Chapter 19 - Green Generation and the Global South: TikTokers, Creators, and Climate Change

Climate change and the Green New Deal are among the most discussed topics on social media, which acts as a sounding board for ecological questions and offers visibility to geographical areas not considered by the mainstream media. In recent years, TikTok, in particular, has become the site of a collec- tive narrative aimed at building widespread ecological awareness; for example, a global movement of activists who make climate change awareness videos has sprung up around the hashtag “#ecotok”. Starting from these considerations, the contribution proposes an analysis of some profiles that exploit the potential of TikTok to communicate the climate emergency of southern areas, such as Africa, India, and territories with complex management of environmental pol- icies. Thus, the aim is to reflect on the ecological consciousness of Generation Z, the primary spokesperson, and the practices of production, imitation, and storytelling promoted by TikTok.