WAR Metaphors and Agency: The Case of the COP27 News Coverage

Abstract

Abstract This study investigates the role of war metaphors in conveying agency and responsibility within climate discourse, specifically in the context of COP27. Using a corpus of The New York Times articles and editorials from October to December 2022, the article analyses linguistic metaphors and frames and the extent to which metaphors can influence perceptions of climate action. The methodology involved using WMatrix 5 to extract words related to the source domain of war. The results show that war metaphors effectively convey the urgency to act against climate change, representing it as a violent force that especially affects vulnerable nations. The war frames assign different levels of agency to groups of social actors. Nations categorized as poor are depicted as the most affected by climate events and requiring external assistance while developing countries are portrayed as active participants in fighting climate change. Developed countries are framed as vaguely responsible and committed to future actions rather than immediate measures against climate change. The study shows how war metaphors can shape perceptions of agency and global responsibility in climate discourse.

Keywords

• climate change
• conference of the parties
• metaphors
• news discourse
• war metaphors