The Climate Conversation

When looking at the most active print, blog and Twitter accounts commentating on the issues, the significant developments and observations were:

• The ‘Climategate’ scandal, re-emerged as a leading topic in the Climate Conversation and dominated print publications over the weekend. The topic has divided itself into four key themes, each one linking into the broader discussion around the hacking into of East Anglia University’s Climate Research Unit.
  • In the US, the Republican Party called for a delay to the proposed climate change bill due to exposure of the scandal
  • Saudi Arabia became the first country to officially cast doubt on the scientific consensus about human-caused climate change
  • The official resignation of University of East Anglia’s Climate Research Unit Director
  • An increase in discussion around whether the ‘Climategate’ scandal undervalues the science behind climate change
• US President Barack Obama has changed the date of his attendance at COP15 from the 9^th December to 18^th December – the date when all world leaders will potentially sign a legally binding treaty committing to greenhouse gas reductions. As well as garnering significant positive coverage in the US and European media, on Twitter and the blogosphere, it also led to an increase in discussions over the likelihood of a successful outcome to COP15.
• The topic ‘expectations of the outcome of COP15′ increased in prominence over the last three days in print media, with heavily polarised views around what could be achieved and what should be achieved at the summit.
• The planned walk-out of the COP15 summit by BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) continued to sit in prominent position across print media, along with the contra-proposal which these countries are drafting and will present at the summit.

The COP15 top-15

Aussie PM angles a top 5 ranking

• The recent failure by the Australian government to pass a carbon dioxide emissions cap through the Senate has boosted the overall prominence of PM Kevin Rudd in the influencer charts. Rudd now sits in the top 5 influencer rankings overall, and has ousted Chinese President Mr. Hu. into fourth place. Over the weekend Rudd gained a 10% increase in media coverage across the most active print publications, blogs and Twitter accounts. Mr. Hu. only saw a 4% increase. US President Barack Obama still leads having secured a 12% increase in media prominence across the same data set.

Academics step up as Climategate continues

• The Climate Conversation, although still a politically dominant one, has seen academics rise in prominence from fourth position to second in the overall influencer ranking chart. Academics have now secured a total of 1,510 mentions across the most active print media, blogs and Twitter accounts (between 5 November 2009 and 2 December 2009). NGOs have slipped down the rankings from second place to fourth with a current total of 1,319 mentions across the same data set.

Topics by media type

US announcement ushers new hope to COP15

• Following the announcement that US President Barack Obama will now attend the COP15 summit on the 18^th December, the topic ‘role of US at COP15 and beyond’ increased two-fold (from 7% to 13% of the most active print publications), and three-fold across Twitter (from 5% to 14% of most active Twitter accounts), where it was the most Tweeted and re-Tweeted topic of the weekend.

Temperatures rise in Climategate debate

• Another topic to gain significant increase in prominence, particularly in print publications and the blogosphere, was ‘contesting climate change’. This follows further global debate around the Climategate incident. The topic increased two-fold, from 5% to 11% of most active print publications, and from 10% to 14% of the most active blogs.

Protesters follow trend and talk in Tweets

• As numerous protests were scheduled to take place across the globe this weekend, the topic ‘Protests at COP15′ increased six-fold on Twitter, rising in prominence from 2% to 12% across the most active Twitter accounts. This increase further illustrates the reach and influence of social media and its power to connect ordinary citizens to a captive audience.

Influencer groups by topic

Celebrity voice crowned by a queen

• Queen Elizabeth II has shot to the top of the celebrity influencer rankings following her appearance at the recent Commonwealth Summit and her call for a treaty to be delivered at the COP15 summit. Overall, 63% of celebrity comment is now focused on ‘expectations of COP15 outcomes’, up from 19% across the most active print publications, blogs and Twitter accounts.

Influencers by media type

Conversation peaks as COP15 summit kicks off

• Over the last three days, politicians have increased their voice across all media types and now account for over half of mentions in the Climate Conversation – in print media (54% of most active publications are written by or about politicians), blogs (56% of most active blogs) and Twitter (54% of most active Twitter accounts). Academics have also increased their voice and now account for nearly a quarter of coverage across the same three data sets (18% of most active print, 19% of most active blogs, 17% of most active Twitter accounts). NGOs seemingly favour Twitter over any other media type – they have 10% share of voice across the most active Twitter accounts but only 8% in print and 5% on blogs.

Topics by influencer group

Academic voice leads global emissions debate

• The topic‘global carbon emissions’, now one of the most prominent discussions in the Climate Conversation, is being led by academics. The topic has seen academic interest increase from 9% of the most active print publications, blogs and Twitter accounts last week, to 49% over the weekend. This increase has been fuelled by comments from leading environment expert James Hansen, director of NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, who claims that global talks are so flawed that it would be better if there was no treaty to emerge from the COP15 summit.

Corporate Representatives invest their voice with care

• Though remarkably quiet across most of the leading topics in the Climate Conversation, corporate representatives have favoured one topic in particular, namely ‘investment in green industries’, where their voice adds to a quarter of the overall discussion (25% of the most active print publications, blogs and Twitter accounts). Their lack of contribution to ‘contesting climate change’ is notable – their contribution to this topic is a mere 2% of the same data set.