Advancements, Dynamics, and Future Directions in Rural Environmental Governance Research in China

Abstract

Rural environmental governance serves as the foundational pillar of national governance, intricately linked to the modernization of agriculture and rural areas, as well as the cultivation of rural culture. Furthermore, it plays a pivotal role in fostering industrial prosperity, ensuring effective governance, and elevating living standards. This study employs a range of sophisticated software tools, including VOSviewer, Bibliometrix, and ArcGIS, among others, to analyze and construct a comprehensive knowledge map encompassing 3370 research articles focused on rural environmental governance, sourced from the CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) and WOS (Web of Science) databases. This analytical endeavor delves into research themes, key areas of interest, developmental milestones, and emerging trends within the realm of rural environmental governance, thereby shedding light on the overarching trajectory of research endeavors in this domain within China. The findings reveal distinct phases in the evolution of research trends in the Chinese rural environmental governance literature, encompassing four distinct epochs: a period of sluggish growth (2002–2009), a phase of accelerated expansion (2009–2014), a span marked by stable and rapid advancement (2014–2021), and a recent period characterized by fluctuating decline (2021–2022). Moreover, the analysis highlights a burgeoning diversity in the distribution of relevant research disciplines. However, it is noteworthy that there exists a scarcity of highly prolific authors, and the formation of cohesive research teams has encountered challenges, underscoring significant deficiencies in research collaboration and academic discourse. As a prospective direction, future research should be tailored to the unique natural resources and socio-human characteristics intrinsic to different regions. It should also emphasize interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary investigations, with a focal point on economically disadvantaged regions situated in the central and western parts of the nation. Such an approach aims to bolster the overall caliber of domestic research endeavors in the field of rural environmental governance.