Mass media have influenced who has a say about climate change and how in the public arena, but the road from information acquisition via mass media to various forms of engagement and action is far from straightforward. Mass media portrayals simply do not simply translate truths or truth-claims nor do they fill knowledge gaps for citizens and policy actors to make ‘the right choices’. Moreover, media representations clearly do not dictate particular behavioural responses. For example, research has shown that fear-inducing and catastrophic tones in climate change stories can inspire feelings of paralysis through powerlessness and disbelief rather than motivation and engagement. In addition, O’Neill et al have found that imagery connected with climate change influences saliency (that climate change is important) and efficacy (that one can do something about climate change) in complex ways amidst the US public (2012).

Resource Attachment: 

Boykoff and Goodman - 2013 - Science (and Policy) Friction How mass media shap.pdf

Background

The adverse respiratory effects of ground-level ozone are well established. Ozone is the air pollutant most consistently projected to increase under future climate change.

Purpose

To project future pediatric asthma emergency department visits associated with ground-level ozone changes, comparing 1990s to 2020s.

Methods

Abstract