Abstract 

Climate Change has evidently become a global environmental challenge and threat. To address it, Goal 13 of the 2030 Agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Paris Agreement are two important intergovernmental calls to action, adopted by many countries, including Nigeria. To examine the dominant frames that emerged in the leading Nigerian newspapers after the ratification of the Paris Accord and commencement of the Sustainable Development Goals, this study investigates the Nigerian news media framing of climate change, through a content analysis of climate change-focused news stories published in the three most read national newspapers; The Nation, Guardian, and Vanguard (n=136). It also examines the major sources quoted in the coverage of climate change during the selected period. Results show that the solution and mitigation frame were the most frequently used frames, and the Nigerian government were cited more than other sources in climate change-focused news reports after the ratification of Paris Accord, and commencement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Key Words: Climate change, Nigeria, newspapers, framing, content analysis, Paris Accord, SDGs 

JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 15, No. 1, April 2023, pp. 15-29.

© Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON).

About the authors

* Sakinat Mojisola Ahmad, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0844-3653, is a PhD student in the Department of Geological Sciences at The University of Alabama. Her research interests are water science, climate change, contaminant hydrology and hydrogeology, and water security and management. She is also passionate about research in Africa.

** Adeola Abdulateef Elega, Ph.D., ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5635-6231, is a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Nile University of Nigeria. Previously, he lectured in the department of Eastern Mediterranean University, Northern Cyprus- Turkey, where he earned his PhD with specialization in Communication and Media Studies. His research interests are in new media, journalism, meta-analysis in media studies, interpersonal communication and intercultural communication. 

Article Citation

Ahmad, S. M. & Elega, A. A. (2023). Post ratification of SDGs and the Paris Accord: Framing and tone of coverage of climate change issues in three selected Nigerian newspapers. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 15 (1): 15-29.

Full Article

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