Through the Lens of International Media: A Critical Analysis on Climate Migration Discourse in Africa

Abstract

Climate change has become a primary media topic over the last few years due to the abnormal changes associated with temperature rise and related weather events. Its multiple implications influence social issues ranging from water scarcity to poor living conditions. In this context, the likelihood of human mobility has increased in several parts of the world, where such incidents occur frequently. Countries located in Central (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Eastern Africa (Ethiopia) are in a dire situation due to the lack of resources to support infrastructure projects and protect the interests of their citizens. Moreover, the ambiguous stance of the Western world regarding official development assistance (ODA) has raised the question of whether other stakeholders can raise awareness of climate change and its consequences.Recently, international media outlets have dedicated more articles and opinion pieces to share policy developments in local communities. One of the topics discussed is climate migration, which can influence public opinion on climate change since the social perspective is illuminated instead of solely referring to financial packages. Some of these international media outlets that cover topics related to climate change and migration are The New York Times and The Guardian, especially when it comes to African countries.Given that most African countries’ emissions are below the temperature goals, this constitutes a topic of interest at COP (Conference of Parties) meetings, too. The most vulnerable countries to climate change are primarily in Africa. Hence, developed countries had promised to provide $100 billion annually as climate finance to address climate change. During COP26, the adaptation of Africa and the funding, that was due in 2020 was also discussed, but that date was pushed back to 2023. As such, the timeframe for this study will include articles that appeared in international media outlets from the end of COP26 (13th of N