Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Environmental issues received substantial front-page attention in India’s leading English-language newspapers during the country’s G20 presidency, but coverage was largely centred on climate crises and human impacts, with limited space for scientific, community and independent voices, a study by IIM Indore’s Prof Sangeetha Unnithan has found.
Published in Journalism and Media, the study examined environmental coverage in two national English dailies between January and June 2023, when India held the G20 presidency and sustainability was a key agenda.
The research analysed 360 newspaper editions and identified 435 front-page environmental stories. Environmental issues appeared roughly once a day on average, with 32 stories published as lead stories. More than half also carried visuals, underscoring their prominence.
However, newspapers gave considerably more attention to environmental crises than to the government’s sustainability initiatives linked to the G20. Of several flagship environmental programmes announced during the period, only four received front-page coverage.
Weather dominated coverage
Weather-related stories were the most prominent environmental category, followed by pollution, natural disasters and wildlife. The prominence of extreme weather helped highlight climate-related disruptions and India’s growing vulnerability to climate change.
Yet coverage remained concentrated. The five largest categories accounted for more than three-quarters of all environmental stories, pointing to limited diversity in the issues presented to readers.
Government voices dominated
The study also found limited diversity in sources. Nearly half the stories relied on two or fewer sources, while government officials were the most frequently quoted voices.
Scientists, environmental experts, activists and affected communities received comparatively less representation. The study said this could narrow the range of perspectives available to the public on complex environmental issues.
Data journalism was also underused, featuring in only about one-fifth of the stories. Greater use of data, the study noted, could improve public understanding and promote evidence-based debate.
Human-centric framing
Frame analysis found that environmental coverage was overwhelmingly problem-oriented. The most common narrative portrayed the environment as an “ailing planet”, followed by stories focusing on conflicts among stakeholders.
More than half the stories primarily framed environmental issues as risks to humans, while fewer focused on biodiversity and threats to other forms of life. The study described this as a predominantly anthropocentric approach, contrasting with the eco-centric values associated with the G20 sustainability agenda.
Call for broader coverage
The study concludes that newspapers succeeded in putting environmental issues firmly on the national agenda but fell short of creating conditions for inclusive and informed public debate.
It calls for greater diversity in environmental topics and sources, stronger use of scientific expertise and data, and more balanced framing. Such an approach, it suggests, could help news organisations move beyond crisis reporting and foster a deeper public conversation on sustainability, climate change and ecological protection.
