Based on the literature data from web of science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure this paper uses CiteSpace software to analyze the research progress of ecological risk assessment. The results show that: (1) the number of ecological risk assessment paper have been increasing since 1990, while the domestic publications’ growth rate was faster than that of foreign ones. (2) The scientific research cooperation between literature scholars and research institutions have basically formed a cooperative network system. The Chinese Academy of Sciences had a leading position in the world in terms of publication volume. (3) The analysis of keywords and keyword clustering shows that ERA had long-term focusing points on aquatic environment, heavy metals and organic contaminant. (4) The focus of research at home and abroad was high coincidence and synchronization. Both domestic and foreign researches have shifted from water environment to soil and water environment and urban environment, and extended to source analysis and risk management. However, the domestic research pays more attention to the study of risk sources and quality criterion, while foreign researches are more closely related to biology, and pay more attention to international topics. Inspired by the above, domestic ecological risk assessment research needs to pay attention to: enhance the diversification and internationalization of research objects, test and update all kinds of quality criterion, build a relatively unified ecological risk assessment framework and indicator system, and scientifically evaluate the sustainable development level and green development potential of the region.