BBC and CNN Media Framing of the Phase-Out versus Phase-Down Fossil Fuels Debate at 28th Conference of the Parties (COP 28)

Abstract

This study aims to identify dominant frames, compare framing patterns, and explain the implications of news constructions for public interpretations of international climate policy in the debate on the phase-out versus phase-down of fossil fuels at COP28 in 2023 as reported by BBC and CNN. This research adopts a qualitative descriptive approach. Data were collected through documentation and literature review and were analyzed using Robert N. Entman‟s framing model, consisting of define problems, diagnose causes, make moral judgments, and treatment recommendations. The findings reveal different framing tendencies. BBC predominantly frames the debate as an urgent climate crisis by emphasizing weak political commitment to global temperature targets, continued dependence on fossil fuels as the main cause, and the need to accelerate renewable energy transition and eliminate fossil fuels as key solutions. In contrast, CNN frames the issue within international political and policy dynamics, highlighting negotiation processes marked by compromise, conflicting interests, and policy loopholes that may hinder climate change mitigation. These differences indicate that the media shape public understandings of the direction of international climate policy.