Media Coverage Is Declining: The Climate Conversation Must Continue

• December 12 marks ten years since the Paris Climate Agreement.
• Recent data shows a significant drop in climate coverage.
• Australia’s climate media mentions have hit record lows since 2014.
• Public support for renewable energy policies has fallen sharply.
• Ignoring ‘climate change’ could be detrimental to effective discourse.

Media Coverage of Climate Change Hits Low Point

The Paris Climate Agreement reached its ten-year anniversary on December 12, reminding us of the urgent need to focus on climate change. However, as indicated by the Media and Climate Change Observatory (MeCCO), the global narrative surrounding climate issues has started to diverge from this urgency. An interesting pattern has emerged, showing a significant decline in climate-related media coverage over the past few years. Even when considering data from 59 countries and 131 media outlets, it becomes evident that coverage, which peaked around the time of influential summits, has sharply diminished since 2022. This decline is particularly notable when you look at the international media landscape, where mentions of climate change seem to be at an all-time low.

Australia’s Climate Discourse in Decline

Drilling down into specific regions, one can find notable trends, especially in Australia. Selected major print outlets, such as The Australian and The Age, reported the lowest volume of climate-related mentions in June 2025, a stark contrast to levels seen just a few years prior. During most of the past two decades, media focus on climate change was considerably higher. This recent sharp decline, in fact, is more severe than what is observed in other countries. For instance, while other regions saw fluctuations in coverage, Australia’s climate narrative has taken a turn for the worse, losing traction alongside diminishing public discourse on climate policy.

Public Support and Climate Policies Reflect Troubling Trends

This significant drop in media coverage also aligns with a troubling downturn in public support for climate policies and renewable energy options. The public seems to be shifting towards more traditional energy sources, as evidenced by an increase in support for fossil fuel extraction and a drop in backing renewable energy subsidies. Adam Met, a musician and climate activist, aptly critiques this situation. He suggests there’s a troubling notion among some advocates: that if the term ‘climate change’ becomes politically charged, it should simply be discarded. Such a notion is misleading. The reality is that ignoring the term does not erase issues that are fundamentally tied to climate change, nor does it address the pressing dangers of our current trajectory regarding fossil fuel dependency. To reinstate a productive narrative surrounding climate action, openness and courage in dialogue are crucial.

As we near a decade since the Paris Climate Agreement, the media’s retreat from climate change coverage is concerning. Australia’s steep decline in climate discourse parallels diminishing public support for effective climate policies. It is essential to reclaim the conversation surrounding climate action, recognizing that the implications of ignoring this critical issue are dire. A courageous and honest dialogue is urgently needed to steer society back on course towards effective environmental stewardship.