Office for Environmental Programs - Theses
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ItemOcean acidification: the puzzle of an absent issue( 2012)Ocean acidification is predicted to have significant impacts on marine species and ecosystems, with subsequent consequences for human societies. The scientific narrative frames this phenomenon as a significant problem, requiring the intervention of government policy. However, the issue does not appear to occupy a prominent position on policy agendas in Australia. This thesis examines this puzzle, with an aim to understand why the issue has not gained more prominence. To achieve this aim, this research draws on insights provided by the conceptualisation of the issue networks that exists around ocean acidification; analysis and evaluation of the social construction of the phenomenon as a 'problem'; the identification and reconstruction of evident discourses that have emerged around this issue; and evaluating influences on the position of ocean acidification on Australian policy agendas. This thesis shows that the failure of ocean acidification to obtain prominence on policy agendas in Australia is due to the interaction of a range of factors. It finds that lack of engagement by groups of actors who ought to be concerned by the issue, the absence of a 'populariser' to communicate the complex science to a wider audience and generate public awareness and concern, and the failure to adopt a coherent, concise story line, are all likely influences on the issue's agenda position. The dynamics uncovered through this research raise important questions about environmental policy-making processes in Australia, and the role of expert knowledge in informing governments