Has Environmental Sociology Research Effectively Responded to the Urgent Need for Environmental Governance in China? A Study Based on Bibliometric Analysis

China has made significant progress in environmental protection. As the country advances towards modernizing its environmental governance, environmental sociology plays an increasingly crucial role. This study employs a bibliometric analysis of 3867 publications from the Web of Science Core Collection (1972–2023) and CNKI (1990–2023) to reveal the disparities between Chinese and international environmental sociology research, with a particular focus on assessing the contributions of environmental sociology to environmental governance in China. The findings reveal several key insights. The results show a steady increase in global research output, with the United States (42.79%) and the United Kingdom (11.15%) leading in publication volume. While international research has expanded interdisciplinary collaboration, Chinese studies remain highly concentrated. The findings also reveal a growing tension between internationalization and localization in Chinese environmental sociology. Since 2017, publications in international journals have surged, while domestic publications have declined, reflecting scholars’ prioritization of global recognition over local policy engagement. However, language barriers and limited interdisciplinary integration—with over 80% of scholars rooted in philosophy and sociology—restrict the discipline’s ability to address complex governance challenges. Institutional influence remains imbalanced. Renmin University, Hohai University, and the Ocean University of China contribute 42.72% of domestic publications, yet no Chinese institution ranks among the global top 10, and citation impact lags behind leading Western institutions. This contrasts with international research, which tends to focus on global environmental issues, whereas Chinese research emphasizes localized case studies. Our analysis identifies a notable gap in Chinese research’s understanding and study of environmental governance experiences. It is recommended to strengthen the role of environmental sociology throughout the governance process from public opinion collection to policy formulation, policy implementation, dynamic feedback, and post-implementation evaluation.