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Incumbency, Trust and the Monsanto Effect: Stakeholder Discourses on Greenhouse Gas Removal

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  • Emily Cox
  • Elspeth Spence
  • Nick Pidgeon

Abstract

This paper explores factors shaping perceptions of Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) amongst a range of informed stakeholders, with a particular focus on their role in future social and political systems. We find considerable ambivalence regarding the role of climate targets and incumbent interests in relation to GGR. Our results suggest that GGR is symbolic of a fundamental debate – occurring not only between separate people, but sometimes within the minds of individuals themselves – over whether technological solutions represent a pragmatic or an unethical strategy. We present the idea of a ‘Monsanto effect’, whereby an entirely separate debate taps into deeper narratives and becomes so pervasive that it spills over into a new topic area. Our findings have signifi-cant implications for extant and emergent climate policy as they suggest that, in addition to the considerable practical challenges facing large-scale GGR deployment, there is a deeper psychological challenge in that actors are themselves conflicted about the fundamental desirability of GGR.

Suggested Citation

  • Emily Cox & Elspeth Spence & Nick Pidgeon, 2020. "Incumbency, Trust and the Monsanto Effect: Stakeholder Discourses on Greenhouse Gas Removal," Environmental Values, , vol. 29(2), pages 197-220, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envval:v:29:y:2020:i:2:p:197-220
    DOI: 10.3197/096327119X15678473650947
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