Framing of nationalism in climate reporting in the Global South: The case of India

Climate change and nationalism have traditionally been viewed as opposing forces because nationalism is often territorially bounded, while climate change transcends borders. This study examines the intersection of climate reporting and three forms of nationalism – that is, economic, resource and green nationalism – in India by analysing the coverage of Conference of the Parties (COP) summits in The Hindu and The Times of India before and after the Narendra Modi government’s rise in 2014. The findings show a shift from economic nationalism to green nationalism during the Modi regime, supported by the frames of leadership, sustainability and cultural superiority. Simultaneously, resource nationalism remained strong, highlighting the tensions emerging out of development priorities and climate action.