Climate, Environment, and the Role of Media

Abstract

This chapter analyses media coverage and public debate on climate and environmental change in Central Vietnam. As both the dissemination of public information and awareness-raising are important elements in climate change adaptation, both conventional media and the new digital media are in focus. Equally relevant, however, are public debates on climate and environmental issues and the extent to which alternative visions and civil society voices have access to old and new media. Since Vietnam is a one-party state, in which the media in principle are controlled by public authorities and are intended to support state policy, certain media have limited credibility among the public. Nevertheless, investigative journalism is on the rise and the public is increasingly seen to use the media as a route to express discontent with land grabs, unequal development, pollution, illegal mining, environmental problems and so forth. Slowly, a trend towards more open media spaces, particularly among the online media, enables both civil society groups to represent disadvantaged people and concerned scientists to express alternative policy options.