In contrast, the timeline below shows the percentage of these protest-related articles that also mentioned either “global warming” or “climate change” in reference to the fossil energy fuel tax that helped spur the demonstrations. Mentions peaked between the second and third weekends as the international press dissected the origins of the unrest and their implications for other countries considering carbon taxes to combat climate change. Yet, as the total volume of coverage has increased, the percentage associating the protests’ origins with climate change have steadily decreased…

Indeed, Macron has made climate change a personal priority, positioning himself as a global leader on environmental issues. The timeline below shows the percentage of worldwide online news coverage of Macron since the first week of the protests that also mentioned “climate change” or “global warming.” The protests appear to have focused attention on his climate stance, especially the political liabilities of embracing this position during an economic downturn. Even here, though, mentions of climate change are fading.