Wuhan University (WHU) hosted the first International Workshop on Global Communication and Sustainable Development from March 21 to 23. Scholars from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and India discussed climate change, environmental governance, and related global challenges at the event, which was organized by WHU's School of Journalism and Communication and the Center for Studies of Media Development.

In his opening remarks, WHU Vice-president Yuan Yufeng welcomed Professor John Downey, associate pro vice-chancellor of Loughborough University and co-organizer of the event. He emphasized the importance of academic exchange in tackling global issues and reaffirmed WHU's commitment to fostering cross-cultural dialogue and contributing Eastern wisdom to global governance.  

Professor Jean-Francois Huchet, president of the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) in France, delivered a video address stressing the crucial role of effective communication in climate governance and calling for stronger international academic collaboration. Professor Downey presented a big-data analysis on the polarization of climate change discourse, advocating for dialogue-driven consensus building.  

The workshop featured three sub-forums exploring knowledge production on global issues, media narratives on climate change, and environmental governance for sustainable development. Scholars examined climate discourse polarization, challenges in information modernity, digital power structures shaped by platform monopolies, and the intersection of AI and journalism ethics, offering fresh insights and advancing theoretical discussions.