Exploring Knowledge Domain and Emerging Trends in Climate Change and Environmental Audit: A Scientometric Review

Abstract

Environmental audit is inevitably linked to climate change, one immediate target of the auditors is likely to be climate control, and the warming of the Earth and the consequent climatic changes affect us all. What is the link between environmental audit and climate change? What ties together some of these themes between environmental audit and climate change? The interaction between climate change and environmental audit has been one of the most challenging. In this paper, a scientometric analysis of 84 academic publications between 2013 and 2021 related to climate change and environmental audit is presented to characterize the knowledge domain by using the CiteSpace visualization software. First, we present the number of publications, the number of citations, research categories, and journals published through Web of Science database. Secondly, we analyze countries, authors, and journals with outstanding contributions through network analysis. Finally, we use keyword analysis and apply three types of knowledge mapping to our research, cluster view, timeline view, and time zone view, revealing the focus and future directions. We identify the most important topic in the field of climate change and environment audit as represented on the basis of existing literature data which include the Carbon Emissions, Social Capital, Energy Audit, Corporate Governance, Diffusion of Innovation Environmental Management System, and Audit Committee. The results show that climate change and environmental audit publications grew slowly, but the research are widely cited by scholars. Published journals are relatively scattered, but the cited journals are the world’s top journals, and most research countries are developed countries. The most productive authors and institutions in this subject area are in UK, Australia, USA, Spain, and Netherlands. There are no leading figures, but the content of their research can be divided into six clusters. Future research content involving city, policy, dynamics, information, biodiversity, conservation and clustering social capital, diffusion of innovation environmental management, and audit committee are the directions for future research. It is worth noting that cities, policies, and adaptability are closely linked to public health.

The Impact of Rationalization and Upgrading of Industrial Structure on Carbon Emissions in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration

“…(1) The regression results of Models (1), ( 2), ( 5) and (6) show that the rationalization of industrial structure of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration is positively correlated with carbon emissions. According to the regression data, every 1% decrease in industrial structure rationalization index will decrease carbon emissions by 0.057% to 0.068%.…”

“…In this section, in the literature exploration of "Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Jing-Jin-Ji)" research published in SCI journals, we used the CiteSpace software to conduct keyword clustering analysis on 884 pieces of literature in the Web of Science database [6]. We selected the LLR algorithm to generate a keyword clustering map (Figure 1).…”

Investigating the Relationship between Economic Growth, Institutional Environment and Sulphur Dioxide Emissions

“…Tables 3 4 carry out the regression test for model (1) and model (2). Although the test results are statistically significant, we still need to be cautious about the previous research conclusions.…”

“…In order to test the interaction effect, the multiplier of institutional environment, GDP and per capita GDP is added to model (1). In model (2), the multiplier of government intervention level, GDP and per capita GDP is added. In addition, we control the difference between the total population (LNP) and the year.…”

“…The material living conditions of people have substantially improved due to the rapid advancement of science, technology, and industrialization, and the environmental effects of human activity are becoming more pronounced. Some areas unilaterally pursue economic expansion at the expense of the environment and natural resources [2]. The substantial threat posed by global climate change to human life and progress has drawn the attention of the international community.…”