TY - JOUR
T1 - Learning from the Climate Change Debate to Avoid Polarisation on Negative Emissions
AU - Colvin, Rebecca
AU - Kemp, Luke
AU - Talberg, Anita
AU - de Castella, Clare
AU - Downie, Christian
AU - Friel, Sharon
AU - Grant, Will
AU - Howden, Mark
AU - Jotzo, Frank
AU - Markham, Francis
AU - Platow, Michael
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - This paper identifies critical lessons from the climate change experience to guide how communications and engagement on negative emissions can be conducted to encourage functional public and policy discourse. Negative emissions technologies present a significant opportunity for limiting climate change, and are likely to be necessary to keep warming below 2°C. While the concept of negative emissions is still in its infancy, there is evidence of nascent polarization, and a lack of nuance in discussion of individual technologies. We argue that if negative emissions technologies are to be implemented effectively and sustainably, an effective governance regime is needed; built on functional societal discourse and avoiding the ideological baggage of the broader climate change debate or the controversies concerning geoengineering. At its core, our argument is to avoid the ideological bundling of negative emissions; this can be pursued directly and via careful selection of communication frames and the use of non-partisan, trusted messengers. Whether these lessons are heeded may determine if negative emissions are governed proactively, or are distorted politically, misused and delayed.
AB - This paper identifies critical lessons from the climate change experience to guide how communications and engagement on negative emissions can be conducted to encourage functional public and policy discourse. Negative emissions technologies present a significant opportunity for limiting climate change, and are likely to be necessary to keep warming below 2°C. While the concept of negative emissions is still in its infancy, there is evidence of nascent polarization, and a lack of nuance in discussion of individual technologies. We argue that if negative emissions technologies are to be implemented effectively and sustainably, an effective governance regime is needed; built on functional societal discourse and avoiding the ideological baggage of the broader climate change debate or the controversies concerning geoengineering. At its core, our argument is to avoid the ideological bundling of negative emissions; this can be pursued directly and via careful selection of communication frames and the use of non-partisan, trusted messengers. Whether these lessons are heeded may determine if negative emissions are governed proactively, or are distorted politically, misused and delayed.
U2 - 10.1080/17524032.2019.1630463
DO - 10.1080/17524032.2019.1630463
M3 - Article
SN - 1752-4032
VL - Online
JO - Environmental Communication
JF - Environmental Communication
ER -