Where Are We in the Climate Crisis? : Analyzing Human Representation/Involvement in UK Multimodal News on IPCC AR6

Abstract

Abstract

This article examines how British newspapers represent human involvement in climate change through multimodal analysis, focusing on coverage of the latest IPCC AR6 report. By analyzing images and texts, it reveals that mainstream media often portray climate issues with distant, decontextualized visuals that do not directly engage the public. However, captions and headlines are observed to compensate by adding explicit human agency and urgency to the narrative. Using Systemic Functional Linguistics and News Values Analysis, this study identifies representational patterns that can either detach or engage readers with the climate crisis. Ultimately, findings suggest a need for media to prioritize visuals that foster immediate relevance and involvement, addressing climate change not only as a distant threat but as a present, human-centered challenge.