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Metaphor as a mechanism of global climate change governance: A study of international policies, 1992–2012

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  • Shaw, Christopher
  • Nerlich, Brigitte

Abstract

This paper explores the emergence of a global climate change mitigation regime through an analysis of the language employed in international science-policy reports. We assume that a global climate regime can only operate effectively on the basis of a shared understanding of climate change which is itself based on a shared language of governance. We therefore carried out an in-depth thematic and metaphor analysis of 63 policy documents published between 1992 and 2012. Results show that global climate science-policy discourses universalise the myriad impacts of a changing climate into a single dichotomous impacted/not-impacted scenario and aim to govern this world according to economic principles of cost–benefit analysis. These discourses use metaphors that draw on narrative structures prevalent in the wider culture to produce and legitimate a reductionist representation of climate change. This representation undermines public understanding of and engagement with climate change by marginalising subordinate policy framings which do not align with the prevailing dichotomous framing. The types of documents we analyse in this paper represent important sources for journalists reporting on climate change. We therefore suggest that any attempt to improve public communication of climate change should include revisions to these organisational discourses.

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  • Shaw, Christopher & Nerlich, Brigitte, 2015. "Metaphor as a mechanism of global climate change governance: A study of international policies, 1992–2012," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 34-40.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:109:y:2015:i:c:p:34-40
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2014.11.001
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    1. Andrew Jordan & Tim Rayner & Heike Schroeder & Neil Adger & Kevin Anderson & Alice Bows & Corinne Le Qu�r� & Manoj Joshi & Sarah Mander & Nem Vaughan & Lorraine Whitmarsh, 2013. "Going beyond two degrees? The risks and opportunities of alternative options," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(6), pages 751-769, November.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Paul H. Thibodeau & Cynthia McPherson Frantz & Matias Berretta, 2017. "The earth is our home: systemic metaphors to redefine our relationship with nature," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 142(1), pages 287-300, May.
    4. Jin, Gui & Guo, Baishu & Deng, Xiangzheng, 2020. "Is there a decoupling relationship between CO2 emission reduction and poverty alleviation in China?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    5. Cotton, Matthew & Barkemeyer, Ralf & Renzi, Barbara Gabriella & Napolitano, Giulio, 2019. "Fracking and metaphor: Analysing newspaper discourse in the USA, Australia and the United Kingdom," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 1-1.
    6. Yuan, Rong & Wang, Juan, 2021. "Impacts of poverty alleviation on household GHG footprints in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
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    8. Poitras, Geoffrey, 2021. "Rhetoric, epistemology and climate change economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    9. van Kerkhoff, Lorrae & Berry, Helen, 2016. "Serving the public good: Empirical links between governance and research investment in the context of global environmental change," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 101-107.

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