Analyzing the newspapers’ coverage of sustainable development goals in UAE

Abstract

This study examines how United Arab Emirates (UAE) national newspapers reported on sustainable development goals (SDGs) following the country’s announcement that it would host COP28 climate change summit in 2023. We analyzed the content of a systematic random sample of news articles published in leading Arabic and English language newspapers over a one-year period. Results indicate that sustainable development issues, particularly related to the environment and economy, were covered widely and mostly positively, and were framed in the context of achievements rather than challenges. We also observed significant differences in SDG reporting between the two newspapers selected for our study. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are discussed.