In person icon Climate Change Communication and Social Media

Abstract

As climate change becomes an increasingly urgent global issue, the way it is communicated shapes public understanding, policy responses, and individual behaviors. In the digital age, social media and online platforms serve as critical arenas for climate discourse, offering both opportunities and challenges for public engagement. While these platforms can amplify scientific knowledge and foster activism, they also facilitate misinformation, political polarization, and selective news consumption. The rise of digital storytelling, influencer culture, and algorithm-driven content moderation further complicates how climate change is framed and perceived. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for policymakers, journalists, and activists aiming to foster informed climate discussions. This panel explores how social media, digital news, and political narratives shape public perceptions, misinformation, and engagement with climate issues. Papers in this session examine the impact of news avoidance and climate skepticism across 18 countries, the effect of extreme weather events on political elite communication, and the role of personal relationships in shaping engagements like political consumerism. Additionally, the presenters present investigations of the rise of multimodal misinformation on platforms like TikTok, where visual content plays a central role in climate obstruction, and explore how creative storytelling and futuring techniques can help navigate the politicisation of climate policy. By bringing together diverse methodological approaches, including ethnographic case studies, survey research, and digital media analysis, this panel provides a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms driving climate change communication in today’s hyper-connected world. The papers presented in this session together aim to foster a discussion on how to improve climate messaging, counter misinformation, and leverage digital platforms for effective engagement in the face of ongoing environmental challenges.

Title	Details
News Avoidance and Scepticism About Anthropogenic Climate Change – Is There an Ostrich Effect? Survey Evidence from 18 Countries	View Paper Details
From Weather to Words – The Effect of Extreme Weather on Political Elite Communication	View Paper Details
Multimodal Misinformation: How TikTok’s Visual Content Shapes Climate Obstruction Claims	View Paper Details
Rethinking Social Influence: Personal Relationships and Political Consumerism	View Paper Details
Navigating Climate Policy Politicization Through Creative Storytelling Futuring: An Ethnographic Case-Study	View Paper Details