Journal profile · ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES-ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability
ISSN 1877-3435 · eISSN 1877-3443 · Elsevier · ENGLAND · Founded 2009
Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability: CAS Zone 1 · Environmental Science & Ecology (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 8.57; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,200; review about 310 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); 64 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 1 of Environmental Science & Ecology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Sustainability and Climate Change Governance, Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management and Land Use and Ecosystem Services, together about 30.5% of its articles. Its main subfields are Global and Planetary Change. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability aims to define the new innovative sustainability science discipline by integrating perspectives from the natural and the social sciences on human-environment interactions and management challenges across regional and global systems. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability thus emphasizes interdisciplinary sustainability research approaches, the solutions it provides and their dissemination and application.Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability aims to stimulate scientifically grounded, interdisciplinary, multi-faceted debate, synthesis and exchange of ideas. Additionally, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability will continue to publish papers on strategic research plans and key findings of leading global-change research networks, it thus serves as an invaluable source of current peer-reviewed and synthesized information for researchers, lecturers, teachers, practitioners, policy makers and students.Most of the issues published by the journal are invited Special Issues addressing current themes around major global-change systems and problems, the emerging new transdisciplinary sustainability science, sustainability governance and transformation, environmental change assessments, international initiatives, as well as more philosophical reflection on approaches to sustainability challenges. Once a year, we publish an Open Issue, which offers an opportunity for authors working on diverse topics to submit an abstract for consideration. In collaboration with the International Science Council (ISC), COSUST also includes a section dedicated to the 'State of Knowledge on Social Transformations to Sustainability', which consist of original or existing peer-reviewed papers, reviewing knowledge on various dimensions of social transformations to sustainability and drawing out implications for research, practice or policy (https://www.journals.elsevier.com/current-opinion-in-environmental-sustainability/news/introducing-the-state-of-knowledge-on-social-transformations).Selection of Special Issues and Guest Editors: We welcome proposals for Special Issues consisting of (1) an overview of the theme, and a motivation why it is timely and innovative, and justifies publication in the journal; (2) a list of proposed topics and names of selected authors. As the journal is international, we aim to commission a mixture of nationalities and disciplines with consideration to gender and regions less covered, but obviously the quality of authors and their review is paramount. Proposals that where possible have the first and second choices of authors (with contact details where possible); (3) a short, two-line, description of the intended scope of each review.Working with the Editors of the journal, Guest Editors, who are major authorities in the field, are responsible for inviting authors, reviewing and organizing themes within a special issue.Please contact your Editorial Manager by email if you have any questions, Ms. Alison Langestraat a.langestraat@elsevier.comReview articles: Authors write short review and/or synthesis articles supported by recent literature in which they present recent developments in their subject and emerging topics, emphasizing the aspects that, in their opinion, are most important. In addition, they provide short annotations to the papers that they consider to be most interesting from all those published in their topic over the previous year.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES-ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Editor-in-chief Timothy DubePublisher website
Editorial board by country: 3 in mainland China (about 5%); most named United States 15, Netherlands 8, South Africa 6, Mainland China 3, Australia 3 (55 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Sustainability and Climate Change GovernanceEnvironmental Science11.1%
- Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource ManagementEnvironmental Science9.9%
- Land Use and Ecosystem ServicesEnvironmental Science9.5%
- Diverse Scientific and Economic StudiesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance5.1%
- Human auditory perception and evaluationEngineering4.9%
- Climate change impacts on agricultureAgricultural and Biological Sciences4.2%
- Water-Energy-Food Nexus StudiesEnvironmental Science3.9%
- Climate Change, Adaptation, MigrationSocial Sciences3.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Green & Sustainable Science & Technology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Green & Sustainable Science & Technology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Green & Sustainable Science & Technology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: yes
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 8.57LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 8.6Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 15.2LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 15.2Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 2.23LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 2.24LetPub ·
- h-index
- 69LetPub ·
- h-index
- 173OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,204OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 6.09OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 2.3%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 57.81%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 49LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,685 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 94 | 56 | 49 |
| 2025 | 64 | 47 | 333 |
| 2024 | 57 | 36 | 927 |
| 2023 | 121 | 76 | 3,393 |
| 2022 | 61 | 27 | 1,758 |
| 2021 | 103 | 48 | 4,687 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
310 dayssubmission to acceptance · community reports 6–12 weeks
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Average review time (community reports)
- 6–12 weeksLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 26 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 192 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 310 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 23 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,200 / EUR 3,930 / GBP 3,360 / JPY 520,930 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,620 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 2,000 words
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Highlights
- Optional
Article types accepted2, with length limits
- opinionKey requirements for authors to take into account when preparing a Current Opinion paper:2000 word limit (excluding abstract, references and figure captions) ex…main text ≤ 2,000 words
- reviewKey requirements for authors to take into account when preparing a Current Opinion paper:2000 word limit (excluding abstract, references and figure captions) ex…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
Submission by invitation only; contact Editorial Manager by email with questions. Model summary
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process; submissions initially assessed by editors; if suitable, reviewed by a minimum of one reviewer; decision made by editors. Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of one reviewer for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Rea…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Founded
- 2009
- ISSN
- 1877-3435
- Electronic ISSN
- 1877-3443
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability
What CAS zone is Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability is in Zone 1 of Environmental Science & Ecology, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Environmental Sciences / Green & Sustainable Science & Technology; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Environmental Science & Ecology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 8.57; CiteScore 15.2, h-index 173.
How long does peer review take at Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability?
The publisher reports about 310 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of 6–12 weeks. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Manuscript length: ≤ 2,000 words; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Highlights: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability based?
Of the 55 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 3 (about 5%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (15), Netherlands (8) and South Africa (6). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability open access, and what is the APC?
Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,200.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .