Abstract
Climate change, as a public policy imperative, has been a heavily contested and politicised issue in Australia, and elsewhere. This contestation has resulted in a fragmentation of climate change policy in Australia, in which problem representations, whilst connected to climate change, are centred on economic and social consequences of climate change. Central to this paper is the problem representation that climate change action will displace particular workforces, communities, and regions. The paper critically examines this problem representation through the Jobs and Skills Australia’s Clean Energy Capacity Study ‘will identify and analyse occupations, supply and demand factors and geographical consideration to support Australia’s transition from ‘brown’ to ‘green’ energy’. Utilising Bacchi (2012) What is the problem represented (WPR) approach the paper illustrates key constructions of economic narratives, such as a ‘business as usual’ and ‘ecomodernism’ approach. This down whilst minimising discussions around the environment and climate change. Climate change, as a public policy imperative, has been a heavily contested and politicised issue in Australia, and elsewhere. This contestation has resulted in a fragmentation of climate change policy in Australia, in which problem representations, whilst connected to climate change, are centred on economic and social consequences of climate change. Central to this paper is the problem representation that climate change action will displace particular workforces, communities, and regions. The paper critically examines this problem representation through the Jobs and Skills Australia’s Clean Energy Capacity Study ‘will identify and analyse occupations, supply and demand factors and geographical consideration to support Australia’s transition from ‘brown’ to ‘green’ energy’. Utilising Bacchi (2012) What is the problem represented (WPR) approach the paper illustrates key constructions of economic narratives, such as a ‘business as usual’ and ‘ecomodernism’ approach. This down whilst minimising discussions around the environment and climate change.