A Study of Metaphorical Framing of Climate Change in Political Discourse

Abstract

This paper is an exploration of the influence of metaphorical framing on the portrayal of climate change in politics. Metaphors are commonly employed by political leaders to make the complicated environmental problems easier to understand and to sway the general opinion. Based on the qualitative discourse analysis, the research examines the chosen speeches and statements to determine the prevalent metaphorical frames, including war, journey, disease, and natural disaster. The results demonstrate that these metaphors are not objective; on the contrary, they create certain meanings that direct attitudes and policy action of the audience. As an example, metaphors of war develop a sense of urgency and collective action whereas metaphors of journeys focus on incremental change and collective responsibility. The paper emphasizes the role of metaphorical decisions in either encouraging action or minimizing the seriousness of climate change. Through the identification of these trends, the study would add to the comprehension of communication of language, power, and the environment in politics.

Keywords: Climate Change, Metaphorical Framing, Political Discourse, Discourse Analysis, Environmental Communication, Public Perception.

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19683946