Climate change and health in the Global South: A scientometric analysis

Research on the effects of climate change on human health is essential for developing efficient mitigation and adaptation strategies in the face of an uncertain future. Although the health effects of climate change affect everyone, they have a major impact in the Global South. Consequently, there has been a notable rise in focus on research in this area in recent years, leading to a surge in publications. A scientometric analysis was conducted to create evidence maps that delve into the research regarding climate change and health in the Global South. This study reviewed 206 related articles from the Web of Science and Scopus databases from 2016 to 2024 to comprehend and visualise publication trends, current research focal points, the extent of collaboration among scholars, and potential avenues for future research. Networks and interactive visualisations were made using VOSviewer and the Highcharter R package. The number of publications from the Global South remains comparatively low, with a substantial portion originating primarily from Brazil, India, China and South Africa. Researchers in the Global South exhibit minimal collaboration among themselves. The primary research themes are climate resilience, causal factors, health impacts, energy transition, governance and urban sustainability.