Tweeting Climate Change: Who or What Motivates Politicians to Address The Topic?

• In Event: Climate Change Communication

Abstract

In this study we examine the factors associated with politicians tweeting about climate change. We examine their motivations in terms of factors measured by a diverse set of data sources: 1) party identification; 2) public opinion, measured from surveys; 3) recent weather events that might be attributed to climate change, measured from actual weather events, and 4) projected future risks estimated from climate models. Results indicate that partisanship explains much of differences in addressing the topic as Democrats are more likely to tweet about climate change. However, within parties different rationales emerged. Democrats were more closely followed a representation model, tweeting more in districts in which public concern about climate change is high. Republicans were more likely to tweet when their districts had salient weather events or large future risks due to climate change, though necessarily in support of climate adaptation or mitigation.

Authors

• Drew Berkley Margolin, Cornell U

• Jennifer Fownes, Cornell U

• Chao Yu, Cornell University

• Ashlye Hodge, Cornell U

• Allison Chatrchyan, Cornell U

• Shorna Allred, Cornell U