Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine how Pakistani media outlets cover climate change and other environmental concerns in South Asian settings. This study takes a case study approach by analyzing the coverage of climate change in prominent Pakistani media using content analysis. The research aims to explore how the media shapes public views and reactions to climate change in the area by drawing upon environmental communication theories, including agenda-setting theory (1972) and cultivation theory (1972). From November 2023 through February 2024, a total of four months systematically collected data from chosen publications that cover climate change and environmental concerns. The media's use of framing strategies, storylines, and important themes in their coverage of climate change examined via the data gathered. This study investigated the prevailing narratives and themes found in Pakistani media coverage of climate change and environmental issues. The results shed light on the biases, prevailing narratives, and effects on public perceptions and understandings of climate change in South Asian media environments. Pakistan, positioned as the seventh most susceptible country to climate change according to the Germanwatch Climate Risk Index, confronts substantial environmental obstacles such as glacial melting, unpredictable monsoon patterns, water scarcity, and severe weather occurrences. The media has a crucial influence on molding the public's comprehension and reaction to these difficulties. Climate change is not given much attention in the Pakistani media, even though it is an urgent subject. The overarching goal of this study is to shed light on the dynamics of environmental communication in the area and provide direction for efforts to raise public consciousness about the need to take action against climate change.