Ups and downs of public attention on climate change: the southern Brazil floods through Anthony Downs’s issue-attention cycle

Authors

  • Guilherme Borba Lefèvre Master's Degree in Environmental Science, PhD student, Postgraduate Program in Environmental Science (Procam), Institute of Energy and Environment, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9262-5571
  • Ana Paula Aprígio Assis PhD in Evolutionary Biology, Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Bioscience Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
  • Eduardo de Lima Caldas PhD in Political Science, Professor, School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2825-661X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18472/SustDeb.v16n3.2025.57946

Keywords:

Climate change, Extreme weather events, Rio Grande Do Sul, Issue-attentionn cycle, Agenda-setting, Public policies

Abstract

This article analyses the public attention in Brazil to the 2024 extreme weather event in Rio Grande do Sul, focusing on the problem of climate change. The study aimed to assess whether public opinion followed Downs’ (1972) “Issue-Attention Cycle” or displayed a different pattern. Using a content analysis of the term “climate change” on the Folha de São Paulo website, over 3 months before and 6 months after the event, we found a sharp increase in climate change-related coverage following the f loods, indicating increased public interest. However, this surge in attention was short-lived, with a significant decline in approximately 30 days after the event. These results suggest that public attention to climate change issues is intense but fleeting, posing challenges for policymakers and other actors seeking to leverage this “window of opportunity” to advance climate-related public policies.

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Author Biographies

Guilherme Borba Lefèvre, Master's Degree in Environmental Science, PhD student, Postgraduate Program in Environmental Science (Procam), Institute of Energy and Environment, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

PhD candidate in Environmental Science at PROCAM-USP. Holds a degree in Law from Leiden University in the Netherlands. Completed a Master's degree in Environmental Science at USP. During his Master's studies, he conducted research on the contribution of the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol to sustainable development in Brazil. He has over 13 years of professional and academic experience in the field of climate change. As a researcher, he has worked at the Center for Sustainability Studies of the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGVces) since 2013. He conducts research in the areas of climate economics, public policies, and business strategies on climate change. Currently, in addition to being a researcher at FGVces, he is the coordinator of the Brazilian GHG Protocol Program.

Ana Paula Aprígio Assis, PhD in Evolutionary Biology, Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Bioscience Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

I am an evolutionary biologist with a special interest in understanding the evolution of complex phenotypes. To answer this question, I use empirical data (mainly mammals) and a theoretical approach. I graduated from the São Paulo State University "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (2007) and received my doctorate from the University of São Paulo (2016). I completed postdoctoral studies in the Department of Ecology at the University of São Paulo (2017-2021) and at the University of Montana (2021-present). I have experience in the field of mammalian evolution, mainly working in the areas of evolution of complex traits, quantitative genetics, coevolution, and network theory. Currently, I am a Professor at the Department of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology at USP, SP. Mother of Beatriz and Cecília, I was on maternity leave in 2017 and 2024.

Eduardo de Lima Caldas , PhD in Political Science, Professor, School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Holds a degree in Economics from the University of São Paulo (1995), a master's degree in Public Administration and Government from the Getulio Vargas Foundation - SP (2002), a master's degree in Political Science from the University of São Paulo (2003), a doctorate in Political Science from the University of São Paulo (2008), a post-doctorate in Territorial Management from the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - CIRAD (2013), and a habilitation in Applied Social Sciences from the University of São Paulo (2017). Currently, he is an Associate Professor - MS-5.1 - at the University of São Paulo. He has experience in the field of Administration, with an emphasis on Government Policy and Planning.

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Published

2025-12-28

How to Cite

Lefèvre, G. B., Assis, A. P. A., & Caldas , E. de L. (2025). Ups and downs of public attention on climate change: the southern Brazil floods through Anthony Downs’s issue-attention cycle. Sustainability in Debate, 16(3), 22–53. https://doi.org/10.18472/SustDeb.v16n3.2025.57946

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 3 (2025): Sustainability in Debate

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Dossier

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