MEDIA TECHNIQUES FOR CONSTRUCTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT NARRATIVES

Abstract

The article examines manipulative media techniques used to construct sustainability narratives in English-language media discourse. The relevance of the study is determined by the growing role of digital media and social networking platforms in shaping public perceptions of environmental issues, climate change, and sustainable development goals. The theoretical framework of the study is based on Critical Discourse Analysis approaches and the classification of media manipulative techniques proposed by Da San Martino et al. (2019). The research corpus consists of 100 publications from leading English-language media outlets (BBC, The Guardian, National Geographic, Greenpeace International, The New York Times, UN Environment Programme) and their corresponding Facebook and X accounts for the years 2025-2026. The methodology combines qualitative and quantitative content analysis with elements of Critical Discourse Analysis, enabling the identification of the frequency and functioning of media manipulative techniques. The results reveal the dominance of emotional-evaluative strategies of influence, particularly exaggeration/minimization, appeals to fear, and the use of emotionally charged vocabulary. It is established that different media exhibit distinct models of discursive behavior: Greenpeace International is characterized by a high level of emotional mobilization, whereas the BBC, The New York Times, and National Geographic combine emotional and fact-based strategies. The findings allow us to conclude that media exert a complex influence on recipients’ perception of global environmental issues and, through manipulative techniques, construct and disseminate specific sustainability narratives.