The Media Role in Global Warming and Climate Change

The media plays a huge role in the way people portray global warming and climate change. Public relations practitioners can utilize media as a vehicle to drive a message to people around the world; furthering awareness and knowledge on the seriousness of global warming and climate change factors. Ultimately, these factors will encourage communities to alter daily lifestyles. In a scholarly article, Regional news portrayals of global warming and climate change, Xinsheng Liu, Arnold Vedlitz and Letitia Alston "conducted research on how global warming and climate change has been characterized during the period of 1992 through 2005." (Liu, Vedlitz & Letitia Alston, 2008) 

The article stated that media attention to global climate change issues has increased over time and has revealed that the issue is harmful. The research conducted by the authors emphasized that climate change is discussed as a national or international issue rather than "being viewed as an environmental-ecological problem." A solution that can change the outlook on these issues is to make these factors a part of behavior. Therefore, allowing governmental and non-governmental actions and responsibilities as a suggestion to make it a trend for a healthy global environment. The article stated that the news media is an experience for publics to intake information, but also an opportunity to propose treatment strategies and solutions to policy problems in governments and to identify companies or organizations responsible for dealing with the issues. 

The authors used the Houston Chronicles as a means for data comparison of possible solutions. Two basic solution responses in the article are mitigation and adaptation strategies. These strategies may be useful for discussing climate change. The authors stated that the mitigation strategy was defined as "intervention to actively and directly reduce the causes of climate change." The goal is to alleviate climate change problems by reducing climate stressors that induce climate change. Solutions noted in the article was to regulate quantities of greenhouse gas emissions, utilizing alternative energy sources and improving vehicle fuel-efficiency. The adaptation strategy, according to the article, was defined as an adjustment to actual climate change. The authors stated that the goal is to lessen the harm of climate change. The theory behind this is providing climate forecasting so behavior can be adjusted. 

The media can play a huge role in what we know and understand by drawing attention to the issue and portraying the issue in various ways. If used properly, people can change behavior according to the information projected through media. 

For more information, please see the actual article: Liu, X., Vedlitz, A., & Letitia Alston, L. (2008). Regional news portrayals of global warming and climate change. (5 ed., Vol. 11, pp. 379-393). College Station, TX: Environmental Science & Policy.Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901108000038