NbS), and justice frameworks. Six clusters emerged: UHI dynamics, governance and equity, NbS integration, infrastructure resilience, sectoral adaptations, and regional inequalities. Although motor themes like urban adaptation and UHI dominate, niche areas (health impacts, urban climate resilience) and geographic inequities persist, with a limited representation of African and Latin American research despite high vulnerability. Key advances include methodological innovations in remote sensing, participatory governance models, and recognition of migrants’ climate marginality. However, fragmented institutional coordination, epistemic injustices in NbS implementation, and policy-replication challenges hinder progress. This review calls for equity-focused, interdisciplinary, and South-South collaborations to better inform inclusive, resilient urban climate strategies.