In Dutch-language news broadcasts between February and August 2026, 1.4 per cent of the airtime was dedicated to the climate crisis. Biodiversity issues were covered in 1.2 per cent of the reports, and 1 per cent of the coverage addressed the natural resources crisis. Among the national French-language media, these percentages were higher: 3.9 per cent of the coverage dealt with the climate crisis, 3 per cent with biodiversity, and 2.4 per cent with resource shortages.
The researchers behind the barometer emphasise that the perspective of reporting can make a difference. Reports that focus solely on facts may leave viewers and listeners feeling discouraged. Conversely, coverage that focuses only on solutions might minimise the perceived severity of the crisis. According to the researchers, both the French- and Dutch-language national media manage to report in a balanced manner. “The media regularly place events within their climatic context and often highlight possible solutions,” they state.
At the same time, causes and solutions are sometimes presented too simplistically. Sectors with high CO2 emissions, such as industry and the raw materials economy, tend to receive systematically less attention. When discussing the causes of the crisis, the focus is mainly on energy and transport.
Solutions sometimes lack depth. During heatwaves, there was a notable focus on air conditioning, while building insulation, greening, or spatial planning were scarcely mentioned. Coverage of forest fires primarily concentrated on the cause (such as arson), while structural factors like forest management and climate change were underreported.
The initial translation of this content was generated by AI. All facts, context, and language have subsequently been verified and validated by a human editorial team.
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