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Emerging Powers in Global Climate Politics: The discursive story-lines used by the BASIC countries regarding the climate crisis, responsibilities and burden sharing in the UNFCCC

Salhauge-Rasmussen, Lærke LU (2021) STVK12 20211
Department of Political Science
Abstract
Global climate policy negotiations have become increasingly complicated with the rise of the socalled emerging powers as they have seen both great economic growth and increased emissions of greenhouse gasses – yet they continue to hold a developing country, or non-Annex I, status under the UNFCCC, which determines their responsibilities for addressing the climate crisis.

This thesis examines the story-lines that constitute the discourse used by the BASIC countries, Brazil, China, India and South Africa, following the Paris Agreement in order to discern their understanding of the climate crisis and hence their policy preferences when it comes to addressing the crisis. It concludes that the BASIC group perceives the climate crisis as... (More)
Global climate policy negotiations have become increasingly complicated with the rise of the socalled emerging powers as they have seen both great economic growth and increased emissions of greenhouse gasses – yet they continue to hold a developing country, or non-Annex I, status under the UNFCCC, which determines their responsibilities for addressing the climate crisis.

This thesis examines the story-lines that constitute the discourse used by the BASIC countries, Brazil, China, India and South Africa, following the Paris Agreement in order to discern their understanding of the climate crisis and hence their policy preferences when it comes to addressing the crisis. It concludes that the BASIC group perceives the climate crisis as largely caused by developed countries and therefore argues that these countries should take on the greater burden of responsibility when it comes to policy solutions. However, a new story-line of “common responsibilities” was found to have emerged following the Paris Agreement, which, it is argued, points towards an increasing acknowledgement from the BASIC countries of their emerging powers status and following responsibilities. This is concluded by a brief discussion of the future of the group, given the contradiction between emerging power identity and developing country status under the Convention. (Less)
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author
Salhauge-Rasmussen, Lærke LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK12 20211
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
BASIC, climate politics, discourse analysis, UNFCCC, rising powers
language
English
id
9046499
date added to LUP
2021-07-06 11:25:03
date last changed
2021-07-06 11:25:03
@misc{9046499,
  abstract     = {{Global climate policy negotiations have become increasingly complicated with the rise of the socalled emerging powers as they have seen both great economic growth and increased emissions of greenhouse gasses – yet they continue to hold a developing country, or non-Annex I, status under the UNFCCC, which determines their responsibilities for addressing the climate crisis.

This thesis examines the story-lines that constitute the discourse used by the BASIC countries, Brazil, China, India and South Africa, following the Paris Agreement in order to discern their understanding of the climate crisis and hence their policy preferences when it comes to addressing the crisis. It concludes that the BASIC group perceives the climate crisis as largely caused by developed countries and therefore argues that these countries should take on the greater burden of responsibility when it comes to policy solutions. However, a new story-line of “common responsibilities” was found to have emerged following the Paris Agreement, which, it is argued, points towards an increasing acknowledgement from the BASIC countries of their emerging powers status and following responsibilities. This is concluded by a brief discussion of the future of the group, given the contradiction between emerging power identity and developing country status under the Convention.}},
  author       = {{Salhauge-Rasmussen, Lærke}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Emerging Powers in Global Climate Politics: The discursive story-lines used by the BASIC countries regarding the climate crisis, responsibilities and burden sharing in the UNFCCC}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}