Analyzing Environmental Public Interest Litigation Research (2003-2023) Through Bibliometrics and CiteSpace: The Perspective of China

Abstract

Environmental public interest litigation serves as an effective mechanism for environmental protection. A comprehensive literature review in environmental public interest litigation holds significant implications for both practical applications and theoretical advancements. This study utilized CiteSpace analysis software to examine the research hotspots and evolving trends in this field based on 978 articles from the CNKI database (839 articles) and the Web of Science core collection (139 articles) published between 2003 and 2023. The results indicated: (1) In terms of publication volume, the field of environmental public interest litigation in both China and abroad has undergone three phases: an initial exploration phase, a phase of steady development, and a phase characterized by fluctuations in growth or decline. (2) Regarding institutional collaborations, research alliances between Chinese and international institutions in this domain are relatively limited. (3) From keyword co-occurrence and keyword burst perspective, both domestic and international studies predominately focus on “public participation”, and burst keywords such as “plaintiff qualifications” and “environmental jurisprudence” continue to be central themes in Chinese publications. (4) Keyword Time-Zone map reveals that shifts in research hotspots closely align with advancements in legal regulations within the practice sector. This study extends prior work by temporal scope, literature breadth, and issue depth, summarizing the environmental public interest litigation research under different backgrounds thereby providing advice for future development in China.