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Linguistic analysis of IPCC summaries for policymakers and associated coverage

Author

Listed:
  • Ralf Barkemeyer

    (KEDGE Business School)

  • Suraje Dessai

    (University of Leeds, School of Earth and Environment)

  • Beatriz Monge-Sanz

    (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF))

  • Barbara Gabriella Renzi

    (Roma 3 University)

  • Giulio Napolitano

    (University of Bonn, Institut für Medizinische Biometrie, Informatik und Epidemiologie (IMBIE))

Abstract

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Summary for Policymakers (SPM) is the most widely read section of IPCC reports and the main springboard for the communication of its assessment reports. Previous studies have shown that communicating IPCC findings to a variety of scientific and non-scientific audiences presents significant challenges to both the IPCC and the mass media. Here, we employ widely established sentiment analysis tools and readability metrics to explore the extent to which information published by the IPCC differs from the presentation of respective findings in the popular and scientific media between 1990 and 2014. IPCC SPMs clearly stand out in terms of low readability, which has remained relatively constant despite the IPCC’s efforts to consolidate and readjust its communications policy. In contrast, scientific and quality newspaper coverage has become increasingly readable and emotive. Our findings reveal easy gains that could be achieved in making SPMs more accessible for non-scientific audiences.

Suggested Citation

  • Ralf Barkemeyer & Suraje Dessai & Beatriz Monge-Sanz & Barbara Gabriella Renzi & Giulio Napolitano, 2016. "Linguistic analysis of IPCC summaries for policymakers and associated coverage," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 6(3), pages 311-316, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:6:y:2016:i:3:d:10.1038_nclimate2824
    DOI: 10.1038/nclimate2824
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    Cited by:

    1. Claudia Matus & Pascale Bussenius & Pablo Herraz & Valentina Riberi & Manuel Prieto, 2021. "Nature Is for Trees, Culture Is for Humans: A Critical Reading of the IPCC Report," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-9, October.
    2. Jordan Harold & Irene Lorenzoni & Thomas F. Shipley & Kenny R. Coventry, 2020. "Communication of IPCC visuals: IPCC authors’ views and assessments of visual complexity," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 158(2), pages 255-270, January.
    3. Emma Frances Bloomfield & Chris Manktelow, 2021. "Climate communication and storytelling," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 167(3), pages 1-7, August.
    4. Sarah L. Connors & Maike Nicolai & Sophie Berger & Rosalind Pidcock & Melissa Walsh & Nigel Hawtin, 2022. "Co-developing the IPCC frequently asked questions as an effective science communication tool," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 171(1), pages 1-13, March.
    5. Mary Sanford & James Painter & Taha Yasseri & Jamie Lorimer, 2021. "Controversy around climate change reports: a case study of Twitter responses to the 2019 IPCC report on land," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 167(3), pages 1-25, August.
    6. Arjan Wardekker & Susanne Lorenz, 2019. "The visual framing of climate change impacts and adaptation in the IPCC assessment reports," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 156(1), pages 273-292, September.
    7. Guofeng Wang & Rui Shi & Wei Cheng & Lihua Gao & Xiankai Huang, 2023. "Bibliometric Analysis for Carbon Neutrality with Hotspots, Frontiers, and Emerging Trends between 1991 and 2022," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-23, January.
    8. P. Marijn Poortvliet & Meredith T. Niles & Jeroen A. Veraart & Saskia E. Werners & Fiona C. Korporaal & Bob C. Mulder, 2020. "Communicating Climate Change Risk: A Content Analysis of IPCC’s Summary for Policymakers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-14, June.

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