Environment

The climate crisis in Italian newspapers

The Observatory on the environment and sustainable development in the media

In 2014, for the first time in Italy, the Eco-Media Observatory was established, with the aim of giving a periodic picture of how environmental issues are treated in the major media. From this profitable experience, and as its “natural” evolution, it was decided to expand its contents, thus giving life to the Observatory on Sustainable Development, which intends to provide elements of analysis (media monitoring, stakeholder mapping, value analysis) for a reflection on sustainability communication, in order to assess the nature of the information, the authoritativeness of the sources and the effectiveness of public awareness on the subject.

The observatory has the following objectives:

• collecting primary and current data on information flows on sustainability issues at the national and European levels;
• stimulating the big publishers, that is, those who govern the media system, so that the issues of interest have the space and continuity they deserve;
• encouraging a green-sector production chain, thus trying to arrive at a final product with zero impact;
• attracting a new audience of readers who are interested in sustainability;
• disseminating good practice, public and private, thus fostering a virtuous emulative circle;
• encouraging discussion among experts, scholars, managers, communication professionals, students, and concerned citizens by providing materials and tools for analysing sustainability data.

To achieve its objectives, OSA will carry out two annual research projects (knowledge is a fundamental prerequisite to stimulate change and to involve society and improve its well-being): the Eco Media Report and the SostenibilItalia Report, in addition to a series of communication, training, and awareness-raising activities involving the mass media, institutions, businesses, civil society, schools, and the general public.