How the Media Frames Climate Change
It is fascinating how one singular issue can be nuanced based on the country. Climate change is a problem that plagues countries worldwide, but media coverage of the topic differs from one nation to the next. While more prosperous nations tend to frame climate change coverage as a political issue, poorer countries more often frame it as an international issue.
The Portrayal of Climate Change in Richer Countries
Climate change emerged as a political issue when activist and formal efforts were taken to address the climate crisis on a global scale. I assume that some individuals did not see these efforts as significant in the grand scheme of things. In the 1960s and 1970s, the environmental movement focused its attention on pollution and toxic waste disposal. Today, the scope of this movement includes the sustainable yield of resources and the preservation of wilderness areas and biodiversity.
Political arguments on climate change extend far beyond beliefs about whether climate change exists. According to an in-depth survey conducted by Pew Research Center, vast political divides exist in views of the potential for devastation to the Earth and potential steps to address climate change and its impacts. Significant ranges also exist in how specific individuals interpret the current scientific discussion over climate. The survey determined that trust in climate scientists is low among Republicans; considerably higher among liberal Democrats. Republicans participating in this survey seemed to believe that climate scientists do not adequately understand climate change and how to address the issue. Therefore, they cannot be trusted to report accurate information to the public. We can assume that these individuals do not view climate scientists’ knowledge as credible information.
Not only do political differences drive peoples’ views about climate issues, but peoples’ level of concern about the issue also matters. Americans who are more personally concerned about the issue of global climate change, despite their political affiliation, are much more likely to believe that humans are playing a role in global warming and put trust in climate scientists.
Climate Change as an International Issue
In another study published in the journal Global Environmental Change, Hong Vu, assistant professor of journalism at The University of Kansas, and his colleagues examined more than 37,000 articles regarding climate change published by popular outlets of varying political beliefs in 45 countries. Their goal was to assess how media portrayal of climate change is influenced by the environment, economy, governance, and media systems. The results indicated that international relations were the most common frame. However, the political structure was the most common in countries with high GDP per capita.
This disparity makes sense because poorer countries do not have the resources richer countries do to fight climate change. Developing countries cannot afford to make climate change a political issue, so they focus on international relations and natural impact.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of how climate change is framed in the media, climate change is an important issue that needs to be addressed. As both a political and international issue, climate change poses a threat to humans and the environment.
