Does the recent influx of climate change coverage in the mainstream media indicate that a tipping point has occurred?
Today, for instance, a Factiva search of international news headlines containing the phrase "climate change" turned up an amazing 41,659 results.
The Globe and Mail dedicated the majority of its weekend edition to the issue and declared 2007 their year of "going green" (and literally turned their logo green for emphasis). Even the business section's headline read: "Getting richer by going green".
In addition, the front page of Sunday's Toronto Star lambasted climate change skeptics and the most recent Economist cover announced the Greening of America.
But, this week's Georgia Straight examined the role of the media in the climate change debate. In the article, University of Victoria climate-change expert Andrew Weaver says editors must realize they are being manipulated by pseudo-experts who cloud public debate on climate change and delay action through manufacturing doubt in the media (employing some of the PR tactics of big tobacco).
According to some scientists, the journalistic commitment to objectivity- giving equal and balanced coverage to the climate change deniers- serves to obscure the immediacy and severity of the issue.
But, as Jeffrey Simpson declares in the Globe weekend edition, the time for debate on climate change has come to an end. And Canadians seem to agree.
Even Marc, my trusted yet self-declared climate change "Luddite" friend, recently revealed:
"I blasted my friends for caring about such a tree-hugger issue, saying that nature was not my problem- high-and-mighty-me is more concerned with Human problems. Nature was some scientist in a laboratory’s responsibility. They will figure out this problem like they always do. Well, like many Canadians and Earthlings are coming to realize, I was absolutely in the wrong. This is the most Human problem that we will face in this century."
Has the increased media coverage of climate change created a corresponding level of public alarm? Or does the recent surge in public concern over the environment create a demand for increased climate change coverage?
Either way, at least the surge in public concern and media coverage demonstrate a functioning democracy. Politicians worldwide, including Canada's Conservative government, are starting to act on climate change.
The issue dominated this year's opening session of Parliament and an all-party committee has been set up to review the contentious Conservative Clean Air Act.
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I'm glad North American media is finally reporting on the truth about climate change, rather than framing it as 50/50 debate. It's really about time.
For me, the fascinating aspect of this shift in public opinion is its non-ideological nature. Traditionally, climate change has been a wedge issue between conservative business interests and liberal environmentalists. In Canada and the US both sides have now united. Even Evangelicals are concerned that we should be looking after the planet God gave us. Canada's Conscious re-affirmed this by linking to an article on several top US companies who have called for mandatory emission caps.
My question for Canada's Conscious is one of comparison. How late is North American media compared to European media on the issue of climate change? What are the ideological dynamics of climate change in Europe? Was Europe's shift in public opinion shared between the political left and right?
Your help would be appreciated.
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