Strengthening Climate Communication
Examining how journalists reporting on climate issues try to engage with and inform about the topic of climate protection.
Dr Sarah Josefine Schaefer, based at the University of Limerick’s School of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics, is leading research into how climate change is reported in the media and how newsroom practices shape public understanding of the issue.
Supported through a Research Ireland Pathway award co-funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, the project focuses on the processes that influence climate reporting behind the scenes. It examines how language choices, editorial practices and reporting routines affect the way climate issues are communicated and understood by audiences.
Drawing on a comparative study of Irish and German news media, alongside an analysis of climate coverage over time, the research explores factors that can contribute to misrepresentations, limited coverage and human-centred portrayals of the climate crisis. By examining how journalists frame and communicate complex environmental issues, the project aims to better understand the role of the media in shaping public discourse on climate change.
Dr Sarah Josefine Schaefer, University of Limerick
A central element of the research is knowledge exchange with journalists and media professionals. Through engagement with practitioners, the project seeks to better understand the challenges faced by newsrooms when reporting on climate issues and to support greater awareness of how language influences climate communication.
The research is contributing new insights into the relationship between media, language and environmental issues, helping to strengthen climate communication and support more informed public engagement with one of the defining challenges of our time.
