TY - JOUR

T1 - The Mediation of Sustainability: Media Landscapes and Environmental Discourse in Equatorial Africa

AU - Никонов, Сергей Борисович

AU - Байчик, Анна Витальевна

AU - Курышева, Юлия Владимировна

AU - Фадеева, Алина Витальевна

AU - Георгиева, Елена Савова

N1 - Nikonov S, Baichik A., Kurysheva Y, Georgiyeva E., Fadeeva A (2025) The Mediation of Sustainability: Media Landscapes and Environmental Discourse in Equatorial Africa // International Journal of Ecosystems and Ecology Science. - 2025. - №Vol. 15 (6): . - С. 267-272.

PY - 2025/12/27

Y1 - 2025/12/27

N2 - The media play a critical role in shaping public understanding of sustainability challenges, such as climate changeadaptation, natural resource management, and biodiversity conservation. However, in regions undergoing rapidpolitical transformation, such as Equatorial Africa, the structure and control of media systems themselves are in flux,raising questions about how environmental issues are communicated to the public. While the decolonization ofmedia from former metropolitan powers is widely noted, the implications of this shift for sustainability governanceremain underexplored. This article investigates the contemporary media landscapes of Equatorial Africa to analyzehow evolving structures of state control and national sovereignty influence the capacity for environmentalcommunication. Employing a systematic analysis of recent scholarly publications (2022-2025) from the Russianacademic segment, this study examines the political economy of media in key countries, including the DemocraticRepublic of Congo, Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The findings indicate that media systems in the region remainat a nascent stage of development, characterized by strong state influence and a continued reliance on radio as theprimary information channel. A central trend is the deliberate restriction of foreign media outlets as part of a broaderproject of asserting national sovereignty. We argue that this pursuit of "media sovereignty" often manifests asincreased state control, which subsequently restricts the plurality of voices and the independence of reporting. Thishas direct consequences for sustainability, as it potentially limits critical discourse on environmental degradation,corporate accountability, and climate policy, framing these issues primarily through a lens of nationalistic andpolitical expediency rather than ecological necessity. The study concludes that the ongoing "ideologeme" inEquatorial African media—the process of elevating national languages and narratives—is intrinsically linked toenvironmental communication. The move away from colonial linguistic frameworks presents an opportunity forlocally relevant sustainability narratives but is simultaneously constrained by new forms of state-controlled mediaenvironments. Understanding this dynamic is essential for international partners and NGOs seeking to effectivelycollaborate on sustainability initiatives in the region.

AB - The media play a critical role in shaping public understanding of sustainability challenges, such as climate changeadaptation, natural resource management, and biodiversity conservation. However, in regions undergoing rapidpolitical transformation, such as Equatorial Africa, the structure and control of media systems themselves are in flux,raising questions about how environmental issues are communicated to the public. While the decolonization ofmedia from former metropolitan powers is widely noted, the implications of this shift for sustainability governanceremain underexplored. This article investigates the contemporary media landscapes of Equatorial Africa to analyzehow evolving structures of state control and national sovereignty influence the capacity for environmentalcommunication. Employing a systematic analysis of recent scholarly publications (2022-2025) from the Russianacademic segment, this study examines the political economy of media in key countries, including the DemocraticRepublic of Congo, Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The findings indicate that media systems in the region remainat a nascent stage of development, characterized by strong state influence and a continued reliance on radio as theprimary information channel. A central trend is the deliberate restriction of foreign media outlets as part of a broaderproject of asserting national sovereignty. We argue that this pursuit of "media sovereignty" often manifests asincreased state control, which subsequently restricts the plurality of voices and the independence of reporting. Thishas direct consequences for sustainability, as it potentially limits critical discourse on environmental degradation,corporate accountability, and climate policy, framing these issues primarily through a lens of nationalistic andpolitical expediency rather than ecological necessity. The study concludes that the ongoing "ideologeme" inEquatorial African media—the process of elevating national languages and narratives—is intrinsically linked toenvironmental communication. The move away from colonial linguistic frameworks presents an opportunity forlocally relevant sustainability narratives but is simultaneously constrained by new forms of state-controlled mediaenvironments. Understanding this dynamic is essential for international partners and NGOs seeking to effectivelycollaborate on sustainability initiatives in the region.

KW - Африка

UR - https://ijees.net/images/pdf/SergeyNikonov1AnnaBaichik1YuliaKurysheva1ElenaGeorgiyeva1AlinaFadeeva1THEMEDIATIONOFSUSTAINABILITY:MEDIALANDSCAPESANDENVIRONMENTALDISCOURSEINEQUATORIALAFRICApage267-272;-8770683503.pdf

UR - https://ijees.net/journal-106-International-Journal-of-Ecosystems-and-Ecology-Science-(IJEES)-Volume-15-6,-2025.html

U2 - 10.31407/ijees15.632

DO - 10.31407/ijees15.632

M3 - Article

VL - 15

SP - 267

EP - 272

JO - International Journal of Ecosystems and Ecology Science

JF - International Journal of Ecosystems and Ecology Science

SN - 2224-4980

IS - (6)

Y2 - 1 November 2025

ER -