Gies College of Business

PODCAST: Why media attention on climate action can backfire

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Sep 29, 2026 John Moist Business Administration Faculty Podcasts Research


Media coverage of climate action can hurt already low-polluting companies by raising expectations, operational costs, expenses, and debt. The same attention can help high-polluting firms improve efficiency, reduce regulatory costs, and strengthen their reputations.

When a company takes action on climate issues, it might come with headlines - but keeping promises can be expensive. Research from Gies College of Business tracked hundreds of thousands of news stories and found that greener the company, the more good climate action coverage can cost. In this episode of Research Reverb, Professor Gautam Pant explains why the "green spotlight" raises expectations.

 

 

Check out all of our previous episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and LIKE and SUBSCRIBE:

September 15, 2026 – When influencers use AI to interact with fans and consumers
September 5, 2026 – Ambulance Taxis: Curbing Medicare Fraud Without Hurting Patients
May 5, 2026 – Give or Get? The Science of Workplace Recognition
April 21, 2026 – Smarter Scheduling for Chronic Care
April 7, 2026 – The Surprising Link Between FDA Action and Drug Supply
March 24, 2026 – The Pollution Shell Game – Why Divestment Doesn’t Always Leave the Planet Greener
March 10, 2026 – How Human-Machine Teamwork is Transforming Healthcare
February 24, 2026 – How Gig Work Fuels Entrepreneurship
February 10, 2026 – Why Erasing Small Medical Debts Didn’t Improve Financial Health
January 27, 2026 – From the Pitch to the Boardroom: Lessons in Global Leadership
November 18, 2025 – Short Trips, Big Shifts: E-Scooter rollout study raises mobility, safety concerns
November 4, 2025 – The Transparency Tightrope: Inside corporate tax disclosures
October 21, 2025 – Relational Overload: How to thrive in a world of constant collaboration
October 7, 2025 – What’s in a name? The secret to product survival in competitive industries
September 24, 2025 – Can clinical trial transparency stunt drug novelty?
September 9, 2025 – The Surprising Truth Behind Loving your Favorite Food
August 26, 2025 – Why High-Status Teams Get More Effort (and What Leaders Can Do About It)
May 20, 2025 – Can Community Notes really stop misinformation on social media?
May 6, 2025 – How mobile app failures disrupt in-store shopping journeys
April 22, 2025 – Earnings manipulation revealed: What executives are really saying
April 8, 2025 - The hidden costs of cheating: Lessons from the Houston Astros scandal
March 25, 2025 - The Surprising Link Between Creativity and Self-Indulgence

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