Abstract:
Climate change has been identified as a global concern and a threat to
developing countries such as Ghana. Even though several steps have
been taken internationally, nationally and locally to improve public
awareness, understanding on and response to climate change, there is
stilI insufficient public knowledge on climate change and a lack of
urgency in responding to what has been described as the biggest
challenge facing humanity. Among the key interlocutors expected to
help communicate on climate and influence public perceptions is the
media. The media are not only influential in the (re)construction and
promotion of climate change discussions they are critical influencers
of policy and interventions that seek to motivate behavioural change.
Studies on how media cover climate change have however mostly
concentrated on Western societies. This paper goes beyond this
narrow geographical focus by surveying the attitudes, knowledge and
coverage of 160 media practitioner sampled from four different
ecological zones- Tamale (savannah), Accra (urban), Sunyani
(forest) and Keta (coastal). Findings from the research reveal that
although there is near consensus among media practitioners in Ghana
that climate change is a major problem deserving of urgent attention,
their knowledge and understanding on the science of climate change
as well as commitment to coverage is still weak