Media (Print) coverage of Climate Change

“In conclusion, our research demonstrates that the U.S. with differing industries, predominantly
dominated by the fossil fuel industry, in comparison to New Zealand and Finland has a significant impact
on the media coverage of global warming. The U.S's media states that global warming is controversial
and theoretical, yet the other two countries portray the story that is commonly found in the international
scientific journals.” (Jaclyn Marisa Dispensa)

“A review of the literature and more recent studies shows that in most developed nations, such personal
experience is perceived to be limited and, although there is widespread concern about the issue, people
are ambivalent about the threat of climate change and potential solutions…

To promote action on climate change, it was suggested that climate change should be situated in
people’s daily lives, weaving it into related policy areas and including it within the broader
scope of sustainable development.” (Irene Lorenzoni)

Our suggestion is that Methods be found to increase the sense of relevancy that climate change has to the
day to day life of the typical citizen. Table 2.2 from a study in 2003 shows that more people feel that
animal welfare is of immediate importance than of the welfare of life as we know it (climate change).

The media today is partially to blame of this; the majority of information available for the layman is too
controversial and has too much pressure to fit certain agendas (Norgaard) for any of it to be believed and
emotionally processed into a coherent opinion.

Michael Salaverry
Climate Change Project - AP Biology Page 1
The action plan of the Media group addresses interpreting the evidence for the consumer so it can be
acted on and emotionalized.

Works Cited
Allen, Stuart. Environmental Risks and the Media. New York, New York: Routledge,
2000.

Anderson, Alison. Media, Culture, and the Environment. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers
University Press, 1997.

Demeritt, David. The Construction of Global Warming and the Politics of Science.
Department of Geography, King’s College London: Blackwell Publishers, 2001.

Irene Lorenzoni, Tom Lowe and Nick Pidgeon. A strategic assessment of scientific and
behavioural perspectives on ‘dangerous’ climate change. School of Environmental
Sciences University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7 TJ : Tyndall Centre for Climate
Change Research, June 2003.

Jaclyn Marisa Dispensa, Robert J. Brulle. "Media’s social construction of environmental

issues: focus on global warming – a comparative study." International Journal of
Sociology and Social Policy (Oct 2003): 74-105.

Lowe, Thomas D. "Is this climate porn? How does climate change communication affect
our perceptions and behaviour?" Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
(December 2006): Working paper 98.

Norgaard, Kari Marie. "We Don't Really Want to Know: Environmental Justice and
Socially Organized Denial of Global Warming in Norway." Organization & Environment
(2006): 347-370.

Ungar, Sheldon. "THE RISE AND (RELATIVE) DECLINE OF GLOBAL WARMING AS A SOCIAL
PROBLEM." The Sociological Quarterly (December 1992): 483–501.

Michael Salaverry
Climate Change Project - AP Biology Page 2