Climate change mitigation information disclosure: the impact of external attention on the internet

Purpose This study aims to investigate the influence of public attention and media through the internet on corporate disclosures related to climate change. As public awareness of environmental issues and the urgency of addressing climate change increases, pressure is mounting on companies to be transparent about their actions and contributions to climate change mitigation. Design/methodology/approach This study uses regression analysis to examine the relationship between public and media attention and corporate climate change disclosure. The panel data consists of information from 142 mining companies in the ASEAN region from 2017 to 2021. Findings The research findings show that public and media attention through the internet positively and significantly influences companies’ disclosure regarding their climate change actions. Companies that receive higher levels of public and media scrutiny through the internet tend to disclose more information regarding their climate change mitigation initiatives, strategies and performance. This highlights the importance of public and media attention in driving corporate transparency and accountability in addressing this global challenge. Practical implications This research emphasizes the need for companies to proactively engage the public and media on the internet in climate change disclosure strategies. By recognizing the influence of these external stakeholders, companies can design more effective communication and reporting approaches to build legitimacy, enhance their reputation and effectively demonstrate their commitment to contributing to climate change mitigation efforts. Originality/value The novelty of this research lies in its study of the role of public attention and media through the internet as a driver of climate change disclosure by companies. Public attention is measured using data from Google Trends as the novelty of this research.