Framing Environmental Issues in the Egyptian Press during COP27

Abstract

The media's framing of environmental concerns and climate change issues is critical for moulding public perception, influencing policy, and inspiring action. The way that African environmental issues are framed in the Egyptian press at COP27 is a crucial topic for discussion to reflect the intricate interactions between solidarity, urgency, and realism. This paper discusses how the media constructs and embeds the environmental issues in the Egyptian media during COP27 by providing meanings, concepts, priorities, and explanations. There were 223 articles on sustainability, published between December 2022 and May 2023, were analysed. The authors employed discourse analysis to examine the concepts and semantics used in media coverage. Findings reveal that Egyptian media played a significant role in framing environmental issues within the context of hosting COP27, emphasising the challenges and opportunities for sustainability in Egypt. Water-related issues were a key focus, particularly water scarcity. Sustainability in education also emerged, addressing the role of technology, research, and workforce training in tackling climate change. Agriculture was emphasised and focused on sustainable practices and modern irrigation systems. Quality of life improvements were linked to sustainability through healthcare and social care. The cooperation theme concentrates on regional and international collaboration, particularly within Africa.