The Ontology of Separation in Climate Governance: An Ecofeminist Critical Discourse Analysis of the IPCC AR6 WGIII SPM

Abstract

This thesis examines how the IPCC AR6 WGIII Summary for Policymakers constructs the re lationship between technology, nature, and human agency, specifically contrasting technologi cal solutions CCS and BECCS with Indigenous and gendered perspectives. Using Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis and Val Plumwood’s ecofeminist theory on the Logic of Domina tion, the study reveals that while the report rhetorically includes diverse worldviews, it discur sively subordinated them to a dominant Ontology of Separation. The analysis shows that na ture is framed as a passive resource and Indigenous Peoples as manageable “stakeholders,” systematically erasing their agency to refuse proposed solutions. These findings suggest that the report’s consensus-driven structure acts as a filter that neutralizes relational ontologies, re inforcing a technocratic status quo. Ultimately, the study highlights the structural barriers within current climate governance to achieving a just transition that genuinely respects Indig enous sovereignty and epistemic plurality.