Representations of dual carbon goals in English-language news reporting by China’s official media

Using critical discourse analysis and corpus linguistics, this study investigates how China’s official English-language news outlets frame the issue of dual carbon goals and depict the key actors responsible for meeting national targets. Results reveal that they present a positive image of China as deeply committed to achieving reduction goals and capable of forging a sustainable future. The focus primarily lies on the government, financial institutions, and major enterprises due to the top-down management structures of climate governance. These media consistently portray the goals as a pressing issue that the Chinese government are poised to address successfully. Aligned with the directives of the People’s Bank of China, financial institutions are encouraged to provide low-interest loans to companies operating in crucial carbon-reduction sectors to stimulate the production of environmentally friendly goods and services. These companies stand to benefit from integrating green technologies into the state-regulated carbon dioxide emissions trading market. However, the contributions of research institutions and civil society organizations, including NGOs, are downplayed by the media, despite their potential to play a significant role in tackling the intricate challenges through public engagement. This marginalization may be attributed to the limited influence of these entities within China’s existing socio-political landscape.