Nottingham, Sep 17 (The Conversation) — The Middle East is currently experiencing significant political and economic upheaval, with numerous countries in the region embroiled in conflict. These conflicts are occurring amid an ever-worsening climate crisis.
In 2023, the global think tank Carnegie Endowment for International Peace reported that Middle Eastern nations are among the most vulnerable to the accelerating effects of human-induced climate change, experiencing severe heatwaves, diminishing precipitation, prolonged droughts, intensified sandstorms and floods, and rising sea levels.
The ability of a society to receive, process, and act on climate-related information is crucial for an effective climate change response. Media plays a pivotal role in this context, enhancing public understanding of climate change and its implications for individual, community, and national security.
However, over the past two decades, media coverage of climate change in the Middle East has been among the world's lowest. According to the University of Colorado Boulder’s Media and Climate Change Observatory, media organisations in the Middle East produced an average of just one article on climate change in August 2025, compared to 66 articles in North America during the same period.
The sparse coverage is due to several structural issues faced by media outlets in the region. Discussing climate change can be challenging when escalating armed conflicts divert public discourse toward what are perceived as more urgent issues.
Jordan serves as a useful case study to understand these challenges and explore solutions.
Media in Jordan
Jordan has historically played a stabilizing role in the Middle East, providing refuge for large numbers of refugees from neighboring conflicts and acting as a mediator between regional rivals. Nevertheless, climate change poses a threat to Jordan’s stability.
Raed Abu Soud, Jordan’s Minister of Water and Irrigation, stated in May 2025: “Jordan is facing one of the most severe water crises globally, with per-capita water availability plummeting to just 60 cubic meters per year.” Various factors exacerbate this situation, such as economic underdevelopment leading to persistent unemployment and public unrest, while regional conflicts undermine social cohesion.
Understanding these challenges is key to an effective response, with media playing an essential role.
Research on climate change in Jordan, involving an analysis of over 2,500 news articles and extensive interviews, indicates that although climate change is gaining importance, numerous barriers hinder consistent discourse.
As in many conflict-affected countries, climate discussions in Jordan often recede into the background amid other crises. Since 2023, the war in Gaza has compelled Jordanian media to focus on the humanitarian crisis there, sidelining climate change issues.
The scarcity of journalists focusing on climate issues exacerbates this. This shortage is a common problem across the Middle East.
Even when covered, climate change is often regarded as secondary to geopolitical threats, not as a standalone challenge. Due to its refugee-hosting policies, Jordanian media often portray the country as a “second victim” of conflicts like the Syrian civil war or the ongoing Israel-Palestine tensions, with refugees seen as an additional strain on dwindling resources.
Eroding trust
In Jordan, climate change discourse is significantly influenced by international partners, including foreign governments and charities. While external funding for educational and vocational climate courses aids discussions, it can sometimes distance coverage from the local context.
This discrepancy can erode trust between Jordanians and foreign partners. In some cases, journalists view climate change as part of a Western-imposed agenda aimed at controlling developing countries.
Jordan is crucially important to the Middle East, Europe, and beyond. Effective climate adaptation is imperative, or it risks losing its role as a regional stabilizer and refugee haven.
Media has a vital role to play in enhancing climate discourse, holding governments accountable, and heightening awareness. Research indicates a correlation between public concern and the volume of media coverage, with attention often waning when other issues dominate.
Sustained and inclusive coverage is vital for ensuring long-term engagement and informed public participation in climate action, even amid political and economic turbulence. (The Conversation) RD RD
(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
