Transitions in climate and energy discourse between Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy
by Jennie Stephens, Emily M. Cody, James P. Bagrow, Peter Sheridan Dodds, Christopher M. Danforth
This paper uses mathematical document methods to analyze the topics discussed post Hurricanes Katrina (2005) and Sandy (2012) as a way to explore the intersection of media coverage and public opinion. It finds that the post-disaster coverage of Katrina makes no mention of climate change, and no link with the energy sector. However, post-disaster coverage of Sandy includes discussions of climate change, energy, and their integration “indicating a shift in climate and energy reporting between Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy.”