European press coverage of cities' adaptation to heatwaves and climate change

Abstract

In recent years, European cities have suffered from intense heatwaves which have been exacerbated by climate change. The city is not only one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions but also an important agent for climate change adaptation and mitigation. This study analyses how European cities are represented in 393 news items about the heatwaves suffered in the months of June 2017 and 2019. We analyse the coverage of 19 newspapers in France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Portugal and Spain. The results show the country to be the most decisive variable in the rigour and depth of journalistic coverage, followed by ideological orientation, media section and authorship. News items about heatwaves in European cities that deal with technical aspects such as the Urban Heat Island effect are those that best address structural adaptation and mitigation measures.