DefinePK

Abstract

Environmental literacy has become a central concept in education and sustainability debates, yet its research trajectory remains fragmented across disciplines and regions. This study applies a bibliometric approach to map five decades of environmental literacy scholarship, analyzing 660 documents indexed in the Web of Science (1971-2026). Using performance indicators and science mapping techniques, the study reconstructs the intellectual, conceptual, and social structures of the field. Results reveal that environmental literacy has evolved from limited pedagogical inquiries to an interdisciplinary research domain that engages with pressing issues such as climate change, sustainability, and public health. Intellectual foundations remain rooted in education and behavior theories, while thematic analyses highlight the growing prominence of student attitudes, curriculum design, and pro-environmental behavior alongside emerging niches like artificial intelligence, citizen science, and health literacy. Collaboration patterns confirm the dominance of the United States, China, and Western Europe, while the Global South, including Pakistan, remains underrepresented. The study contributes a consolidated evidence base that reduces definitional ambiguity, clarifies research trajectories, and highlights opportunities for more inclusive and interdisciplinary work. Future directions call for cross-database analyses, deeper qualitative integration, and stronger South-North partnerships to expand the scope and relevance of environmental literacy research.