Ecological and energy narratives in contemporary literature: Interpreting the climate agenda in the context of sustainable development

Global climate changes, the increasing degradation of natural ecosystems and increased pace of the energy transition have necessitated a broader approach to interpreting environmental issues not just from a natural science perspective, but also from a humanistic perspective. In this context, contemporary fiction is an important venue for the production of ecological and energy-related narratives that communicate people’s beliefs about climate risks, changes in energy systems, and the potential for sustainable development. The aim of this study is to determine the structural characteristics of the representations of ecological and energy issues in contemporary fiction, and to evaluate these narratives within the framework of the global climate agenda and sustainable development. Methodologically, this research draws upon an interdisciplinary approach combining discourse analysis of literary texts with thematic coding of the narrative structure; and comparing literature with empirical measures of environmental and energy phenomena. The findings of this study demonstrate that literary texts create an elaborate set of ecological images; where climate change, the energy transition, and degradation of the natural landscape are depicted in relation to social, cultural; and technological changes. The practical value of this research lies in its contribution to expanding the tools available for environmental communication and in the use of literature as a means to improve public understanding of sustainable development, energy transition, and climate adaptation.