Geoengineering Discourse Confronting Climate Change: The Move from Margins to Mainstream in Science, News Media, and Politics

Geoengineering, a controversial technology for addressing climate change, has gained mainstream consideration despite global existential risks. Brynna Jacobson examines the discourse surrounding geoengineering through critical analysis of science policy reports, news journalism, and congressional hearings, revealing how notions of legitimacy, normalcy, and imperative have evolved.

Format: Hardback
Length: 282 pages
Publication date: 15 July 2022
Publisher: Lexington Books

Geoengineering, a proposed solution to address climate change through large-scale technological projects, has gained significant attention in recent years. However, it is also a technology that carries significant global existential risks. Despite the controversy surrounding geoengineering, it has been shifting towards mainstream consideration in recent years.

Geoengineering Discourse Confronting Climate Change: The Move from Margins to Mainstream in Science, News Media, and Politics examines the trajectory of geoengineering through critical discourse analysis of three key genres: science policy reports, news journalism, and congressional hearings. Brynna Jacobson explores how reports from distinguished scientific societies have constructed certain notions of legitimacy around geoengineering, how narratives within news coverage have reflected and shaped the public discourse and understanding of geoengineering, and how geoengineering has garnered political support from both major political parties in the United States.

Through analysis of discursive conventions within these genres, the author reveals the evolution of notions of normalcy, legitimacy, and imperative around the field of geoengineering.

One of the key findings of the book is that geoengineering has been framed as a solution to a problem that is already occurring. This framing has been used to justify the development and deployment of geoengineering technologies, even though there is still significant uncertainty about the effectiveness and safety of these technologies.

Another finding of the book is that geoengineering has been portrayed as a threat to the environment. This portrayal has been used to justify the opposition to geoengineering technologies, even though there is evidence that some geoengineering technologies can have positive environmental impacts.

The book also explores the role of the media in shaping public opinion on geoengineering. The media has been criticized for its coverage of geoengineering, which has often been sensationalized and inaccurate. The book argues that the media has a responsibility to provide accurate and balanced coverage of geoengineering, and to help the public understand the risks and benefits of these technologies.

The book also examines the role of politics in shaping the trajectory of geoengineering. The book argues that politics has been a major factor in the development and deployment of geoengineering technologies, and that political decisions have been influenced by a variety of factors, including economic interests, political ideology, and public opinion.

The book concludes by arguing that geoengineering is a complex and controversial technology that requires careful consideration and regulation. The book suggests that there are a number of steps that can be taken to address the global existential risks associated with geoengineering, including:

• Increasing research and development of geoengineering technologies: This will help to improve our understanding of the effectiveness and safety of these technologies, and to develop new technologies that can be more effective and safer.

• Establishing regulatory frameworks: This will help to ensure that geoengineering technologies are developed and deployed in a safe and responsible manner.

• Engaging with the public: This will help to ensure that the public understands the risks and benefits of geoengineering, and to help to build support for these technologies.

• Addressing the root causes of climate change: This will help to reduce the need for geoengineering technologies in the first place.

In conclusion, geoengineering is a complex and controversial technology that carries significant global existential risks. Despite the controversy surrounding geoengineering, it has been shifting towards mainstream consideration in recent years. The book Geoengineering Discourse Confronting Climate Change: The Move from Margins to Mainstream in Science, News Media, and Politics examines the trajectory of geoengineering through critical discourse analysis of three key genres: science policy reports, news journalism, and congressional hearings. The book reveals the evolution of notions of normalcy, legitimacy, and imperative around the field of geoengineering, and suggests that there are a number of steps that can be taken to address the global existential risks associated with geoengineering.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793635280