Bibliometric Analysis Maps Global Storm and Climate Research

A comprehensive bibliometric study published in Environmental Sciences Europe has mapped the global landscape of scientific research concerning storms in the context of climate change, with a specific focus on tropical storms. The analysis, conducted by researchers including Doris Klingelhöfer and David A. Groneberg, examines 4,694 articles retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection between 1991 and 2025. The study aims to provide scientific background information on previous efforts and identify trends, needs, drivers, and barriers in this multidisciplinary field. By analyzing publication patterns, geographical distributions, and funding sources, the research offers a critical assessment of how the international scientific community is responding to the increasing frequency and intensity of storm-related disasters.

The methodology employed in this study utilizes the New Quality and Quantity Indices in Science (NewQIS) platform to process bibliometric data. The search strategy combined synonyms for storms, such as hurricane, tornado, and cyclone, with climate change-related terminology in the title, keywords, and abstracts of the articles. This approach ensured the retrieval of a comprehensive and representative dataset, minimizing the inclusion of unrelated studies. The researchers normalized institutional affiliations and funding sources to accurately assign country-specific data, which was then cross-referenced with socioeconomic indices and epidemiological data from sources like Our World in Data and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The results indicate that the United States and China are the principal scientific players in this domain. The USA leads with 1,951 articles and 75,605 citations, followed by China with 945 articles and 19,325 citations. The UK, Australia, and Germany round out the top five countries in terms of publication volume. However, the relative share of Chinese research output has increased remarkably, growing from a negligible percentage in the early 1990s to 22.49% in the most recent evaluation period. In contrast, the US share has remained stable between 30 and 40% across all five-year intervals, while the shares for the UK and Canada have shown a slight downward trend.

Citation rates reveal a different hierarchy of scientific impact. Germany leads in citation rate with a value of 43.09, followed by the Netherlands, the USA, Japan, and Switzerland. This suggests that while the US and China produce the highest volume of research, European countries are generating work that is highly recognized and cited within the global scientific community. The study highlights that European countries, despite having a moderate risk of tropical storms, maintain well-established scientific infrastructure for climate research, contributing significantly to major international studies and modeling efforts.

When ranked by socioeconomic indicators, the picture shifts again. New Zealand and Australia top the rankings for the ratio of articles to gross domestic product, indicating high research efficiency relative to their economic size. Australia also leads in the ratio of articles to population size. These findings suggest that smaller nations with specific regional interests in storm-related climate change are investing disproportionately in this research area. The study notes that these countries have distinct regional interests, such as the threat to coral reefs in Australia and the impact of storm surges on coastal areas in New Zealand.

The analysis of storm-related fatalities reveals a significant discrepancy between the countries most affected by storms and their scientific output. Bangladesh and Myanmar reported the highest number of storm-related deaths between 1990 and 2024, with over 100,000 victims each. Myanmar, with only one article on storm-related climate change, exhibits the highest ratio of casualties to research output. In contrast, Israel tops the list for the number of articles per storm-related death, followed by Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Portugal, and Denmark. This disparity underscores the urgent need for globally supported regional programs to address the vulnerabilities of low-income countries that are severely affected by storms but have limited research capacity.

International collaboration in this field has grown steadily, with 31.86% of the analyzed articles being internationally co-authored. The US and China have the closest research collaboration, with 231 joint articles. However, the US share of international cooperation is relatively low at 27.47%, compared to 73% for the UK and 70.25% for Germany. Research in lower economies is primarily characterized by international cooperation, highlighting the importance of global networking. The most publishing institutions include the Chinese Academy of Science, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, reflecting the strong institutional support for this research.

Funding for storm-related climate change research is also highly international, with 86 countries or regional areas providing grants. The USA is the most supportive country, providing 3,162 grants, predominantly from government sources. China follows with 1,991 grants, 94% of which are governmental. The European Union and the United Nations also contribute significantly, with 309 and 16 grants respectively. The US National Science Foundation is the single largest funder, providing 1,138 grants, followed by the National Natural Science Foundation of China with 568 grants. This funding landscape indicates a strong governmental commitment to understanding and mitigating the impacts of climate change on storm behavior.

The thematic focus of the research is dominated by meteorology and atmospheric sciences, with 1,565 articles assigned to this category. Environmental sciences and ecology follow with 1,340 articles, a category that is increasing in share over time. Keyword analysis reveals four main clusters: modeling and simulation of tropical cyclone intensification, vulnerability and adaptation management, impacts and damages, and storm surge and sea level rise. The modeling cluster is the oldest and most cited, while the vulnerability and adaptation cluster is more recent and growing in importance. This shift reflects the increasing focus on societal resilience and adaptation strategies in response to changing storm patterns.

The study highlights that Hurricane Katrina in 2005 significantly increased the number of publications on storm-related climate change, marking a turning point in the field. Subsequent storms like Sandy and Harvey further boosted research activity. The disproportionate increase in annual publications since 2002, compared to the general scientific literature, underscores the growing urgency of this research area. The study concludes that while significant progress has been made, there is an urgent need for stronger collaboration among universities, research institutions, and forecasting centers, particularly to integrate data from high-risk, low-income countries into global scientific networks.

The findings emphasize that the relationship between storms and climate change is complex, involving factors such as rising sea surface temperatures, increased atmospheric moisture, and changes in wind shear. These factors contribute to the intensification of storms, increased precipitation, and rising sea levels, which amplify societal vulnerability, especially in densely populated coastal regions. The study advocates for improved modeling, observation networks, and attribution science to better understand and respond to these changes. By providing a detailed background on the global research landscape, this study aims to guide future research and adaptation planning, ensuring that scientific efforts are aligned with the most pressing needs of vulnerable communities.

Limitations of the study include the reliance on bibliometric data from the Web of Science Core Collection, which may not capture all relevant research, particularly in non-English languages or in regions with limited digital access. The geographical analysis was limited to 99.62% of the articles due to missing affiliation data. Despite these limitations, the study provides a robust framework for understanding the dynamics of global research on storm-related climate change, offering valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders involved in disaster risk management and climate adaptation.

The study distinguishes between the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones, noting that while evidence for an increase in the total number of storms is not robust, their intensity is increasing. Warmer air holds more water vapor, increasing the latent heat available in the atmosphere and contributing to storm intensification. Rising sea surface temperatures further reduce surface air pressure, intensifying circulation. Although the frequency of tropical cyclones is currently decreasing, their destructive power is expected to continue increasing due to global warming, characterized by higher precipitation amounts, rapid intensification, and slower movement speeds. The highest intensity of tropical cyclones has also shifted toward the poles, reaching regions previously unaffected. These storms can transform into extratropical cyclones, a process known as extratropical transition, which complicates long-term trend assessments due to the small-scale dynamical characteristics of these systems.

Extratropical cyclones draw energy from the interaction of air masses with different temperatures or humidity levels, typically forming in mid- or high latitudes. While their frequency in storm-track regions is projected to decrease globally, the occurrence of extreme extratropical cyclones is likely to increase during Northern Hemisphere winters. In the Mediterranean region, so-called Medicanes, which are morphologically similar to tropical cyclones with a spiral structure and an eye, have formed, such as Ianos in Greece in 2020 and Daniel in Libya in 2023. The latter resulted in more than 10,000 fatalities. These events highlight the complex relationship between storms and climate change, where seasonal and geographical expansions result in storms reaching new areas and causing significant damage.

The economic impact of these storms is substantial, with costs influenced by both climatic changes and societal shifts. Tourism-dependent regions, particularly in developing countries, may experience severe income losses. The insured share of economic losses from storms is higher in countries with established catastrophe risk insurance programs. For storm-related damages, countries including the USA, France, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland exhibit an insured share of 58.8%, compared with 49.7% in countries without such programs. This difference is smaller than for other natural hazards like floods and earthquakes. The study emphasizes that low-lying coastal areas and developing countries with limited preparedness are particularly vulnerable. Improved modeling, observation networks, and attribution science are essential to understanding these changes and responding to the amplifying societal vulnerability in densely populated coastal regions.

Subject of Research: Bibliometric analysis of global research on storms and climate change

Article Title: Global research on storms in the context of climate change: a critical assessment with a focus on tropical storms

Article References: Klingelhöfer, D., Braun, M., Kramer, I. M., Brüggmann, D., & Groneberg, D. A. (2026). Global research on storms in the context of climate change: a critical assessment with a focus on tropical storms. Environmental Sciences Europe, 38(1), Article 172. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-026-01515-4

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12302-026-01515-4

Keywords: climate change, tropical storms, bibliometrics, research funding, international collaboration, disaster risk, meteorology, scientific publication, Global, research, storms, context