Climate risk communication in areas with extreme weather: the case of Qatar

This paper presents a case study investigating how climate-related health risks are communicated in Qatar through news media and government messaging, with a particular focus on migrant workers. It assesses the accessibility of media coverage and public communication strategies, as well as their alignment with international guidelines for inclusive risk communication. The study analyses existing online climate communication messages, channels, and resources, both prior to and during emergency situations. Accessibility is understood as the extent to which information is retrievable, comprehensible, and usable by people with a wide range of abilities. This includes physical, digital, linguistic, and social dimensions of access. By examining Qatar’s approach to climate risk communication in a multilingual and socioeconomically diverse context, the study highlights existing challenges and offers insights for improving the inclusivity and effectiveness of public communication in similar settings. Findings highlight key gaps and structural barriers in current practices, offering insights for the development of more equitable and inclusive public communication strategies in climate-vulnerable settings such as Qatar.