Framing the Global Youth Climate Movement: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Greta Thunberg’s Moral, Hopeful, and Motivational Framing on Instagram Amanda L. Molder 1 , Alexandra Lakind 1 , Zoe E. Clemmons 2 , and Kaiping Chen 1 Abstract Climate change is a critical global problem that requires immediate action to mitigate its effects. In recent years, youth climate activists have mobilized worldwide protests to demand action, using social media platforms to communicate and broadcast their message. This study examines Greta Thunberg’s rise to global prominence through an analysis of her first year and a half of Instagram posts from June 2018 to January 2020, including visual and textual elements. First, we explore how climate change is commu- nicated on social media by youth activists, and then examine these concepts through the unique case of Thunberg’s Instagram. Then, through qualitative content analysis, this study elucidates her communication strategy by applying the concept of framing to unpack how she frames climate change as a moral and ethical issue, uses an emo- tional appeal of hope, and visually frames motivational collective action to mobilize her audience. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings to explore the com- plexities of communicating climate change through social media and how Thunberg’s activism on Instagram may provide an example for future generations. 1 University of Wisconsin – Madison, WI, USA 2 Barefoot Public Relations, CO, USA Corresponding Author: Amanda L. Molder, Department of Life Sciences Communication, University of Wisconsin-Madison. 1545 Observatory Drive, Madison WI, 53706. Email: amanda.molder@wisc.edu Article The International Journal of Press/Politics 1–29 © The Author(s) 2021 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/19401612211055691 journals.sagepub.com/home/hij