Climate change – ‘the measure of all things.’ The missing map of climate narratives.

For more than fifty years, climate change has been claimed as the main challenge for humanity. In our analysis, we determine that the evolution of climate change narratives fostered three main different narratives: 1) from the apocalyptic perspective of the 1960s toward sustainable development of the 1980s, 2) from the sustainable development to green growth that emerged in the 2000s, and 3) the re-emergence of de-growth in 2000s contributing to question the ecological crisis. We aim to unveil the missing map of narratives and identify their key drivers. Indeed, the paradox is that our principles constructed throughout the past fifty years were not formulated in light of the real implications and consequences of climate change in the real world. This article builds on exploring the narratives that have shaped international climate change regulation since the 1970s. We examine how these narratives are linked to international regulation of climate change that has evolved to the present day. From the initial apocalyptic scenarios, the discourse transitioned through phases of ecological modernization and sustainable growth to the realms of neoliberal and technocratic climate management. More recently, it has embraced de-growth or post-growth paradigms. The paper endeavors to construct a comprehensive narrative map, illuminating the instrumental role of shared narratives and exposing gaps in the orchestration of climate change under the international regulatory framework. We present a study in which we interviewed policymakers, government officials, climate change experts, environmental economists, energy specialists, climate activists, and technology professionals. We asked them about (1) how climate change was conceived and how it was projected for future imaginaries since the 1970s, (2) how they envision the current situation and what principles they detach in order to address climate change consequences, and (3) what are the challenges in advancing climate change justice linked to the potential of innovative technologies and green policies in driving systemic change. Our analysis underscores the indispensable role of narratives within the international regulatory framework governing climate change, portraying it as a nuanced and interconnected challenge for global environmental governance. This challenge often teeters on a delicate balance between (un) sustainable and cosmopolitan aspirations for global environmental governance.