Connecting Extreme Heat Events to Climate Change: Media Coverage of Heat Waves and Wildfires
Abstract
This research tests the popular press assumption that media are not discussing climate change in coverage of heat waves and wildfires. Change over time in English-language media coverage is assessed, from 2013 to 2018, including 37 news outlets from five countries, with the addition of Agence France-Presse and Climatewire. Mentions of climate issues increased for both types of extreme weather. Climatewire provided the highest degree of climate change issue attention. Elite, climate-specialist news outlets gave more attention to climate issues in both heat wave and wildfire reporting across the years studied. The 2013–2018 time period saw an uptick in media coverage of heat waves, particularly in Chinese English-language media.
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References 39 · Cited by 79
- Authors
- Hopke, J. E.
- Affiliations
- DePaul University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hopke, Jill E.
- ORCID
- Hopke, Jill E.
- Venue
- Environmental Communication
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2019-11-22
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 492-508
- ISSN
- 1752-4032 (ISSN-L)
- 1752-4040
- OpenAlex
- W2990002838
- Cited by
- 79
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 9.06
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Environmental Communication (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Climate Change Communication and Perception
- Social Sciences › Communication › Media Studies and Communication
- Social Sciences › Communication › Public Relations and Crisis Communication
- Keywords
- media coverage of climate change, heat waves, forest fires, extreme weather events, news organizations, climate change reporting, Agence France-Presse
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