Download Media coverage of climate change

Media coverage of climate change
Rob Edwards, Environment Editor
Sunday Herald
Guwahati, Delhi, Mumbai, 9-13 March 2009
• climate change: the evidence and impact
• climate change: the solutions and conflicts
• covering the story
• finding new angles
• sources for stories
• responsibilities of journalists
“Climate change should be seen as the greatest challenge to
face man.” Prince Charles, heir to the British throne
“Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats.”
Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corporation
"Climate change is the most severe problem that we are
facing today, more serious even than the threat of terrorism.”
Sir David King, former chief scientific adviser to UK government
“All across the world, in every kind of environment and
region known to man, increasingly dangerous weather
patterns and devastating storms are abruptly putting an
end to the long-running debate over whether or not climate
change is real. Not only is it real, it's here, and its effects
are giving rise to a frighteningly new global phenomenon:
the man-made natural disaster.” Barack Obama, US president
Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Over the last 650,000 years the concentration of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has varied
between 180 and 300 parts per million.
In 2007 it rose to 387 parts per million.
If the world carries on with business as usual, it
will increase to over 500 parts per million by
2050, and will be over 900 parts per million by
2100.
Impacts of climate change
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rising temperatures
rising seas
floods, droughts, storms
water shortages
food shortages
poor health
mass migrations
major disasters
resource wars
Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Concerns increasing: tipping points
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melting polar ice caps
methane outburst in Siberia
collapse of Amazonian rainforest
changes to El Niño Southern Oscillation
changes to the Sahara
Indian monsoon transformation
thanks to New Scientist
Solutions
• stop emitting carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases
• move from fossil fuels to renewables
• use energy more efficiently
• change transport patterns
• eat less meat
• improve lifestyles
Thank to Scottish Power
Thanks to European Environment Agency
Thanks to European Environment Agency
Conflicts
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climate change deniers
coal and oil lobbies
objections to wind farms
controversy over nuclear power
economic growth v. sustainable development
materialism v. spiritualism
social justice in an unequal world
Thanks to David MacKay
Thanks to David MacKay
Thanks to David MacKay
Covering climate change
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big story in UK, and internationally
dramatic front pages and headlines
focus on conflicts not solutions
undue attention to deniers
risk of climate change fatigue
ebb and flow of interest
media in crisis
keeping the pot boiling
Finding new angles
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reinventing catastrophe
exploiting conflict
making it personal
investigating scams
exposing polluters
highlighting hypocrisy
encouraging action
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Sources for stories
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campaigning groups
government agencies
research organisations
scientific journals
politicians
freedom of information requests
contacts
with thanks to Steve Bell
Responsibilities of journalists
• no such thing as objectivity
• nothing wrong with slanting stories
• must listen to opposing views
• should report opposing views
• must be factually accurate
• fair, not objective
"I do not see how a reporter attempting to define
a situation involving some sort of ethical conflict
can do it with sufficient demonstrable neutrality to
fulfil some arbitrary concept of 'objectivity'. It
never occurred to me in such a situation, to be
other than subjective, and as obviously so as I
could manage to be...As I see it, the journalist is
obliged to present his attitude as vigorously and
persuasively as he can, insisting that it is his
attitude, to be examined and criticised in the light
of every contrary argument, which he need not
accept but must reveal.”
James Cameron, Point of Departure, Oriel Press, 1967.
www.robedwards.com
Questions for workshops
• how should we report climate change in
a global recession?
• what are the stories going to be over the
next few years?
• how to combat climate change fatigue?
• what are the other barriers to coverage
and how can they be overcome?
• any other questions?