Environmental Communication Research Articles

Growing Natural Connectiresons: The Effects of Modality and Type of Nature on Connectedness to Nature

ABSTRACT An important predictor of pro-environmental attitudes and behavior is connectedness to nature. However, current research lacks consensus on how to effectively cultivate it in individuals, particularly with media messages. To address this gap, this study investigated how the modality of nature experiences and type of nature influence connectedness to nature in young adults. Data collection involved 164 undergraduate students at a Singapore university who participated in a 2 (modality: physical tour vs video tour) × 2 (nature type: forested area vs botanic garden) factorial experiment. Results showed that nature type did not affect connectedness to nature, nor did fear or disgust mediate that linkage. However, connectedness to nature was higher among participants who took the physical tour than among those who watched the video tour. This effect is consistent with past research and suggests that mediated experiences of nature diminish the richness of sensory experience. It reaffirms the importance of directly experiencing nature as a part of environmental communication and education to promote environmental stewardship.

Green Film Production for All

As an emerging field of study, Environmental Media Studies explores the connections between the environment, culture, and media, examining the ways in which media representations shape our understanding of and attitudes towards the environment and the natural world (Starosielski and Walker 2016, Shriver-Rice and Vaughan 2019). However, there are currently two significant omissions from Environmental Media Studies. The first pertains to language accessibility, as information needs to be translated and disseminated across various languages and cultures. The second is the availability of media content to all audiences, including those who have difficulties accessing the visual or audio channels. Here, Media Accessibility, as a research discipline, can provide insights that can expand the scope of Environmental Media Studies to include issues of accessibility.This article aims to establish connections between the fields of Media Accessibility and Environmental Media Studies by examining how these two fields complement each other in terms of theoretical and practical insights. A case where both fields can jointly address issues related to accessibility and sustainability is by using subtitles as a metric to gauge a film’s level of engagement with climate change. In this article, we propose the use of subtitles as an additional indicator in the Carbon Calculator used by the film industry. Furthermore, we suggest developing the subfield of Green Media Accessibility to investigate resource use, social equity, and environmental communication in the wider media sphere.

Evaluasi Komunikasi Lingkungan Dalam Pengelolaan Ekosistem Gambut di Kelurahan Teluk Meranti, Pelalawan

This research was motivated by the large number of forest and peatland fires that occurred in 2019 in Teluk Meranti District. One of the causes of the Hitan and peatland fires is human factors. Lack of understanding of humans working around peatlands. This research aims to analyze the evaluation of environmental communication in managing the peat ecosystem in Meranti Bay. This study used descriptive qualitative method. Data collection techniques are carried out through interviews, observation and documentation. Data analysis techniques begin with data collection, data reduction, data presentation, ending with drawing conclusions. The results of this research indicate that the Evaluation of Environmental Communication in the management of the Peat Ecosystem in Meranti Bay has gone well. Evaluation includes research carried out, then evaluation which includes communication development, namely Focus Group Discussions, Community Responses.

An Analysis of Publications on Climate Change Communication Using a Bibliometric Lens

The effectiveness of climate change communication is incommunicado when there is a lack of comprehensive efforts to increase public knowledge and encourage proactive steps. The main objective of this study is to examine the evolving trends in publication and the developmental trajectory within climate change communication research, development, and publications. This study utilised datasets from the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases, which were further analysed using the ScientoPy and VOSviewer. The findings suggest that there has been a notable increase in the number of publications since 2008, particularly in the WoS database, indicating a growing recognition and a more focused endeavour by researchers to delve into climate change communication. The most frequent keywords employed by past researchers were “Climate Change”, “Climate Change communication”, and “Climate communication”. The emergence of keywords such as “social media”, “science communication”, “environmental communication”, “framing”, and “climate action” in the year 2020 onwards signifies their recent prominence. Examining research growth and trends in climate change communication provides valuable insights into the advancements, recurring topics, and prominent individuals within this discipline. In a nutshell, the current study highlights the significance of proficient communication in tackling the intricate issues associated with climate change that can be a reference to potential readers and future researchers keen on this domain.

Behind the Concept of 'Zero Carbon Emissions' In Indonesia: a Symbolic Construction Analysis

As one of the world's largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, Indonesia has set a target for zero carbon emissions by 2060. However, these targets and the derived efforts have not been accompanied by adequate understanding among the Indonesian populace. This research aims to comprehend and analyze the concept of zero carbon emissions in Indonesia. Employing a qualitative approach with content analysis methodology, the study discovered that one of the causes for this lack of understanding is the ineffective messaging concerning 'zero carbon emissions' in Indonesia. The symbolic constructs created do not align with the intended messages, in line with the recommendations for effective environmental communication concepts, encompassing aspects such as message types, functions, word choices, genres, relevance, and consistency. This research implies an enhancement in public awareness regarding the concept of zero carbon emissions in Indonesia. The outcomes of this study can also provide insights to the government and environmental organizations to formulate more effective policies in communicating the message of 'zero carbon emissions.' By implementing these recommendations, environmental communication regarding the concept of zero carbon emissions in Indonesia can become more effective, motivating individuals to actively participate in efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

Strengthening students’ ability to create content in tourism brand communication

Vocational high school of 60 Duri Kepa Jakarta has an advantage in developing tourism learning. This is essential in realizing national development priorities, namely tourism. Students' abilities are supported by technological developments and various social media applications to communicate tourism branding in the city of Jakarta. A number of tourist destinations in Jakarta are popular and some are not popular, this issue has sparked student communication creativity in communicating the branding of tourist destinations. Community service programs in partnership with neighboring countries provide new enthusiasm in digital content literacy and environmental communication. Training on communicating tourism destination branding requires out of the box ideas, so that people or travelers can accept the meaning of branding communicated by students about the situation of the destinations they visit. This training results in changes in students' ability to communicate branding of tourist destinations in the city of Jakarta which is based on sustainable tourism communication.

Postmodernism and Climate Issues: Deconstruction of Media Narratives and Environmental Communication Actions in Contemporary Urban Society

This study explores the impact of postmodernism on media narratives in climate issues, especially within the scope of communication in today's urban environments. Through a qualitative approach, this study deconstructs various media narratives on climate issues to understand their influence on the views and communicative actions of urban society. The analysis samples from various media platforms, including online news, social media, and digital publications, focusing on the years 2022-2023 to ensure data currency. The theoretical framework in this study integrates postmodernism concepts with communication theories, providing insights into the formation and reception of climate narratives by the audience. The findings indicate a shift in the way media narrates climate issues, moving from traditional narratives towards more fragmented and diverse ones, in line with postmodernism characteristics. This understanding is crucial for developing effective climate communication strategies that encourage active participation and concrete actions from city dwellers. Thereby, this study significantly contributes to climate communication research, highlighting the influence of media narratives on society's views and actions in facing climate issues within a complex and heterogeneous socio-cultural context.

When hope messages become the discursive norm: how repertoires of hope shape communicative capacity in conversations on the circular economy

Environmental communication research often conceptualises hope as an internal state of mind, suggesting that messages focused on hope can be used in strategic communication to foster environmental engagement. In this paper, we critique this individualising approach and instead explore hope discourse as an emergent social phenomenon, focusing on how it is constructed and managed in inspirational meetings about the circular economy. Using critical discursive psychology as a methodology, we identify three interpretative repertoires through which hope is constructed: stronger together, change for real, silver lining. We explore what is accomplished by their use, and discuss the social implications within the meetings and beyond. The repertoires facilitate a positive meeting experience and solidarity amongst participants. However, hope discourse also relies on abstraction which prohibits disagreement, critique, and talk about concrete actions.

Environmental Communication on Twitter: The Impact of Source, Bandwagon Support, and Message Valence on Target Audiences

The goal of the research is to empirically examine how different factors affect the dissemination of environmental protection messages on social media. The theoretical foundation of the research is based on the literature on heuristics. Perceived bandwagon support, valence of message framing, and source of information (i.e., source credibility) were examined as the independent variables. The dependent variables were perceived information credibility, intention to share the message, and intention to read the article attached to the message. Four online experiments were conducted, and college students were sampled. Overall, the findings suggest that the impact of source, bandwagon support, and message valence affect behavioral intentions and perceived information credibility in various ways, and the extent of such impacts is context-dependent. The findings of the study would advance our theoretical understanding of how we use psychological heuristics to process information related to environmental communication. The findings would also help environmental organizations and activists to better communicate with their potential audiences.

Children-led environmental communication fosters their own and parents' conservation behavior

Carbon neutrality is one effective way to mitigate climate change, and it requires the efforts of all sectors of society. Researchers have developed several communication strategies to encourage climate collective action, but they have mainly focused on adults. We propose children-led environmental communication is a productive pathway for promoting collective action. The present study, using a total of 458 matched household-level survey data and qualitative data from eight children, explored the role of children-led environmental communication. The results show that: (1) Children-led environmental communication facilitates their own climate change worry which in turn leads to conservation behaviors. (2) For parents with little literacy of carbon neutrality, their climate change worry is positively predicted by environmental communication led by their children which also leads to conservation behaviors. (3) Climate change education promotes children-led environmental communication by increasing carbon neutrality knowledge. In conclusion, children-led environmental communication is driven by climate change education, which in turn promotes conservation behavior in children as well as in their parents. We suggest that educators and communicators could consider children-led environmental communication as a new breakthrough in promoting collective action to mitigate climate change.

Natural attributes or aesthetic attributes: Which is more valuable in recreational ecosystem services of nature-based parks considering tourists’ environmental knowledge and attitude impacts?

Nature-based tourism provides recreational ecosystem services for both local inhabitants and tourists being of considerable importance. Existing literature predominantly concentrates on the potential for environmental communication interventions to augment the public's willingness to pay (WTP) for nature-based recreational ecosystem services. However, scant attention has been paid to the impact of tourists' pre-existing environmental knowledge and attitudes on specific service attributes. In addressing this research gap, this study uses social surveys to design a choice experiment and employs mixed logit models to analyse tourists' preferences and WTP for recreational ecosystem services in the Yangtze River Delta, east China. The results reveal that tourists are more likely to pay for recreational ecosystem services attributes, with a stronger WTP for aesthetic attributes over natural ones. Tourists with more environmental knowledge and attitude are also more inclined to pay for reduced waste and lower tourist traffic. These findings suggest that environmental communication encourages trade-off considerations between natural and aesthetic attributes in determining WTP. Enhancing public education and promoting environmental protection awareness can effectively manage aesthetic services. Management implicationsOur results offer practical insights for improved natural resource management and planning for protected areas with nature-based tourism. We determined that tourists' environmental knowledge is significantly lower than actual inclinations towards environmental responsibility, particularly in waste classification, which significantly influences their environmental valuation and willingness to conserve nature. Encouraging waste classification awareness in parks and daily life can reinforce pro-environmental behaviour and promote the sustainable consumption of public goods. Furthermore, payment is strongly related to aesthetic attributes, with tourists demonstrating positive WTP for improved features. Planners can better regulate nature-based tourism by understanding which attributes tourists are willing to spend extra for, such as creating themed mini-zones with specific recreational attributes and controlling tourist flow. Administrators could also offer off-season volunteering opportunities for garbage collection, offering rewards such as discounted tickets. Finally, the lack of environmental knowledge among tourists highlights ecotourism's potential for driving change in the industry and daily life, emphasizing the need for a pro-environmental approach. Ecotourism managers can also leverage differences in tourist preference elasticity to reduce the total visitor numbers.

Černobyľská havária: environmentálna komunikácia v socialistickej tlači

The study deals with the reflection of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant explosion (1986) in the ideologically determined environment of the socialist daily press. The issue is interpreted in relation to environmental communication about a historical event with a direct impact on the environment. The interdisciplinary theoretical background links environmental communication, environmental history, political-ideological and media discourse of the socialist era in the time of emerging glasnost and perestroika. The aim of the research is to present the media portrayal of an environmental event in its historical, political, and ideological context and to outline the primary communication techniques used to convey it. The research interpretations are based on a content and critical analysis of 35 texts published in the Slovak national (Pravda) and regional periodicals (Smer) within one month after the Chernobyl accident. The research sample includes reports, interviews, articles, commentaries, and statements by the highest officials of the Soviet Union. In the contemporary context, environmental issues are subordinated to the political-ideological media discourse in terms of both the formal positioning in the analysed medium and the content focus of the text. The research results reflect the characteristic manifestations of the language of the socialist period (manipulative communicative techniques, emotionally determined argumentation, information selection, schematization, stereotyping, argument from authority, etc.) applied to the conditions of environmental communication.

Examining the influence of institutional investors on the readability of environmental disclosure inCSRreports of Chinese listed firms

AbstractEnvironmental disclosure conveys non‐financial information primarily through narrative descriptions. The readability of such narratives affects the effectiveness of environmental communication and shapes information content. Prior research on the influence of institutional ownership on corporate disclosure strategy remains inconclusive due to the heterogeneity of institutional investors. In this study, we analyze a comprehensive sample of A‐share Chinese companies that issued corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports to examine the impact of institutional investors on the overall readability of environmental disclosure. Our findings indicate that long‐term institutional investors have a positive influence on the readability of environmental disclosure, while short‐term institutional investors do not show significant correlation with readability. Furthermore, corporate governance acts as a mediating factor in the relationship between long‐term institutional investors and readability. We also find that long‐term institutional investors can enhance firm value by improving the readability of environmental disclosures.

Komunikasi Lingkungan Pemerintah Membangun Kesadaran Masyarakat Tentang Kegiatan Penambangan Emas Ilegal Di Kabupaten Kuantan Singingi

The decline in the water quality of the Batang Kuantan river is caused by excessive human activity, and what has attracted the most attention is the activity of Unlicensed Gold Miners (PETI), PETI activities are people who changed jobs from being farmers to becoming gold miners, due to economic factors. PETI makes river water black and smelly, this is caused by the washing and panning process using mercury or quicksilver. To make the public aware, environmental communication is needed which explains the state of the environment, its impacts and handling, and the main communicator in this environmental communication is the Government (DLH) which is committed to environmental management. Therefore, this research aims to find out the government's environmental communication planning (DLH) as a communicator in environmental conservation programs, to find out the implementation of the Government (DLH) in implementing environmental damage prevention programs. This research uses a qualitative method with a descriptive approach with the technique of determining research subjects, namely purposive . The author uses data collection techniques through interviews, observation and documentation. The number of informants was five people according to the criteria determined purposively. The data analysis technique in this research uses the Miles and Huberman Model and the data validity checking technique, namely triangulation. The results of the research show that environmental communication carried out by the Government (DLH) in implementing the environmental damage prevention program carried out by the Government (DLH) requires communication planning. The planning carried out consists of analyzing the problem, analyzing the audience, formulating goals, developing messages, planning media production. Apart from that, the implementation of environmental communication activities from DLH includes socialization actions, raids/raids, and appeals to the community in Cerenti District, especially the community of Sikakak Village.

Model Komunikasi Lingkungan Program Sungai Martapura Asri di Kabupaten Banjar

The Martapura River has an important role for the Banjar people (the largest tribe in South Kalimantan). Rivers, which generally function as residential and trading areas, cannot be avoided from pollution. Waste that is classified into two, namely domestic waste and non-domestic waste, not only has a negative impact on environmental sustainability, but is also very hazardous to health. As an effort to restore and preserve the Martapura River. The Provincial Government of South Kalimantan through the Environmental Service (DLH) created the Martapura Asri (Safe, Clean, Friendly, Beautiful) River program. Based on this, this study aims to analyze the implementation and create an environmental communication model for the ASRI Martaoura River program in Banjar Regency. The method used in this study is a qualitative method with a phenomenological approach. The research uses environmental communication theory and stakeholder theory. The results of the research show that the implementation of environmental communication in the ASRI Martapura River program is good, various activities carried out by DLH have fulfilled the 7 elements of environmental communication, but the implementation has not been carried out optimally. Starting from the role of stakeholders, the use and involvement of the media in program implementation, regulations to support program implementation so that it can run optimally, and related to representation of program implementation. From the results of this study it was also possible to create a communication model that was convergent and collaborative in nature, with the same agreement (mutual understanding), namely the ASRI Martapura River program, which was later called the ASRI Martapura River Environmental Communication Model.

Dread and unknown characteristics of particulate matter pollution: cognitive and affective routes to air pollution prevention

This study investigates the effect of dread and unknown risks on individuals’ cognitive and affective responses and decision-making related to particulate matter (PM) air pollution. In particular, we investigate how dread and unknown risks play different roles in forming the cognitive and affective routes that affect the South Korean public’s intentions to reduce PM air pollution by adopting risk mitigation behaviors. One thousand South Korean adults participated in the study via a professional research company in 2022. Statistical analysis was performed using PROCESS Marco. Indirect effects and their significance were estimated using bias-corrected bootstrap (n = 5,000 resampling) confidence intervals (CIs). According to the results, perceived dread of PM air pollution had significant and positive associations with perceived health risks and negative emotion, and perceived risks had a significant and positive association with negative emotion. Moreover, the perceived unknown-ness of PM air pollution had a significant and positive association with perceived uncertainty, which had a significant and negative association with negative emotion. Our mediation models demonstrate that the cognitive and affective routes associated with the two risk dimensions had different effects on behavioral intentions to reduce PM air pollution. These distinct cognitive and affective routes have significant theoretical implications for the effective application of the psychometric paradigm in addressing various risk-related issues. The findings also imply that an appropriate level of negative emotion is crucial to motivate the public’s engagement in risk-reduction behaviors. While employing campaign messages that integrate perceived risk and negative emotional appeals derived from dread can be effective, caution should be taken not to diminish the public’s negative emotions when addressing the risk-related uncertainty in campaigns or interventions. Overall, our findings not only have several practical implications for environmental communication strategies but also make important theoretical contributions to the literature on risk perceptions and the psychometric paradigm.

Assessment of media coverage of environmental hazards in mining communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

This study investigated the magnitude of media coverage of environmental hazards in the mining communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Motivated by the poor agricultural yields and increased prevalence of health challenges in the mining communities, it was established that the media is indispensable in the fight for a healthy environment in the State. However, the failure of the mass media in the State to embark on any form of environmental communication in order to monitor environmental issues made the fight almost impossible. Thus, the study set out to determine how committed and professional the media were in the fight. A sample size of 25 media practitioners, two radio stations and four newspapers all domiciled in the State were assessed using multi-staged random sampling technique. The study employed quantitative and qualitative research designs with questionnaire, interview and content analysis as instruments for data collection. Findings revealed that the mass media in the State were not involved in the fight for a healthy environment; none of them had environmental column/desk to monitor environmental hazards arising from mining activities in the State. The research concluded that the mass media should scrutinize the affairs of the State environmental actors in order for them to hold the mining companies accountable and protect the interests of the mining communities in the State.

The Trinity of Voice: a framework to improve trust and ground decision making in participatory processes

Collaborative processes are increasingly required, familiar, and expected but desire and enthusiasm do not produce competency or confidence, leading to frustration, hesitancy, distrust on all sides, and continued calls for “voice.” Initially introduced to the environmental communication community in 2004, Senecah’s Trinity of Voice is a practical framework based on small group dynamics scaled to community level. Its environmental communication dimensions of Access, Civic Standing, and Influence optimize the potential for trust-rich relationships that are key for effective collaborative processes but are difficult to build and sustain, especially in situations that are complex and/or pulsing with contentiousness. At the 20-year mark, this article revisits the TOV against the contemporary literature on trust; reviews critiques and diverse applications of it; and assesses whether it still offers practical value for designing, diagnosing, and improving collaborative processes to address environmental planning and management situations.

Climate labels and the restaurant industry: a qualitative study

As the food industry accounts for more than one-third of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, it is one of the largest contributors to climate change. Strategies for reducing CO2e (equivalent) emissions must be implemented to regulate the impact the food systems have on the climate. Environmental communication using climate labels and sharing information on carbon footprints can help reduce GHGs emissions from restaurant purchases on a systemic scale. The aim is to gain insights and study how a carbon label influences the concept of a climate-friendly restaurant and its capacity to bridge the gap between knowledge, awareness, and action. What are the motivations for restaurant employees to adopt climate-friendly behavior? How does the label’s use influence restaurants’ decision to track their carbon footprint over time, communicate the carbon footprint of dishes, and adapt menus to be more climate-friendly? The data were collected with semi-structured interviews with video communication with three restaurant chains, all using labels. The data collected via the interviews were examined using an inductive thematic analysis to identify key themes. The transcending transmission approach to communication was used to gain insights into instrumental and constitutive communication dynamics. As the theoretical framework, ‘symbolic interactionism’ helps untangle constitutive aspects of environmental communication surrounding climate labels to analyze the process of conceptualization through usage, co-creation, and interpretation. The analysis brought forward three main themes: the interactions between the scientific data accessible in the tool and the restaurants. Second, the diverse implications of sustainability marketing for motivating climate actions and what they look like. And finally, climate actions and how they are being apprehended and implemented by the restaurants. The promise of climate labels was discussed by elaborating on socio-cultural dynamics, sustainability marketing, and activism forces and impulses influencing the motivations for restaurants. We then discussed the capacity to transcend information into action through collaboration and inclusiveness to avoid greenwashing. Restaurants have a commercial interest in implementing climate labels in their business and an intrinsic desire to be a company that takes action for the planet because of the restaurants ‘employees’ convictions. However, restaurants find themselves in a tricky situation where they can be criticized if they take ‘wrong’ actions that can be considered greenwashing and criticized if they do nothing. The software enables restaurants to legitimize their actions and communicate them, making them resilient and evolving.

Emotion in Strategic Environmental Communication Research: Challenges and Opportunities

Emotion and affect play a central role in persuasion, decision-making, and human behavior. Because of ongoing environmental crises, there is a strong need to better understand how emotions shape selection, attention, processing, and effects of environmental communication. Here, I highlight three main areas that contain challenges and opportunities for building a synergistic relationship between the affective sciences and research on strategic environmental communication: (a) identifying the causal effects of emotions in environmental communication; (b) the role of emotions in the durability of environmental messaging effects; and (c) how closing the gap between the laboratory and the field can generate innovative research and more applicable inferences.