Global trend analysis of climate change adaptation policy and governance in the water sector

Climate change has intensified water scarcity, degraded water quality, and disrupted global water distribution, highlighting persistent gaps in effective climate change adaptation policy and governance (CCA_PG), particularly in water resource management. The study assesses global scientific research trends in the water sector and explores dominant themes in CCA_PG studies from 2007 to 2023 by analyzing 2100 articles downloaded from the Scopus database in BibTex format for bibliometric evaluation. The CCA_PG field experienced significant growth, with an annual publication increase of 16% over the assessment period. The results reveal a rising global trend in CCA_PG studies, with developed nations such as the USA, United Kingdom, and Australia contributing significantly to research output, whereas developing countries demonstrate limited scholarly contributions. A significant research gap persists in risk assessment and water governance regimes, as climate adaptation and resilience-based interdisciplinary methodologies are predominantly concentrated in developed nations. In addition, the results reveal that “climate change” and “adaptation” are the most frequently used keywords in CCA_PG studies, highlighting their interconnectedness in various water sector research areas. The study underscores the need for a comprehensive strategy that integrates top-down and bottom-up approaches to water resource management, addressing socio-economic, institutional, and biophysical complexities in response to climate change. This study advances climate adaptation and sustainable water management by addressing governance gaps, aligning with SDGs, and fostering international collaboration to enhance policy decision-making in underrepresented regions. The findings support the integration of scientific insights with socio-economic factors to develop equitable and sustainable adaptation strategies that strengthen policy, governance and theoretical frameworks.