Climate Change in Pakistan: A Critical Discourse Analysis of News Headlines for Public Cognition

Abstract

This study adopted Fairclough's Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) model to analyze news headlines on climate change in Pakistan. This study aim to understand how climate change is defined, framed and presented in Pakistani media and how these representations affect public opinion and deal of the issue. A sample of news articles from major newspapers and online media in Pakistan was analyzed; the focus was on the characteristics of media discourse, production methods, practices and social guidance. The findings reveal the messaging and rhetorical strategies that influence media coverage of climate change in Pakistan and highlight the complexity and sophistication of communicating this critical issue. This research provides a deeper understanding of the interaction between media, discourse and public opinion regarding climate change, as well as its impact on communication skills, climate change, media use, policy development and future research.