Social Media Climate Communication Study

A systematic review by the University of Zurich and University of Münster, authored by Mike S. Schaefer and Julia Metag, analyzed two decades of research on climate change communication across social media platforms. Published in Nature Climate Change, the study finds that while social media have expanded participation, established actors still dominate, and climate skeptics have gained disproportionate visibility. It also highlights growing fragmentation between platforms, with alternative networks like Gab, 8chan, BitChute, and Truth Social creating separate information ecosystems. The review notes economic pressure on climate journalism from advertising revenue shifting to Meta Platforms and Alphabet Inc., and concludes there is no uniform social media effect on climate knowledge.