Linguistic Strategies and Public Engagement in Environmental Discourse: A Systemic Functional Analysis of the Saudi Video From Ambition to Action

Abstract

This study investigates how the goals of the Green Saudi Initiative (GSI) are communicated through multimedia, with a specific focus on the promotional video From Ambition to Action. Besides, it explores how verbal, visual, and musical modes interact to construct ecological values, evoke emotional engagement, and promote pro-environmental behavior among diverse audiences. Grounded in Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) and Martinec and Salway’s (2005) framework of inter-semiotic relations, the analysis examines how ideational meanings, interpersonal positioning, and textual coherence are realized across multiple semiotic resources. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between language and image, interpreting how these modes complement, enhance, or expand one another in the layered construction of environmental meaning. The study reveals how the video strategically employs cohesive multimodal strategies—such as metaphor, emotional tone, and symbolic imagery—to enhance its persuasive impact, establish national identity, and align ecological messaging with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and global sustainability goals. In doing so, it highlights the potential of multimodal discourse to foster public understanding, inspire emotional resonance, and encourage behavioral transformation. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of environmental communication and offer practical insights for the design of more effective educational and advocacy campaigns tailored to the cultural and ecological context of Saudi Arabia.