Factors influencing environmental performance: a bibliometric review and future research agenda

Abstract

[EN] Environmental performance allows measuring the existing gap between countries regarding their environmental policy objectives. Improving environmental performance also allows countries to achieve their sustainable development goals. However, a systematic identification of factors influencing environmental performance constitutes a premise to improve it and such a review of factors has not been conducted in previous research. This paper develops a quantitative literature review of the factors influencing environmental performance in which a total of 84 journal papers were identified by keyword retrieval between 2004 and 2019. Literature metrological and literature content analyses are performed and two major research outcomes are obtained: first, a list of environmental performance influencing factors and a classification of the five main research streams related to environmental performance: enterprise, government, economy, technology and society. Second, building on the previous classification, a research agenda is proposed which points out current shortcomings and potential research directions for environmental performance research. The results of this piece of research provides a theoretical reference for improving environmental performance. It can also help countries target better environmental management practices when seeking global sustainable development.