Paper short abstract:

The study looks at the narratives and mechanisms of climate change communication in three Central Asian countries. Based on exhaustive analysis of the national legacies, media articles, and expert interviews, it identifies the key issues of communication between the key actors of climate action.

Paper long abstract:

The research project is designed to fill a substantial gap in academic and policy-orientated literature related to state policy and public perception of climate change-related problems in Central Asia. It looks at how climate change is perceived and communicated in three countries of the region highly vulnerable to the issue – Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is argued that understanding the mechanisms and problems of climate communication will contribute to national climate policymaking and strengthen the resilience of civil society. Comparative analysis will potentially benefit a collective response to the issue in the region where climate change effects are increasingly seen as a ground for cooperation.

Based on critical discourse analysis (Carvalho 2008) of the national legacies and media articles, and the range of expert interviews, the study identifies the key narratives and mechanisms of communication between politicians, scientists, media and NGOs. It argues that the state’s ideology matters in how the issue is approached at different levels. In Uzbekistan, the change over the president’s chair in 2016 has marked an ideological shift towards democratisation which was reflected in the growing importance of climate policy. In Kazakhstan, concerns over economic wealth and international image are sound in national responses to the issue. In Kyrgyzstan, complicated socio-economic circumstances explain the close ties with international donors.

Despite clear progress in climate policies of the given states, there are common constraints that hinder their potential. While notable grassroots initiatives and educational projects are underway, they do not receive adequate governmental support in any of the countries. Despite increased freedom of speech, media reporting and public participation in decision-making are limited. Furthermore, implementation mechanisms lack coherence at the political level. Among the issues arising from there is allocation of responsibility among the state actors, and the absence of an institutional framework for ‘green’ research being converted into practical solutions.