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— CH. 1 · INTRODUCTION —

Environmental Research Letters

~2 min read · Ch. 1 of 3
3 sections
  • Environmental Research Letters is a peer-reviewed scientific journal dedicated to every corner of environmental science, from climate dynamics to ecological systems. Published by IOP Publishing, it operates as an open-access outlet, meaning any reader anywhere can reach the research without a subscription paywall. The editor-in-chief is Radhika Khosla, based at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. What makes a journal like this significant, and how does its commitment to open access shape who gets to read the science that matters most for the planet?

  • Peer review sits at the heart of Environmental Research Letters. Every submission passes through expert scrutiny before it is published, a process designed to filter out errors and strengthen conclusions. The open-access model layers a second commitment on top of that: once a paper clears peer review, it becomes freely available to anyone. Researchers in lower-income countries, journalists, policymakers, and curious members of the public can all reach the same findings that university libraries pay to access elsewhere. The combination of rigorous review and open availability positions the journal as a bridge between scientific production and the wider world that environmental decisions affect.

  • Chemical Abstracts and Inspec both index the journal, placing its articles inside two of the most widely searched scientific reference databases. Scopus, a broad multidisciplinary index, picks it up alongside the Astrophysics Data System, which serves the physics and earth sciences community. CAB Abstracts covers the agricultural and biological angle, while GEOBASE and GeoRef pull it into the geosciences literature. The International Nuclear Information System rounds out the list. Each of these databases acts as a discovery layer, funneling researchers from entirely different disciplines toward the same pool of environmental findings. A soil scientist searching GeoRef and a nuclear researcher consulting the International Nuclear Information System may both land on the same article from Environmental Research Letters, illustrating how widely the journal's reach extends across scientific fields.

Common questions

What is Environmental Research Letters and who publishes it?

Environmental Research Letters is a peer-reviewed, open-access scientific journal covering all aspects of environmental science. It is published by IOP Publishing.

Who is the editor-in-chief of Environmental Research Letters?

The editor-in-chief of Environmental Research Letters is Radhika Khosla, affiliated with the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

Is Environmental Research Letters open access?

Yes, Environmental Research Letters is fully open access, meaning published research is freely available to any reader without a subscription.

What databases index Environmental Research Letters?

Environmental Research Letters is indexed in Chemical Abstracts, Inspec, Scopus, the Astrophysics Data System, CAB Abstracts, GEOBASE, GeoRef, and the International Nuclear Information System.

What subjects does Environmental Research Letters cover?

Environmental Research Letters covers research on all aspects of environmental science, spanning ecology, geosciences, climate, and related fields.

Is Environmental Research Letters peer-reviewed?

Yes, Environmental Research Letters is a peer-reviewed journal, meaning submitted manuscripts undergo expert evaluation before publication.

All sources

2 references cited across the entry