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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Divergent shifts in public ecological attention following the COVID-19 pandemic
ClearCampaigning Environmental Conservation During the Pandemic: A Social Media Reception Analysis
This study analyzed how environmental conservation campaigns shifted to social media during COVID-19 lockdowns to maintain public engagement. Social media campaigns about plastic pollution have become important tools for raising awareness of microplastic contamination and motivating policy change.
Beyond climate change? Environmental discourse on the planetary boundaries in Twitter networks
Researchers analyzed social media discussions on Twitter about planetary boundaries beyond climate change, including issues like chemical pollution and microplastics. They found that while climate change dominates environmental discourse online, discussions about other critical environmental boundaries receive significantly less attention. The study suggests that broader public awareness of interconnected environmental threats, including plastic pollution, needs to be cultivated.
The COVID-19 pandemic reshapes the plastic pollution research – A comparative analysis of plastic pollution research before and during the pandemic
This comparative bibliometric analysis found that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly reshaped plastic pollution research, driving increased focus on single-use plastics from personal protective equipment and medical waste while temporarily shifting attention away from traditional environmental microplastic topics.
A Study on Environmental Trends and Sustainability in the Ocean Economy Using Topic Modeling: South Korean News Articles
Researchers used topic modeling of over 50,000 South Korean news articles from 2008-2022 to track evolving environmental concerns in ocean economy sectors, revealing shifts in public and media attention toward marine sustainability and pollution issues over time.
Plastic recycling in South Korea: problems, challenges, and policy recommendations in the endemic era
This review examines how plastic waste generation in South Korea surged during the COVID-19 pandemic due to increased online shopping and food delivery, while recycling rates declined. Researchers found that despite active waste management policies, the country needs stronger measures modeled on international best practices. The study highlights that microplastics remain a particular concern because their full environmental impacts are not yet well understood.
The long-term impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on environmental health: a review study of the bi-directional effect
Researchers reviewed how the COVID-19 pandemic created a two-way relationship with environmental health, finding that lockdowns temporarily improved air and water quality while simultaneously driving a surge in single-use plastic waste and biohazard materials. The review calls for long-term sustainability policies that balance economic recovery with environmental protection, including reducing plastic pollution.
Do Social Media Posts Influence Consumption Behavior towards Plastic Pollution?
Researchers surveyed 213 individuals to assess how social media posts influence consumer behavior toward plastic pollution, finding that information campaigns on social media can shift attitudes and reduce plastic consumption intentions.
Information Extraction from Unstructured Data on Microplastics through Text Mining
Researchers used text mining and natural language processing to analyze unstructured news and social media data about microplastic pollution. The approach revealed hidden trends and public concerns that are not always captured in academic literature, offering a new way to track how awareness of microplastics is evolving.
An issue analysis on microplastics using topic modeling
This Korean study used topic modeling (LDA algorithm) to analyze news coverage of microplastics from 2001 to 2022, extracting ten major topic clusters. The analysis found that public discourse has centered on health and safety, environmental pollution, single-use waste, policy, and citizen action — insights that can help align research priorities with public concerns.
Twitter data analysis to assess the interest of citizens on the impact of marine plastic pollution
Analysis of approximately 140,000 tweets about marine plastic pollution found that public engagement peaked in response to high-profile events like media reports and plastic ban announcements, with most activity from non-expert users sharing alarming content, while scientific accounts generated less engagement, suggesting that science communication strategies need rethinking.
Analysis of Popular Social Media Topics Regarding Plastic Pollution
Researchers applied five topic modelling techniques including LDA, HDP, LSI, NMF, and STM to 274,404 plastic pollution-related tweets to identify dominant public discourse themes on social media. The analysis revealed that certain techniques were more effective at capturing topic coherence and prevalence, providing policymakers with tools to understand public opinion and target environmental communication strategies.
Comparative Analysis of Microplastics Research Trends in Korea, China, and Japan Using Text Mining
Researchers conducted a comparative text mining analysis of microplastics research trends in Korea, China, and Japan using keyword co-occurrence and topic modeling, finding that Korea emphasizes ecosystem toxicity, China focuses on transport mechanisms and heavy metal interactions, and Japan investigates distribution and biodiversity impacts.
COVID-19 and the emerging research trends in environmental studies: a bibliometric evaluation
Researchers conducted a bibliometric analysis of 495 environmental science publications from the COVID-19 pandemic era, identifying key research trends including environmental quality assessment, increased chemical disinfectant exposure, worsening solid waste management, and strategies for post-pandemic urban planning. The study maps how the pandemic reshaped environmental research priorities and revealed both temporary environmental improvements and new pollution challenges.
Evolution of Media Coverage on Climate Change and Environmental Awareness: An Analysis of Tweets from UK and US Newspapers
Researchers analyzed a decade of climate change tweets from six major UK and US newspapers, finding that coverage increased overall but dipped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic before recovering by 2021, with 2019 standing out as a pivotal year driven by the Fridays for Future movement. Topic modeling revealed recurring themes around politics, health impacts, and pollution.
How Are Microplastics Represented in the Korean Media? : An Analysis Based on Reporting Periods, Political Inclinations and Uncertainty
An analysis of 514 South Korean news articles about microplastics from 2018 to 2023 found that media coverage focused heavily on health and environmental risks while rarely acknowledging the scientific uncertainty that still surrounds microplastic hazards. Coverage shifted after a 2021 government anti-plastics policy announcement, moving from problem-framing toward response-framing, with progressive outlets emphasizing regulation and conservative outlets emphasizing research and technology. The study warns that consistent omission of uncertainty in media reporting may suppress public scientific debate and lead to poorly calibrated risk perceptions.
Effects of COVID-19 on coastal and marine environments: Aggravated microplastic pollution, improved air quality, and future perspective
Researchers conducted a comprehensive review of how the COVID-19 pandemic affected coastal and marine environments between 2020 and 2023. The study found that pandemic-related waste, particularly personal protective equipment, significantly increased microplastic pollution in marine ecosystems, while lockdowns temporarily improved air quality. Evidence indicates that the environmental legacy of COVID-19 includes lasting microplastic contamination that will require long-term mitigation strategies.
"Malaysian and Libyan Perspectives on Single-Use Plastic's Environmental Impact During the Pandemic COVID-19: A Pilot Study"
Not directly relevant to microplastics — this pilot study surveys Malaysian and Libyan perspectives on the environmental impact of single-use plastics during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on attitudes and questionnaire validation rather than microplastic contamination research.
Utjecaj COVID-19 obrazaca ponašanja na ekosustave
This study examines how COVID-19 pandemic behaviors altered ecosystem exposures, finding that the shift away from circular economy practices led to surges in single-use plastic consumption, pharmaceuticals, personal protective equipment waste, and inadequately managed medical waste. Researchers concluded that pandemic-era waste streams created novel and large-scale environmental contamination challenges requiring new policy frameworks and production model shifts.
‘Windows of opportunity’: exploring the relationship between social media and plastic policies during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Researchers analyzed social media activity in the USA, Mexico, and Australia to understand how COVID-19 was used as justification to roll back plastic reduction policies. Their analysis suggests governments exploited the pandemic as a "window of opportunity" to weaken plastic regulations under pressure from industry, not just for public health reasons — a pattern that social media data can reveal in near real-time.
Topic modeling discovers trending topics in global research on the ecosystem impacts of microplastics
Researchers applied computational topic modeling to analyze how global microplastic research on ecosystem impacts has evolved across topics, regions, and time periods. The analysis identified trending research themes including terrestrial microplastics and biological interactions while revealing that marine-focused topics remain dominant, helping map the next frontiers for microplastic ecology research.