A comparative knowledge map of priority environmental issues and doctoral research in South Africa

ABSTRACT Researchers not only respond to a strategic direction; their discovery of emerging issues also make them accountable to guide policy reform. The alignment of environmental doctoral research with environmental-related legislation and policy documents in South Africa is unknown. Doctoral research from 1998, the inception date of the National Environmental Management Act, to 2017 was analysed through a systematic literature review strategy and content analysis to determine the alignment of doctoral research topics to the key strategic environmental themes derived from 1 African policy document and 10 South African policy documents and legislation. A comparative knowledge map was developed to graphically represent the extent of alignment, the under-researched themes, gaps and the potential niche areas for future research. The comparative knowledge map assists in discovering where the knowledge is located, and where the gaps exist. It further offers policymakers and researchers a clear way to make decisions on past and current focus areas and points out where potential future research and practitioners’ foci should be. The extent to which South African research is responsive to national environmental priorities and goals is now known and environmental-related research is expected to demonstrate real-world relevance, not only aligning with policy but also guiding policy reform.