Framing the climate-development nexus in the European Union

Abstract

This paper aims to assess the framing of adaptation in the development discourse of the European Union (EU). Theoretically, three frames (security, growth and justice/equity) are constructed. Overall, we find clear traces of the EU’s normative aspirations as a global actor. Instead of framing climate change as a national or global security threat, human security implications of climate change are emphasised, representing it as a threat to individual livelihoods. Justice/equity considerations are also voiced, acknowledging the disproportionate impact of climate change on developing countries. In terms of agency, we find mostly a global, top-down framing of adaptation in developing countries.

Keywords:

• Development cooperation
• climate change
• climate adaptation
• framing analysis
• European Union

Acknowledgments

Earlier versions of this paper were presented at the ‘EU and the SDGs’ workshop at the University of Leicester on 20 April 2016 and the UACES conference in London on 6 September 2016. We would like to thank all participants for commenting on these draft versions.

Notes

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2. Huq and Reid, “Mainstreaming Adaptation in Development,” 16, 17.

3. Agrawala and Van Aalst, “Adapting Development Cooperation,” 183–193; Ayers and Huq, “Supporting Adaptation,” 675–692; and Fankhauser and Schmidt-Traub, “Climate Resilient Development,” 1–26.

4. Klein et al., “Portfolio Screening,” 23–44; and Agrawala et al., “Incorporating Climate Change,” 1–38.

5. Eriksen et al., “Reframing Adaptation,” 523.

6. Verloo, “Mainstreaming Gender Equality,” 20.

7. Ibid., 19.

8. Bäckstrand and Lövbrandt, “Planting Trees to Mitigate Climate Change,” 50–75; and Bäckstrand and Lövbrandt, “Climate Governance Beyond 2012,” 123–147.

9. Dewulf, “Contrasting Frames,” 321–330; McEvoy et al., “Resilience and adaptation,” 280–293; and McGray et al., “Weathering the Storm,” 17–25.

10. For a general introduction to the EU’s environmental and climate policies, please consult Delreux and Happaerts, Environmental Policy and Politics.

11. Bäckstrand and Ëlgstrom, “The EU’s role in Climate Negotiations,” 1369–1386.

12. Orbie, “The EU’s Role in Development,” 17–36.

13. Johnston and Klandermans, “The Cultural Analysis of Social Movements,” 217–247; Snow and Benford, “Ideology, frame resonance,” 197–217; Lombardo and Meier, “Framing Gender Equality,” 101–129; and Verloo and Lombardo, “Contested Gender Equality,” 21–49.

14. Daviter, “Policy Framing in the EU,” 654–666.

15. Debusscher, “Mainstreaming Gender,” 39–49.

16. Lombardo and Meier, “Framing Gender Equality,” 105.

17. Verloo and Lombardo, “Contested Gender Equality,” 27.

18. Dewulf, “Contrasting Frames,” 325.

19. Joseph, “Resilience as Embedded Neoliberalism,” 38–52; and Methman, “‘Climate Protection’ as Empty Signifier,” 1–28.

20. Oels, “From Securitisation of Climate Change,” 185–207; and Grove, “Insuring ‘Our Common Future’,” 536–563.

21. Bäckstrandt and Lövbrandt, “Planting Trees,” 52, 53; and Oels, “Rendering Climate Change Governable,” 195–197.

22. Thomas and Twyman, “Equity and Justice,” 115–124.

23. Cannon and Müller-Mahn, “Vulnerability, Resilience and Development Discourses,” 621–635.

24. Trombetta, “Environmental Security and Climate Change,” 585–602.

25. Waever, Securitisation and Desecuritisation, 1–31; and McDonald, “Securitisation and the Construction of Security,” 563–587.

26. Buzan, Rethinking Security, 7.

27. Dyer, “Environmental Security,” 441–450.

28. See Buzan et al., Security: A New Framework For Analysis, 71–95; and Graeger, “Environmental Security?” 109–116.

29. Deudney cited in Trombetta, “Environmental Security,” 586.

30. Trombetta, “Environmental Security,” 589, 590.

31. Oels, “From Securitisation of Climate Change,” 189.

32. Barnett, Security and Climate Change, 4, 5.

33. Ibid., 6.

34. Trombetta, “Environmental Security,” 596; and Oels, “From Securitisation of Climate Change,” 186, 187.

35. Detraz and Betsill, “Climate Change and Environmental Security,” 314 and Barnett, “Security and Climate Change,” 1–17.

36. Duffield and Waddel, “Securing Humans in a Dangerous World,” 1–23.

37. Dewulf, “Contrasting Frames,” 326.

38. See O’Brien et al., “Climate Change and Disaster Management,” 64–80.

39. Dewulf, “Contrasting Frames,” 324, 325.

40. Ibid., 325, 326.

41. Chandler, “Resilience and Human Security,” 213–229.

42. Stern and Öjendal, “Mapping the Security-Development Nexus,” 16, 17.

43. Cannon and Müller-Mahn, “Vulnerability, Resilience and Development Discourses,” 621–635; and Thomas and Twyman, “Equity and Justice,” 115–124.

44. In the context of human security, see for example Allen, “Community-Based Disaster Preparedness,” 81–101.

45. See Mol, “Ecological Modernisation,” 138–149; and Spaargaren and Mol, “Sociology, Environment and Modernity,” 323–344.

46. Buttel, “Ecological Modernisation as a Social Theory,” 57–65; and Mol, “Ecological Modernisation,” 138–149.

47. Bäckstrand and Lövbrand, “Planting Trees,” 52, 53.

48. Baker, “Sustainable Development as a Symbolic Commitment,” 297–317.

49. Liverman, “Conventions of Climate Change,” 293; and Hyams and Fawcett, “The Ethics of Carbon Ofsetting,” 91–98.

50. Sheppard and Leitner, “Quo Vadis Neoliberalism?” 186, 187.

51. Ibid., 187.

52. Doidge and Holland, “A Chronology of EU Development Policy,” 68–75.

53. Methman, “Climate Protection,” 1–28; and McMichael, “Contemporary Contradictions,” 247–262.

54. Newll, “Climate Change And Development,” 120–126.

55. Ibid., 120–126; and Cannon and Müller-Mahn, “Vulnerability, Resilience and Development Discourses,” 621–635.

56. McMichael, “Contemporary Contradictions,” 252.

57. Ibid., 252.

58. See Aubert, “Promoting Innovation,” 1–38.

59. Okereke, “Climate Justice,” 462.

60. Thomas and Twyman, “Equity and Justice,” 115, 116.

61. Ibid., 117, 118.

62. Thomas and Twyman, “Equity and Justice,” 115–124; and Smit and Pilifosova, “Adaptation to Climate Change,” 879–906.

63. Paavola and Adger, “Justice and Adaptation,” 1–19.

64. Ibid., 7.

65. Klinsky and Dowlatabadi, “Conceptualisations of Justice,” 93.

66. Ibid., 93, 94; and Paavola and Adger, “Justice and Adaptation,” 1–19.

67. Thomas and Twyman, “Equity and Justice,” 119.

68. Gupta and Grubb, Climate Change and European Leadership, 3–83; and Schreurs and Tiberghien, “Multi-Level Reinforcement,” 19–46.

69. Orbie, “The EU’s Role in Development,” 17–36.

70. See Carbone, “Mission Impossible,” 323–342; Carbone and Keijzer, “The EU and Policy Coherence for Development,” 30–43.

71. Bäckstrandt and Lövbrandt, “Climate Governance Beyond 2012,” 123–147.

72. European Commission, “Commission Proposes a Global Alliance,” 2.

73. European Commission, “The Paris Protocol,” 3.

74. Piebalgs, “Climate Change: Don’t Forget the Pacific,” 2.

75. See Barroso, “Climate and Environment,” 2.

76. Piebals, “Working Together,” 3.

77. European Commission, “EU Climate Funding for Developing Countries,” 7.

78. Piebalgs, “Engaging With Vulnerable Countries,” 2.

79. European Commission, “EU Strategy for Supporting Disaster Risk Reduction,” 8.

80. E.g. European Commission, “Commission Proposes a Global Alliance,” 1; and European Commission, “Africa Climate Briefing,” ii.

81. European Commission, “EU Climate Funding for Developing Countries,” 4.

82. European Commission, “Climate Change in the Context of Development,” par. 11.

83. European Commission, “The Paris Protocol,” 4.

84. E.g. European Commission, “Africa Climate Briefing,” ii.

85. European Commission, “Speech by Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete,” 1.

86. European Commission, “Q&A on the White Paper,” 4.

87. European Commission, “Pacific Islands and Climate Change,” 1.

88. E.g. European Commission, “The Paris Protocol,” 5.

89. Manners, “Normative Power Europe Reconsidered,” 182–199.

90. Trombetta, “Linking Climate-induced Migration and Security,” 131–147.

91. Bäckstrandt and Ëlgstrom, “The EU’s role in Climate Negotiations,” 1369–1386.

92. Grove, “Insuring Our Common Future?” 536–563; and Bäckstrandt and Lövbrandt, “Planting Trees to Mitigate Climate Change,” 50–75.

93. Grove, “Insuring Our Common Future?” 553.

94. Joseph, “Resilience as Embedded Neoliberalism,” 51.