Sociologický časopis / Czech Sociological Review 2023, 59(5): 513-534 | DOI: 10.13060/csr.2022.038

Perception of the Connection between the COVID-19 Pandemic and Climate Change in the Czech Blogosphere

Daniel Čermák, Jana Stachová, Matouš Pilnáček
Sociologický ústav AV ČR, v. v. i., Praha

The article is dedicated to reflecting the links between the climate crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic crisis in the context of Czech social media, specifically on several blogging platforms. The processes leading to the climate and pandemic crises are highly intertwined, based in the way humans interact with the environment on a global scale. However, the circumstances and consequences of both crises, as well as the ways they are dealt with, also share common features. The authors identify such contexts as reflected on blogging platforms by undertaking a qualitative analysis of texts from an interpretative phenomenological perspective. Climate scepticism is connected to pandemic scepticism, on the one hand, and to acceptance of the pandemic as a real threat, on the other hand. Conversely, acceptance of the climate crisis can be associated with both acceptance of the pandemic and pandemic scepticism.

Keywords: climate change, Covid-19 pandemic, scepticism, neutralization techniques, blogs

Received: October 14, 2021; Revised: November 11, 2022; Accepted: December 2, 2022; Prepublished online: December 2, 2022; Published: November 6, 2023  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Čermák, D., Stachová, J., & Pilnáček, M. (2023). Perception of the Connection between the COVID-19 Pandemic and Climate Change in the Czech Blogosphere. Sociologický časopis / Czech Sociological Review, 59(5), 513-534. doi: 10.13060/csr.2022.038
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article
    Czech version

    References

    1. Antilla, L. (2005). Climate of scepticism: US newspaper coverage of the science of climate change. Global environmental change, 15(4), 338-352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2005.08.003 Go to original source...
    2. Barouki, R., Kogevinas, M., Audouze, K., Belesova, K., Bergman, A., Birnbaum, L. … Vineis, P. (2021). The COVID-19 pandemic and global environmental change: Emerging research needs. Environment international, 146, 106272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106272 Go to original source...
    3. Bauer, M. W., Allum, N. a Miller, S. (2007). What can we learn from 25 years of PUS survey research? Liberating and expanding the agenda. Public understanding of science, 16(1), 79-95. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662506071287 Go to original source...
    4. Botzen, W., Duijndam, S. a Beukering, P. van. (2021). Lessons for climate policy from behavioral biases towards COVID-19 and climate change risks. World Development, 137, 105214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105214 Go to original source...
    5. Bruelle, R. J., Carmichael, J. a Jenkins, J. C. (2012). Shifting public opinion on climate change: An empirical assessment of factors influencing concern over climate change in the US, 2002-2010. Climatic Change, 114(2), 169-188. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-012-0403-y Go to original source...
    6. C-Change. Center for climate, health, and the global environment. (2021). Coronavirus, Climate Change, and the Environment. A Conversation on COVID-19 with Dr. Aaron Bernstein, Director of Harvard Chan C-CHANGE. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Navštíveno 30. 4. 2021. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/c-change/subtopics/coronavirus-and-climate-change/
    7. Capstick, S. B. a Pidgeon, N. F. (2014). What is Climate Change Scepticism? Examination of the Concept Using a Mixed Methods Study of the UK Public. Global Environmental Change, 24, 389-401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2013.08.012 Go to original source...
    8. Coman, I. A., Elsheikh, D., Gregor, M., Lilleker, D. a Novelli, E. (2021). Introduction: Political communication, governance and rhetoric in times of crisis. In D. Lilleker, I. A. Coman, M. Gregor a E. Novelli (eds.), Political Communication and COVID-19: Governance and Rhetoric in Times of Crisis (s. 1-15). Routledge.
    9. Čermák, D. a Patočková, V. (2020). Individual Determinants of Climate Change Scepticism in the Czech Republic. Sociológia, 52(6), 578-598. https://doi.org/10.31577/sociologia.2020.52.6.24 Go to original source...
    10. Dick, B. (2005). Grounded theory: a thumbnail sketch. Resource Papers in Action Research. http://www.aral.com.au/resources/grounded.html
    11. EClinical Medicine. (2021). Editorial: Climate change and COVID-19: global challenges and opportunities. EClinical Medicine, 31, 100738. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.100738 Go to original source...
    12. Eibl, O. a Gregor, M. (2021). The Czech Republic: Self-proclaimed Role-Models. In D. Lilleker, I. A. Coman, M. Gregor a E. Novelli (eds.), Political Communication and COVID-19: Governance and Rhetoric in Times of Crisis (s. 259-268). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003120254-25 Go to original source...
    13. Evropská komise. (n.d.a). Plán na podporu oživení Evropy. Evropská komise. Navštíveno 30. 4. 2021. https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/recovery-plan-europe_cs
    14. Evropská komise. (n.d.b). Zelená dohoda pro Evropu. Snaha stát se prvním klimaticky neutrálním kontinentem. Evropská komise. Navštíveno 30. 4. 2021. https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_cs
    15. Fuchs, C. (2021). Communicating COVID-19: Everyday life, digital capitalism, and conspiracy theories in pandemic times. Emerald Group Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1108/9781801177207 Go to original source...
    16. Greenberg, J., Knight, G. a Westersund, E. (2011). Spinning climate change: corporate and NGO public relations strategies in Canada and the United States. International Communication Gazette, 73(1-2), 65-82. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748048510386742 Go to original source...
    17. Grougiou, V., Dedoulis, E. a Leventis, S. (2016). Corporate social responsibility reporting and organizational stigma: The case of 'sin' industries. Journal of Business Research, 69(2), 905-914. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2015.06.041 Go to original source...
    18. Hay, C. (2007). Why we hate politics. Polity Press.
    19. Hoggan, J. a Littlemore, R. (2009). Climate cover-up: The crusade to deny global warming. Greystone Books.
    20. Joshi, M., Caceres, J., Ko, S., Epps, S. M. a Bartter, T. (2021). Unprecedented: the toxic synergism of Covid-19 and climate change. Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine, 27(2), 66-72. https://doi.org/10.1097/MCP.0000000000000756 Go to original source...
    21. Khanijahani, A. a Tomassoni, L. (2021). Socioeconomic and Racial Segregation and COVID-19: Concentrated Disadvantage and Black Concentration in Association with COVID-19 Deaths in the USA. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-021-00965-1 Go to original source...
    22. Lal, P., Alavalapati, J. a Mercer, D. E. (2011). Socioeconomic impacts of climate change on rural communities in the United States. In R. J. Alig (ed.), Effects of climate change on natural resources and communities: a compendium of briefing papers. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNWGTR-837 (s. 73-118). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/ja/2011/ja_2011_lal_001.pdf
    23. Mann, M. E. (2021). The New Climate War: the fight to take back our planet. Hachette Group.
    24. Markard, J. a Rosenbloom, D. (2020). A tale of two crises: COVID-19 and climate. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 16(1), 53-60. https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2020.1765679 Go to original source...
    25. Michaels, D. (2008). Doubt is their product: how industry's assault on science threatens your health. Oxford University Press.
    26. Moser, S. C. (2010). Communicating Climate Change: History, Challenges, Process and Future Directions. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 1(1), 31-53. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.11 Go to original source...
    27. McKie, R. (2018). Rebranding the Climate Change Counter Movement through a Criminological and Political Economic Lens. [Ph.D. thesis, Northumbria University]. https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/33466/
    28. Naicker, P. R. (2011). The impact of climate change and other factors on zoonotic diseases. Archives of Clinical Microbiology, 2(2:4), 1-6. https://doi.org/10:3823/226
    29. NASA. (2021). 2020 Tied for Warmest Year on Record, NASA Analysis Shows. NASA Global Climate Change. Navštíveno 30. 4. 2021. https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3061/2020-tied-for-warmest-year-on-record-nasa-analysis-shows/
    30. Oreskes, N. a Conway, E. M. (2010). Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming. Bloomsbury Press.
    31. Pomikálek, J. (2011). jusText [Software]. LINDAT/CLARIN digital library at the Institute of Formal and Applied Linguistics (ÚFAL), Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University. http://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-097C-0000-000D-F696-9
    32. Sharman, A. (2014). Mapping the climate sceptical blogosphere. Global Environmental Change, 26, 159-170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2014.03.003 Go to original source...
    33. Smith J. A. a Osborn, M. (2003). Interpretative phenomenological analysis. In J. A. Smith (ed.), Qualitative Psychology: A Practical Guide to Research Methods (s. 25-52). Sage Publications Ltd.
    34. Sykes, G. M. a Matza, D. (1957). Techniques of neutralization: A theory of delinquency. American sociological review, 22(6), 664-670. https://doi.org/10.2307/2089195 Go to original source...
    35. Šimandl, V. a Dobiáš, V. (2021). Analýza dat při tvorbě zakotvené teorie pomocí software atlas.ti. Paidagogos, 22(1), 131-156. http://www.paidagogos.net/issues/2021/1/article.php?id=8
    36. USGCRP. (2018). Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II. U.S. Global Change Research Program. https://doi.org/10.7930/NCA4.2018. Go to original source...
    37. Van Aelst, P., Toth, F., Castro. L., Štětka, V., Vreese, C. de, Aalberg, T. … Theocharis, Y. (2021). Does a crisis change news habits? A comparative study of the effects of COVID-19 on news media use in 17 European countries. Digital Journalism, 9(9), 1208-1238. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2021.1943481 Go to original source...
    38. Vidomus, P. (2013). Česká klimaskepse. Úvod do studia. Sociální studia, 10(1), 95-127. https://doi.org/10.5817/SOC2013-1-95 Go to original source...
    39. WMO. (2021). State of the Global Climate 2020 (WMO-No. 1264). World Meteorological Organisation. https://library.wmo.int/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=21880#.YKPF0qEzW71
    40. Wu, T. (2021). The socioeconomic and environmental drivers of the COVID-19 pandemic: A review. Ambio, 50, 822-833. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-020-01497-4 Go to original source...
    41. Zang, S. M., Benjenk, I., Breakey, S., Pusey-Reid, E. a Nicholas, P. K. (2021). The intersection of climate change with the era of COVID-19. Public Health Nursing, 38(2), 321-335. https://doi.org/10.1111/phn.12866 Go to original source...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content