Coral not coal: Enlisting the worlds of fame and celebrity in climate change politics

Abstract

As the physical manifestations of anthropogenic climate disruption have become increasingly evident, so political contestation has increased over how best to respond. These contestations become particularly pronounced where extreme climate-related weather events provide a specific focus for political debate. In this paper we focus on the case of a specificlimate hotspot; Australia's Great Barrier Reef and recent, extreme coral bleaching events. Using the conceptual framework of Boltanski and Thevenot's (2006) economies of worth, we explore how appeals to fame and celebrity have proved central to the political dispute over how to respond to this climate disruption. Our paper contributes not only to debates over the celebritization of climate politics, but also to our understanding of the role of fame and celebrity as a source of political critique and justification.