ENVIRONMENTAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS: EVOLUTION AND SOCIETAL IMPACT

Abstract

This article examines how environmental discourse has evolved and how it shapes society, focusing on the role of environmental discourse analysis in understanding ecological communication, public perception, and policy development. It traces the historical shift from postwar discussions centred on industry and productivity to later debates emphasising ecology and sustainability. The study highlights key theoretical frameworks, including Foucault’s power/knowledge nexus, Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis, Stibbe’s ecolinguistics, Beck’s risk society, Dryzek’s deliberative democracy, and Zheng’s cognitive linguistic models of meaning construction, showing how environmental truths are produced, risks are perceived and communicated, and dominant ideologies are reinforced or challenged through discourse.
The analysis highlights historical shifts in terminology, the importance of framing, the use of first-person pronouns in environmental argumentation, and the emotional dimensions embedded in environmental narratives. The analysis explores the dual focus of environmental discourse: systemic transformation at the collective level and individual responsibility at the personal level. It also addresses contemporary challenges such as the rise of digital communication, misinformation, and the lack of transparency in environmental reporting, which can enable greenwashing and weaken trust. Another critical issue is the dominance of technological narratives, particularly artificial intelligence, which often prioritise efficiency while neglecting well-being and ecological balance in society. By re-centring human and environmental needs, and by promoting fairness, inclusivity, and accessible tools, environmental discourse analysis can help guide more credible and transformative responses to ecological crises.