Portrait of Rupert Murdoch
Business · policy
Wikipedia (opens in new tab)

Rupert Murdoch on Climate Change

Mixed climate skepticism/advocacy (moderate)

TL;DR

Rupert Murdoch's position on climate change has shifted from skepticism toward corporate action while his media outlets have had mixed or resistant coverage.

Key Points

  • In 2006, he publicly expressed support for an international treaty to halt global warming, stating the planet deserves the benefit of the doubt.

  • News Corp has a corporate target to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, as stated in a 2022 report.

  • Some scientists have described him as a “climate villain” for using his media empire to sow public confusion about climate science.

Summary

Rupert Murdoch, as executive chairman of News Corp, has demonstrated a complex and evolving stance on climate change, marked by an internal corporate pivot alongside skepticism in some of his media outlets. In 2006, he publicly shifted to support an international treaty to halt global warming, stating the planet deserves the benefit of the doubt, and pledged to make News Corp carbon neutral. This internal change signaled a corporate acknowledgment of climate risk, leading News Corp Australia, for instance, to plan editorial campaigns advocating for net-zero emissions by 2050.

However, this corporate shift has been counterbalanced by the persistent editorial stance of some of his influential media properties, which have historically promoted doubt about climate science, leading critics to label him a “climate villain” for delaying action. While News Corp as a corporation has set a net-zero target for 2050, the coverage across its global empire has been uneven, reflecting a tension between his stated personal/corporate stance and the narratives pushed by key editorial arms, especially in the US and Australia.

Frequently Asked Questions

Rupert Murdoch signaled a shift toward accepting the need for action in 2006, supporting an international treaty and setting corporate net-zero goals. However, the sentiment across his media holdings has often been mixed, with some outlets historically promoting skepticism or denial of climate science.

Yes, his position has evolved from actively disputing climate science for over a decade to publicly supporting an international climate treaty around 2006. Despite this personal pivot, the editorial lines of his newspapers and networks have shown inconsistency.

In 2019, Rupert Murdoch claimed there were no climate change deniers around his company, a statement that was challenged by independent bodies citing misinformation spread by outlets like Sky News Australia under his leadership.