Exploring Climate Change Communication in Afghanistan on the X Platform over the Last Six Months of 2024

Abstract

Social media has emerged as an accessible communication tool for mass audiences worldwide. These new platforms are widely used in Afghanistan for various purposes. Given Afghanistan's high vulnerability to climate change impacts, the country requires effective public awareness and communication strategies across both traditional and new media. To inform policymaking for collective climate action, there is a need to analyze the content of social media discourse on climate change. The primary aim of this study is to explore climate change communication on the X platform to develop effective policies and strategies for leveraging social media, particularly the X platform, to communicate about climate change impacts in Afghanistan. The study employed a descriptive research design combined with a content analysis approach. The results indicate that the social media discourse revolved around key themes, including climate change impacts, Afghanistan's vulnerability to droughts, flash floods, monsoon rains, and unexpected snowfall, the lack of funding for climate change communication and mitigation efforts, and the disproportionate impact on women. The analysis also found that the total user engagement during the five-month study period reached 424,522 interactions, including reposts, replies, likes, and views. The findings of this study can inform the development of targeted, evidence-based communication strategies and policies to raise public awareness and catalyze collective action on climate change in Afghanistan, leveraging the reach and engagement potential of social media platforms.