Multistoried climate talk: a narrative analysis of international climate policy

Abstract

How does the international diplomatic community use narrative to talk about climate change? The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was created 25 years ago in recognition of the fact that climate change was a global issue that affected all countries in one way or another, and that no effective action could be taken without some level of international coordination. Today, the yearly international climate conferences (COPs) gather tens of thousands of participants representing a multitude of interests, from technological innovation to forest conservation, urban planning to indigenous people’s rights. Yet, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, creating a growing gap between aspirations in international discussion and action on the ground. To bridge this gap, policymakers and academics alike have argued that better communication is required. Frequently these calls for improved communication are couched in terms of an appeal to narrative. This thesis examines how the concept of narrative is used in the context of international climate policy and critically analyses the claim that using narratives can lead to better policy outcomes. Through a study of UNFCCC activity between 2017 and 2019, and of the narrative-based Talanoa Dialogue in particular, I argue that narratives should be seen as relational devices that can foster mutual understanding across cultural divides. Building on the Narrative Policy Framework, the thesis presents an in-depth analysis of the ecology of narratives found within the COP environment. By examining narratives at the separate, though interconnected, levels of individual, organisational, institutional, and media discourse, I find that it is the selective appropriation and granularity of narrative that enables it to achieve its relational role. Keywords: climate change policy, narrative policy framework, UNFCCC, Talanoa Dialogue