Media and climate change in Ghana: A survey of media practitioners knowledge and attitudes to climate change coverage

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