Local Environment

Top Research Topics at Local Environment?

The main research concerns discussed in the journal are Environmental resource management, Sustainability, Economic growth, Environmental planning and Sustainable development. In the journal, Climate change, Corporate governance, Environmental justice, Vulnerability and Process (engineering) are investigated in conjunction with one another to address concerns in Environmental resource management research. The Climate change study tackling the subject of Political economy of climate change is the focus of the journal.

The concepts on Sustainability presented in the journal can also apply to other research fields, including Public relations and Public administration. Public administration research discussed connects with the study of Politics. Most of the works presented in the journal deals with Politics but it intersects with the subject of Political economy.

Research on Economic growth addressed in the journal frequently intersections with the field of Government.

• Environmental resource management (25.33%)
• Sustainability (22.47%)
• Economic growth (15.89%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

• Overcoming the ‘value‐action gap’ in environmental policy: Tensions between national policy and local experience (721 citations)
• Public Participation and Local Environmental Planning: The collective action problem and the potential of social capital (412 citations)
• Looking Back and Thinking Ahead: A Decade of Cities and Climate Change Research (392 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at Local Environment:

The journal articles tackle a plethora of topics, such as Environmental resource management, Sustainability, Economic growth, Politics and Climate change. While Environmental resource management is the focus of the most cited articles, it also provides insights into the studies of Public economics, Environmental planning, Corporate governance, Government and Process (engineering). Issues in Sustainability were discussed in the published papers, taking into consideration concepts from other disciplines like Urban density, Environmental ethics and Sustainable development.

What topics the last edition of the journal is best known for?

• Law
• Ecology
• China

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

Local Environment focuses on Environmental planning, Climate change, Sustainability, Corporate governance and Economic growth. Environmental planning research featured in Local Environment incorporates concerns from various other topics such as Indigenous, Informal settlements, Environmental governance, Urban sustainability and Sustainable development. Local Environment addresses concerns in Climate change which are intertwined with other disciplines, such as Perception and Socioeconomics.

It holds forums on Sustainability that merges themes from other disciplines such as Economic Justice and Environmental ethics. The study on Corporate governance presented in it intersects with subjects under the field of Environmental justice. The studies in Informal sector under the umbrella field of Economic growth overlap with concepts in Global South.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

• Solar photovoltaic energy infrastructures, land use and sociocultural context in Portugal (5 citations)
• Justice and power relations in urban greening: can Lisbon’s urban greening strategies lead to more environmental justice? (5 citations)
• Intercultural cities: policy and practice for a new era: by Bob W. White, Switzerland, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018, $180 (Hardback and eBook), ISBN 978-3319626024 (3 citations)

Papers citation over time

A key indicator for each journal is its effectiveness in reaching other researchers with the papers published at that venue.

The chart below presents the interquartile range (first quartile 25%, median 50% and third quartile 75%) of the number of citations of articles over time.

Top authors and change over time

The top authors publishing in Local Environment (based on the number of publications) are:

• Julian Agyeman (19 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition the same number as at the previous edition,
• Bob Evans (15 papers) absent at the last edition,
• Yvonne Rydin (9 papers) absent at the last edition,
• Gordon Walker (8 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition,
• John I. Gilderbloom (8 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top authors publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top authors.

Top affiliations and change over time

Only papers with recognized affiliations are considered

The top affiliations publishing in Local Environment (based on the number of publications) are:

• Cardiff University (21 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition,
• University of Manchester (21 papers) absent at the last edition,
• University of British Columbia (19 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition the same number as at the previous edition,
• University of Toronto (19 papers) absent at the last edition,
• Royal Institute of Technology (17 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition, 1 more than at the previous edition.

The overall trend for top affiliations publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top affiliations.

Publication chance based on affiliation

The publication chance index shows the ratio of articles published by the best research institutions in the journal edition to all articles published within that journal. The best research institutions were selected based on the largest number of articles published during all editions of the journal.

The chart below presents the percentage ratio of articles from top institutions (based on their ranking of total papers).Top affiliations were grouped by their rank into the following tiers: top 1-10, top 11-20, top 21-50, and top 51+. Only articles with a recognized affiliation are considered.

During the most recent 2021 edition, 4.85% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 10.20% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 7.14% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 18.37% of all publications and 64.29% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors Index

A very common phenomenon observed among researchers publishing scientific articles is the intentional selection of journals they have already attended in the past. In particular, it is worth analyzing the case when the authors participate in the same journal from year to year.

The Returning Authors Index presented below illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year.

Returning Institution Index

The graph below shows the Returning Institution Index, illustrating the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

The experience to innovation index

Our experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The index includes the authors publishing at the last edition of a journal, grouped by total number of publications throughout their academic career (P) and the total number of citations of these publications ever received (C).

The group intervals were selected empirically to best show the diversity of the authors' experiences, their labels were selected as a convenience, not as judgment. The authors were divided into the following groups:

• Novice - P < 5 or C < 25 (the number of publications less than 5 or the number of citations less than 25),
• Competent - P < 10 or C < 100 (the number of publications less than 10 or the number of citations less than 100),
• Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625 (the number of publications less than 25 or the number of citations less than 625),
• Master - P < 50 or C < 2500 (the number of publications less than 50 or the number of citations less than 2500),
• Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500 (both the number of publications greater than 50 and the number of citations greater than 2500).

The chart below illustrates experience levels of first authors in cases of publications with multiple authors.

Career Opportunities and Education Pathways in Environmental Research

For those interested in contributing to the vital field of environmental research, there are a variety of career paths to consider. Pursuing a career in this domain may require specialized education and training, depending on the specific role. For instance, becoming a marriage and family therapist with a focus on the impacts of environmental changes on family units and relationships can be an attractive route for those interested in the intersection of psychology and environmental science. This role often involves working with families affected by environmental crises, including climate change-induced stress and displacement. To become a marriage and family therapist in Virginia, certain education and licensure requirements must be met, which can be explored in detail in our article on how to become a marriage and family therapist in Virginia. Alternatively, roles in environmental planning and sustainability can be attractive for those with interests in urban development and policy making. Careers in these disciplines often involve working closely with government entities, non-profits, and private companies to ensure that growth and development initiatives are environmentally sustainable. Whether you decide to pursue a career as a marriage and family therapist, an environmental planner, or any other role in this expansive field, having a strong educational foundation in both the social and physical sciences is key. No matter the path, a career in environmental research is a rewarding way to make a direct impact on our world and its future.