Abstract. CCS (carbon capture and storage) is an important issue within the context of
climate-change mitigation options and has played a major role in the agendas
of scientists, researchers, and engineers. While media representations of CCS
in Germany from 2004 to 2014 demonstrated the significant mediatization of
the topic, this cannot be ascribed to science. Instead, CCS media coverage in
Germany has been dominated by other stakeholder groups. While CCS is linked
to various industry sectors, such as cement and steel production, the German
debate has dominantly focussed on the coal and energy branches. This study
looks at the role of science and science public relations (PR) within the
German public debate by analysing the media coverage of CCS in daily
newspapers from 2004 to 2014. If science wishes to remain proactive within
science communication, new approaches for future science PR have to be
deduced to strengthen, once again, the role of science communication. Among
these approaches, it is important to pursue a more differentiated
understanding of target audiences and regional concerns. Science PR has to
accept that science itself is no longer the only stakeholder and actor within
science communication.
The Takeover of Science Communication – Science Lost its Leading
Role in the Public Discourse of Carbon Capture and Storage
Research in Daily Newspapers in Germany