Climate Chat: An Integrative Review of Emerging Literature in the Field of Online Climate Change Communication

Throughout the past decade, climate activists and skeptics alike have flocked to platforms like Facebook and Twitter to debate climate change impacts and mitigation strategies. The popularization of social media and a growing concern for climate change among the general public have provided ample space and motivation for discussion. As a result, an emerging body of literature has begun to analyze the various appeals that effectively rouse climate change discussion on social media. The purpose of this integrative literature review is to summarize and critique existing literature on climate change communication through social media channels, as well as synthesize new directions for future studies in the field. The body of work collected for this review offers a solid foundation on which the emerging field of study can grow. Most notably, the literature revealed that climate change is a highly polarized topic on various platforms, and that engagement is often influenced by public figures and an emotional connection to online content. However, the literature is also limited in terms of geographic reach, methodological approaches, and platforms evaluated. Revealing these current deficits allows us to better understand the paths forward for future research.Master of Scienc