Climate change in news media across the globe: An automated analysis of issue attention and themes in climate change coverage in 10 countries (2006–2018)

Valerie Hase,Daniela Mahl,Mike S Schäfer,Tobias R Keller

doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102353

Valerie Hase, Daniela Mahl + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102353

Copy DOI

Abstract

Climate change poses a challenge to countries across the world, with news media being an important source of information on the issue. To understand how and how much news media cover climate change, this study compares coverage in ten countries from the Global North and the Global South between 2006 and 2018 (N = 71,674). Based on a panel analysis, we illustrate that news media attention varies across countries and is often associated with political, scientific, and (partly) societal focusing events. Based on an automated content analysis, we also find that news media do not only cover ecological changes or climate science, but that they focus predominantly on the societal dimension of climate change: They emphasize how humans are aware of, affected by, battle, or cause climate change. Overall, the study illustrates important differences between the Global North and the Global South. While countries from the Global North cover climate change more frequently, countries from the Global South focus more on its challenges and implications for society at large, i.e., the societal dimension of climate change.

Highlights

Climate change challenges countries across the world
Based on an automated content analysis, we find that news media do cover ecological changes or climate science, but that they focus predominantly on the societal dimension of climate change: They emphasize how humans are aware of, affected by, battle, or cause climate change
Levels of issue attention (RQ1) Overall, 0.53% of all articles in a given month focused on climate change

Summary

Introduction

Climate change challenges countries across the world. Its primary impacts include changing temperatures, ocean acidification, or detrimental effects on biodiversity (IPCC, 2014). Climate change has far-reaching societal implications, including shrinking habitable spaces, economic stress, or health threats (Dryzek and Norgaard, 2011). These adverse consequences are borne disproportionately by less industrialized countries in Africa, Asia, or Latin America (Althor et al, 2016; Bathiany et al, 2018; United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 2007). Despite debates over the term and the classification of respective countries (Koch, 2020; Nguyen and Tran, 2019), less industrialized countries are frequently grouped under the umbrella of the "Global South". The "Global North" is assumed to consist of more industrialized nations such as Australia, the UK, or the US

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion