Climate crises and energy employment: environmental framing in 2016 presidential campaign advertising

I explore how conceptions of the environment and environmental issues were portrayed in 2016 presidential candidate advertisements through use of frame analysis, including both content-based and rhetorical-based methods of analyzing frames. From a data sample of 26 advertisements, a content analysis reveals three major environmental themes: the environment as being associated primarily with Democratic candidates, environmental issues such as climate change being a threat to human life and property, and solutions to environmental issues being achievable via both jobs and alternative energy sources. A subsequesent rhetorical analysis examines how these themes were used to support different arguments by presidential candidates. I discuss potential for future environmental communication studies in my conclusion that explore the presence and similarity of environmental frames in the advertising of other elections at senate and congressional races at the same level, or that examine how identified themes were present in other areas of a candidate's campaign such as rallies and debates.