Citation
Leal Filho, W. (2010), "Editorial", International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, Vol. 2 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijccsm.2010.41402daa.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Editorial
Article Type: Editorial From: International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, Volume 2, Issue 4
Welcome to another issue of International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management. On this issue, I would like to discuss the results of a new research which reveals new patterns in climate change communication. Phrases that combine “carbon” with other words, such as “carbon finance” or “carbon footprint”, can provide insight into how climate change issues are communicated.
The study, which I am pleased to report on (available at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/195na6.pdf) explored the on-line use of these so-called “carbon compounds” and indicated that they form three clusters focused on finance, lifestyle and attitudes. The research used a novel approach to study the use of “carbon compounds” in online sources, including blogs. It identified 34 compounds that were used most frequently and were also used creatively. For example, “carbon diet” is considered creative because “diet” is not usually associated with carbon, whereas “carbon emission” is not considered creative.
By using two online search engines it combined both a quantitative analysis of the usage of these terms from 1992 to 2008 with a qualitative analysis of the context of their uses. The results indicated that the number of uses of all compounds has risen from 2000 onwards and peaked around the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008. Those that combined “carbon” with words from the world of finance, such as “carbon budget” or “carbon credit”, appeared to be the oldest and were in use between the early 1990s and 1999. Economic management of climate change then entered a second phase characterised more by person-centred activities. From 2005 onwards, compounds became more emotional and evaluative, such as “carbon dictatorship”, “carbon crusade” and “carbon morality”. This indicated that climate change mitigation was no longer framed in scientific observations but considered to be more about morality.
Both the presence and absence of these three types of compound can reveal the nature of positions taken by various stakeholders seeking to communicate climate change.
Enjoy your reading!
Walter Leal Filho