Evolutionary Trends in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Research in Agriculture and Social Sciences: A Scientometric Review

Climate change is a global problem that threatens the global economy and the environment. Universities are in a research-strategic position to develop climate change education (CCE) to meet the scientific, social, environmental, and political challenges the world faces. This study explores research on climate change education (CCE), an important area of research in universities and the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), which connects academics and practitioners seeking climate change solutions. In total, 256 articles from 169 sources written by 902 researchers were retrieved from Clarivate Analytics, Web of Science (WoS), and Elsevier’s Scopus databases. Data analysis was performed using Biblioshiny. Specific data sources were employed to extract data from the period 2001–2022, with title algorithms and keywords used in the search. Articles were limited to those investigating climate change from the perspective of agriculture and the social sciences, and written in English. The articles addressed mitigation and adaptation innovations related to climate change, and their impact on livelihood patterns, environmental effects, and coping strategies. Over the 20-year study period, CCAM publications grew at an annual growth rate of 16.99%. The USA and the UK were the leading countries both in terms of total number of publications and total citations. The study identifies several areas that require further research, particularly with regard to livelihood patterns among vulnerable communities. The study recommends a multidisciplinary approach to research, the incorporation of climate change considerations into more university courses, and the integration of efforts among researchers, governance structures, partnerships, and funding mechanisms.