Evolution of Disaster Spatial Risk Assessments: a Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

The advancements and availability of geospatial technology and data, combined with a growing understanding of the importance of disaster management and disaster risk reduction, lead to an increase in quantity and quality of publications in spatial disaster risk assessments. This paper presents an overview of an in-depth bibliometric study of the global evolution of such spatial disaster risk assessments from 2000 to 2021. The study revealed an upwards trend in scientific production, with hydrological hazards dominating the research field. However, climate change may further drive research for meteorological and climatological hazards. No direct influence was found between major disasters and the number of assessments. The study also shed light on the conceptual frameworks that guided spatial risk assessments, with hazard and vulnerability being the essential components.