Climate Change Versus Economic Growth: Quantifying, Identifying and Comparing Articulations in News Media Using Dynamic Topic Modeling

Climate change and economic growth are often portrayed as incompatible in both scientific literature and the media, yet they are treated as separate themes. This study analyses 24 years of Finnish news data (2000–2023, n = 39,375) using dynamic topic modeling to explore how these themes intersect and have evolved over time. Results reveal that climate change emerged as a distinct topic within the economic growth dataset, and vice versa. Initially focused on emissions and international agreements, the discourse within economic growth coverage evolved to connect climate change with sustainable energy practices and broader socio-economic issues. Conversely, economic growth appeared in the climate change news discussing governmental, business, and societal perspectives, often critiquing capitalism and emphasizing welfare and education. The findings demonstrate a gradual shift toward integrating economic and environmental narratives, suggesting that sustainable economic growth is increasingly viewed as essential in addressing climate change. In applying articulation theory to dynamic topic modeling, the study highlights the importance of contextualizing machine-driven methodology results within broader socio-political and economic landscapes.