Inventing the environmental state: neoliberal common sense and the limits to transformation

Abstract

The neoliberal nature of the environmental state prevents a transformation to long-term sustainability. Taking the case of Britain, I scrutinise the rhetorical invention of the environmental state by identifying and analysing the commonplaces that informed political arguments for environmental policymaking between 1997-2015. The analysis shows that the rhetoric of the British environmental state is grounded on neoliberal commonplaces, which entails an understanding of environmental problems and solutions that precludes actual transformation. Ultimately, neoliberalism functions as a glass ceiling to radical environmental transformation; a transformative rhetoric informed by commonplaces different to those of neoliberalism is paramount to the institution of a counter-hegemonic ecological paradigm.

Lack of ‘common sense’ in the climate change debate: Media behaviour and climate change awareness in the UK

“…The introductory sections of this work mentioned increasing awareness of climate change in the UK, but also to an individual commitment that depends on the "financial impact" of green behaviour, the efficiency of green behaviour at the lowest cost, or technologically oriented (e.g., recycling or purchasing more efficient electronics) (BrightBlue, 2020). This has been also observed in the green discourses promoted by the UK Government and their translation into public lexicon via the media (Hatzisavvidou, 2020).…”

“…counter-dynamics that are fundamental for fragmenting public common sense and producing socio-ecological change. On the other hand, the "green common sense" might be influenced by the "British environmental rhetoric", which is founded on neoliberal commonplaces (Hatzisavvidou, 2020). The introductory sections of this work mentioned increasing awareness of climate change in the UK, but also to an individual commitment that depends on the "financial impact" of green behaviour, the efficiency of green behaviour at the lowest cost, or technologically oriented (e.g., recycling or purchasing more efficient electronics) (BrightBlue, 2020).…”

“…Therefore, interpreting the media as a space in which hegemony can be re-produced but also contested, might suggest that the online production/reproduction of power tensions has been generating counterdynamics that are fundamental for fragmenting public common sense and producing socio-ecological change. On the other hand, the ‘green common sense’ might be influenced by the ‘British environmental rhetoric’, which is founded on neoliberal commonplaces (Hatzisavvidou, 2020). The introductory sections of this work mentioned increasing awareness of climate change in the United Kingdom, but also to an individual commitment that depends on the ‘financial impact’ of green behaviour, the efficiency of green behaviour at the lowest cost, or technologically oriented (e.g.…”

Studying political disputes: A rhetorical perspective and a case study

“…Yet, I propose that a more traditional rhetorical approach that focuses on the process that precedes the creation of the storyline and therefore attends to the commonplaces that eventually contribute to the creation of the narrative has more analytical strength. This is because invention refers to the process of discovering what is persuasive within a given context; it thus requires devising ways to articulate, define, and constitute relations between agents of arguments for climate action and their environments and practices (Hatzisavvidou, 2019). The study of this process enables students of politics to observe the inventional resources, or commonplaces, that political agents use to formulate their claims and to outline courses of action.…”

Decarbonising states as owners

“…The environmental state is also part of this revival. Notwithstanding diagnoses about the decline of the environmental nation-state (Mol 2016), discussions about 'greening the state' (Duit et al 2016;Meadowcroft 2012) and its concomitant transformative potentials are in full swing (Eckersley 2020;Hatzisavvidou 2020;Hausknost 2020). Defined as a 'set of institutions and practices dedicated to the management of the environment and societal-environmental interactions' (Duit et al 2016, 5), the environmental state is today widely regarded as one, if not the key actor to potentially propel fundamental and rapid sustainable transformation on a global scale (Eckersley 2004;Hausknost and Hammond 2020;Johnstone and Newell 2018;Koch 2020).…”