Climate News Tracker’s latest analysis finds the Iran war reshaped the UK broadcast agenda, even as climate coverage continued its year-on-year decline.
We partner with the University of Exeter to publish original research that consistently tracks UK broadcast reporting on climate change, for the first time.
Using newly-developed AI technology, we track BBC, ITN, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky News TV and radio news bulletins and online news services.
Register below to be the first to receive insights from Climate News Tracker.
What we track
1
The quantity of daily climate news reports.
2
The effectiveness of climate reporting against a consistent set of criteria.
3
Opportunities for a potential climate angle in neighbouring subjects such as economics or health.
4
Accuracy in climate information reporting.
Insights
UK coverage of Lancet climate-health report led by hay fever angle, but wider risks went underreported
A landmark report on climate and health in Europe was published on Earth Day 2026. Climate News Tracker examines how UK broadcasters covered it and how a focus on hay fever overshadowed its wider findings.
Framing the Crisis: How UK Broadcasters Navigated Energy Security and the Iran War
UK broadcast coverage mentioned fossil fuels more often as a crisis response, but in-depth segments gave renewables nearly equal attention.
Iran war coverage dominated by fossil fuels, with climate and renewables getting less attention
UK broadcast coverage shifted sharply towards fossil fuels after the start of the Iran war, with only modest increases in renewable energy reporting and minimal links to climate change.
Net Zero: Mentioned Often, Explained Rarely
An analysis of early morning and 10pm TV news programmes found that the term “net zero” is routinely reported without explanation or context.
UK Broadcasters Rarely Link Extreme Weather to Climate Change
Across five UK public service broadcasters, 82% of TV and radio programmes on extreme weather made no mention of climate change during the summers of 2024 and 2025.
Net Zero Costs and a 1.5°C Near-Miss: How UK Media Covered Two Significant Climate Reports
Two reports with clear news pegs landed in the same week in March 2026. This analysis tracks how they were covered across major UK print, online and broadcast outlets.
Climate Coverage Declines 12% Across UK Public Service Broadcasters in 2025
Despite 2025 being one of the warmest years on record, climate change saw the sharpest year-on-year fall in coverage of any issue monitored by Climate News Tracker.
Environmental Risks Continue to Dominate the World Economic Forum’s Long-Term Outlook
Geopolitical and economic shocks are crowding out climate concerns in the near term, but a majority of global leaders still see environmental threats as the most destabilising force shaping the next decade.
What Is the Office for National Statistics and Why Does Climate News Tracker Use Its Data as a Benchmark?
By tracking which issues people in Great Britain say matter most, the Office for National Statistics offers a reliable benchmark to compare with public service broadcaster coverage.
