This research note investigates the range of “focusing events” that have driven public attention to climate change in Australia over the past two decades. While scholars have widely recognized the significance of focusing events for catalyzing stronger climate action, few studies to date have sought to assess the specific categories of events that drive the greatest public attention to the issue. Focusing on Australia, this study analyzes Google Trends data from 2004 to 2022 to identify the highest spikes in national “climate attention” over that period and attempts to correlate these moments with relevant events that may have driven these upticks. In so doing, the study aims to provide policymakers and activists with insights into the sorts of events that provide the most fruitful opportunities to push for stronger policy action.

Keywords: Climate policy, focusing events, public attention, extreme weather, environment, Australia