The acknowledgement of climate change as a contemporary existential threat to humankind has been prompting scholarly debate on how it might influence the future of nation-states, nationalism, and...Show moreThe acknowledgement of climate change as a contemporary existential threat to humankind has been prompting scholarly debate on how it might influence the future of nation-states, nationalism, and their makings. This theoretical discussion has notably included the question of whether appealing to the emotions of nationalism could make national communities willing to make the effort and sacrifice needed to tackle climate change. It remains to be questioned, however, what are the implications of resorting to the affective blueprint provided by nationalism in the era of climate change in both scholarship and policymaking. By performing Qualitative Content Analysis and Emotional Discourse Analysis, this work aims to address this question by empirically mapping the narratives and emotions of the nationalist environmental rhetoric of President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration in Brazil, one that portrays climate change as a threat to the nation-state’s identity and sovereignty and yet explicitly advances climate denialism. The empirical results indicate three core problems with the emotions of nationalism in the era of climate change as they entail five distinct types of exclusions. It is hoped that this research can provide evidence of what the implications of resorting to nationalism may be as far-right nativist populism makes its way into global politics. Importantly, it also seeks to dialogue with attempts at creating typologies of national discourses engaging with climate change and with methodological efforts to systematically incorporate emotions as a promising level of analysis in International Relations research.Show less
How have framings of climate change in European Parliamentary debates been used as a tool for attempted influence over the European Union’s long-term climate strategy in the aftermath of the 2015...Show moreHow have framings of climate change in European Parliamentary debates been used as a tool for attempted influence over the European Union’s long-term climate strategy in the aftermath of the 2015 Paris agreement? This single case study conducts a qualitative content analysis on the debates around, and the content of, the European Climate Law from 2021. The study tests the relevance and applicability of the Copenhagen school of securitisation theory, with the aim to contribute toward a deeper understanding of the European, and global, lack of effort to combat climate change. It can be concluded that framings of climate change in the European Parliamentary debates have been used as tools for attempted influence over the European Climate Law, in that the debates have been characterised by (unsuccessful) securitisation attempts.Show less
Climate change has had an influence on hominin evolution for quite some time and led to several speciation and adaptation events. With the later hominin species climate change has less of an impact...Show moreClimate change has had an influence on hominin evolution for quite some time and led to several speciation and adaptation events. With the later hominin species climate change has less of an impact, and extinction theories for the Neanderthals tend to lean in other directions. Despite this, the role of climate change in the Neanderthal extinction is not clear. Older research tended to be focused on global climate records that might not be representative of the smaller climate differences across highly geographically diverse continents. This research provides an overview of local palaeoenvironmental reconstructions for the period of the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in research from 2015-2021 and focuses on the different proxies and climate factors, the stability of the climate, the scale of the research performed, and the perceived influence of climate change on local Neanderthal extinctions. These will be compared per major region (Iberian Peninsula, Apennine Peninsula, Balkan Peninsula, and mid-latitude Europe) in order to determine if any patterns exist. The results show a diversity in the applied proxies and a general trend of deteriorating climate around the time of the Neanderthal extinction. The majority of the research concludes that climate change did not play a major role in the Neanderthal extinction. Despite this, there are some anomalous locations that do not agree with the general consensus this overview produced. Future research at these locations could provide information to nuance the current picture of climate change or corroborate the overall consensus.Show less
As consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly obvious, more and more risky practices are being considered to moderate its repercussions, such as geo-engineering. Climate engineering,...Show moreAs consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly obvious, more and more risky practices are being considered to moderate its repercussions, such as geo-engineering. Climate engineering, however, carries many ethical questions to be considered before it can be deemed an acceptable measure. In this thesis, ethical considerations in regards to the rights of nature will be examined in order to assess its permissibility. The rights of nature seek to question the widely held instrumental view of nature, aiming at conceptualizing the natural world as an interconnected reality, rather than an available and exploitable resource. This is especially important when evaluating geo-engineering since it involves artificially altering natural processes, which may jeopardize nature's integrity. An ecocentric approach will thus shed light on the anthropocentric essence of geo-engineering and its harmful effects towards nature. In all, I will argue how these elements can be turned into a more considerate approach to the practice, should a shift in our conception of nature occur. This in turn will favor a modification of the aim of geo-engineering, whose scope will be expanded to include nature’s rights.Show less
“How to respond to climate change and revive the world economy are challenges of our times that we must meet” (Nikkei Asia 2021). These words were part of the written speech that Xi Jinping sent to...Show more“How to respond to climate change and revive the world economy are challenges of our times that we must meet” (Nikkei Asia 2021). These words were part of the written speech that Xi Jinping sent to the World Leaders Summit at the 26th Conference of the Parties in 2021. Climate change is the crux of many countries and their governments all over the world, directly and indirectly affecting not only people and their livelihoods and prospects, but also processes such as economic development and social stability. Especially the Chinese Communist Party, which has underpinned its legitimacy partially with economic growth, is realizing that the quality of its environment needs to be improved if it wants to safeguard its authority and security. A tool that many democratic governments use to streamline their environmental management is public participation, but China as an authoritarian state does not always boast the institutions necessary to guide such activities. Nevertheless, grassroots forms of participation are present, and the Chinese civil society is always assessing the permissible boundaries of its involvement. To ensure the environment is managed in such a way that the desired economic growth is still possible, the Chinese government is experimenting with forms of public participation. Therefore, this thesis looks at how the Chinese government views public participation in environmental governance. Using a comparative analysis of two case studies, it is concluded that the government is appraising new channels of participation in the management and improvement of the country’s environment. Despite this, public participation is still viewed as a threat to the stability of the state's security and is still harshly prohibited.Show less
Due to climate change and rising temperatures, the world is more often facing extreme weather conditions like drought. Such conditions of water scarcity especially cause problems in countries...Show moreDue to climate change and rising temperatures, the world is more often facing extreme weather conditions like drought. Such conditions of water scarcity especially cause problems in countries dependent on agriculture, where failed harvests can cause negative income shocks and grievance development, influencing conflict. Focusing on the relationship between conflict intensity and water scarcity, this research explores the case of the Syrian civil war from 2011-2017, finding that over-time differences in temperatures can explain monthly variations in number of deaths. This research thereby confirms the fact that rising temperatures can lead to more intense conflict and concludes with brief discussion of policy recommendations to tackle drought-related conflict.Show less
