Abstract: This preprint maps climate change coverage in seven major German newspapers between 2010 and 2024. Using a validated large-language-model workflow, the study analyzes more than 50,000 articles and tracks how often reporting discusses causes, impacts, mitigation, and adaptation. The findings show that adaptation receives less attention than causes, impacts, and mitigation. Coverage of causes and mitigation is especially focused on fossil fuels and renewable energy, while agriculture, overconsumption, carbon inequality, and economic growth are discussed much less often. The paper also documents differences across outlets and points to opportunities for more comprehensive climate journalism.
Published article