Global warming: Chinese narratives of the future

Abstract

Anthropogenic Climate Change (climate change or global warming that is caused by human activity) is considered to be one of the key global concerns moving forward this century. The ongoing flow of communication around an issue can be seen as a co-production of strategic messaging that encompasses the voice of multiple stakeholders who have differing narratives that evolve over time. Individuals, governments, businesses, international agencies, and other organizations see themselves as key stakeholders in these evolving stories, and all are trying to develop their own visions and hopes for the future. This article suggests that many of these voices are engaged in a version of “ecological modernization,” a narrative that attempts to develop a win-win discourse of economic growth in conjunction with environmental sustainability under the premise of “doing well by doing good.” Data are from social media platforms in the Chinese language that are analyzed through topic and narrative analysis.