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Muted by a Crisis? COVID-19 and the Long-Term Evolution of Climate Change Newspaper Coverage

Author

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  • Jari Lyytimäki

    (Finnish Environment Institute, Environmental Policy Centre, Latokartanonkaari 11, 00790 Helsinki, Finland)

  • Hanna-Liisa Kangas

    (Finnish Environment Institute, Sustainable Urbanisation Programme, Latokartanonkaari 11, 00790 Helsinki, Finland)

  • Erkki Mervaala

    (Finnish Environment Institute, Environmental Policy Centre, Latokartanonkaari 11, 00790 Helsinki, Finland)

  • Suvi Vikström

    (Finnish Environment Institute, Environmental Policy Centre, Latokartanonkaari 11, 00790 Helsinki, Finland)

Abstract

The reasons for the emergence of environmental issues in public debate have been widely studied, while the reasons for the disappearance of environmental issues from the public agenda are researched to a far lesser extent. This article presents how the newspaper coverage of climate change has evolved in Finland. The study is based on long-term (1990–2020) data from the leading national-level newspaper. The climate coverage has been characterized by an increasing overall trend and remarkable fluctuations in the intensity of debate. The monthly coverage of climate change had four distinctive peak periods. The drops from peak levels are explained by several factors, such as the end of a specific news event or policy process (e.g., international climate policy meetings), lack of weather anomalies (e.g., normal winter weather and snow coverage), silence of key influencers (policy-makers, business elite), and news competition together with reporting fatigue following abundant climate coverage. The first months of the intense phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 showed a deep, but not unprecedented drop in climate coverage from the preceding peak level. The persistence of anthropogenic climate change, gradual mainstreaming of climate concerns across different societal sectors, and recent policy debates around so-called green or sustainable recovery suggest that climate coverage is not likely to be muted in the near future.

Suggested Citation

  • Jari Lyytimäki & Hanna-Liisa Kangas & Erkki Mervaala & Suvi Vikström, 2020. "Muted by a Crisis? COVID-19 and the Long-Term Evolution of Climate Change Newspaper Coverage," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:20:p:8575-:d:429189
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kroll, Christian & Zipperer, Vera, 2020. "Sustainable Development and Populism," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    2. Lempinen, Hanna, 2019. "“Barely surviving on a pile of gold”: Arguing for the case of peat energy in 2010s Finland," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 1-7.
    3. Tuuli Hirvilammi, 2020. "The Virtuous Circle of Sustainable Welfare as a Transformative Policy Idea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, January.
    4. Debra J. Davidson & Anthony Fisher & Gwendolyn Blue, 2019. "Missed opportunities: the absence of climate change in media coverage of forest fire events in Alberta," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 153(1), pages 165-179, March.
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    1. Peltonen-Sainio, Pirjo & Sorvali, Jaana & Kaseva, Janne, 2021. "Finnish farmers’ views towards fluctuating and changing precipitation patterns pave the way for the future," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).

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