Social Media in the System of State Climate Communication

Abstract

This article provides a theoretical examination of the role of social media as a channel of state climate communication in the context of digital transformation of the public sphere. The relevance of the topic is driven by the emergence of social media as the primary channel through which citizens access information on climate policy, while at the same time there remains a shortage of theoretical models explaining how state institutions can effectively use these platforms to advance climate strategy. The aim of the study is to systematise the theoretical foundations of state climate communication on social media and to reveal the functional capacities of individual digital platforms as applied to the tasks of climate policy. The theoretical framework integrates framing theory, the critique of the informationdeficit model, dialogic communication theory, and the concept of public engagement. Drawing on a qualitative content analysis of 25 publications on the official Instagram account of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan (April 2026), the study identifies the specific communicative functions and limitations of the platform for the transmission of climate messages. Particular attention is devoted to the context of the Republic of Uzbekistan, where the Yashil Makon (Green Space) programme, the Green Economy Transition Strategy, and the updated Nationally Determined Contribution are being implemented. The article outlines the key challenges of state climate communication in the digital environment and formulates practical implications for improving the communication strategies of state authorities