Words with Weight: Interests, Discourse, and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change

The goal of this thesis is to better understand the role discourse plays in informing the successes of international environmental agreements. This thesis specifically looks at the Paris Agreement and the way in which the Parties to the Agreement frame the issue of climate change. Ultimately it will be concluded that the language countries use to discuss climate change in reference to to environmental agreements is hugely significant in informing whether or not they bring about meaningful change.