Climate: “The value of media lies in making concrete solutions accessible to the public”
Climate: “The value of media lies in making concrete solutions accessible to the public”
As part of the Climate working group of the think tank 2030 – Investir Demain, Laurent Guimier shares his vision of the media’s role in addressing the climate emergency. He advocates for more practical, solution-oriented journalism that resonates with the public’s expectations.
The IPCC latest synthesis report underlines how media can shape public discourse on climate and foster support for action. How do you view this role?
The primary role of media is to facilitate access to accurate, scientifically robust information. That doesn’t necessarily mean producing this information themselves, but ensuring the public can access credible sources.
At the same time, media should demonstrate that solutions supporting the ecological transition and the fight against climate change are within reach for ordinary citizens. This is a key lever. While reporting on the scale of climate disruption remains essential, it is no longer sufficient on its own.
According to the Media and Ecology Observatory, environmental issues — including climate change — accounted for just 3.7% of airtime on audiovisual media in 2024. Does this reflect the true scale of the issue in the media landscape?
We must be cautious when interpreting these figures. Not to downplay them, but they must be challenged, as with any data. Dedicated climate coverage is likely insufficient. However, the media’s contribution to highlighting solutions — especially via social media, regional press, and local outlets — is more significant than these figures suggest.
National media are just one part of the problem… and of the solution. Real progress lies in the ability to showcase practical solutions driven by citizens, businesses, and local authorities in their day-to-day lives.
We must also put these figures into perspective with the real concerns of the French population. While interest in environmental issues may have dipped slightly compared to past years, fighting climate change remains a top priority. Media must meet this demand and adapt accordingly.
Media coverage of climate issues is sometimes seen as anxiety-inducing or moralising. How can these pitfalls be avoided?
Thirty years ago, these topics were hardly covered in the media. And when they were, it was usually framed as scandal or focused on restrictive measures — like pollution control. Public interest in environmental issues was sparked largely by major disasters: Chernobyl, Bhopal, oil spills. Journalists began covering these topics through the lens of crises and how to prevent them.
Today, media treatment of these subjects has evolved — it’s more mature and constructive. To avoid being alarmist or moralistic, journalists need to spotlight practical actions, often implemented locally, showing that climate action also depends on the behaviour of companies, communities, and individuals.
The role of media is to amplify these examples — to bring local, successful initiatives to national attention. This serves the public good, allowing people who might never otherwise hear about these projects to discover them and replicate them elsewhere.
In practical terms, what levers should be activated to improve climate coverage in the media? More fact-checking? Better training for newsrooms and leadership?
Training and raising awareness among journalists is crucial — but it’s only a starting point. What’s needed is political and strategic commitment from media executives to align more closely with the concerns of their audiences, who are also their customers.
This audience is looking for solutions. Increasingly, I believe they will direct their trust — and their media spending — toward outlets they perceive as genuinely useful. A media outlet’s value lies in offering concrete solutions, such as ways to reduce costs while adopting more environmentally responsible habits. I’m convinced that a media brand’s relevance will increasingly depend on its ability to meet this need for practical utility.
A recent report identified 128 cases of climate-related misinformation in French media in Q1 2025 alone. How can this be addressed without undermining media pluralism or editorial independence? How can we strike a balance between editorial freedom and scientific rigour?
In the end, I believe scientific rigour and truth will prevail. That might sound counterintuitive in an era of fake news and disinformation, but overall awareness and understanding of climate issues are improving.
That said, we must also invest in stronger media literacy — beyond just environmental topics — to ensure future generations can tell the difference between genuine and false information.
You’ve recently contributed to the Climate working group of the think tank 2030 – Investir Demain, which is launching a platform to help inform the public on how to reduce their carbon footprint through their savings. What’s your perspective on this initiative, and what advice would you offer to make these topics more accessible and tangible for savers?
As someone who has created media in radio, print, and television, I find this initiative highly relevant. It sits at the crossroads of two key concerns: personal finance and ecological impact.
These two areas are now inherently compatible — whether through eco-efficient solutions that also save money, or sustainable investments that offer returns while potentially delivering positive environmental impact.
It’s simply a matter of listening to the public — in this case, savers — and recognising that, all things being equal, they would prefer to support responsible solutions. The challenge is to offer them educational, clear, and realistic content that speaks to their situation.
That means producing content in various formats, and leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance distribution, personalisation, and adaptation of journalistic output.
