Abstract
Climate change is not only about the natural phenomena driving the observations and predictions of a warming globe. It is also deeply embedded in the ways in which humans think about the very concept of climate change at varying levels of complexity: from individual thought through national and even global policy adoption. An important aspect of how humans conceptualize the concept of climate change is through narrative formation and dissemination. Narratives of climate change can help to move the public, and thus government, in positive directions in developing policies on climate change. Alternatively, narratives can reinforce negative and even fatalistic impressions of climate change, hampering policy responses. This chapter synthesizes the influence of narratives on climate change in two ways. First, it explores existing literature on climate change narratives and how they are influencing the development, or nondevelopment, of climate change policy. Second, it places those narratives into a public policy context by examining existing policies in the United States related to coastal hazard management in an era of climate change. The goal is to highlight the importance of current policy narratives when considering the impact of both the chosen narrative of climate change and how existing policies influence public perception toward a particular narrative. By better understanding the effects of current policy on climate change communication, better research and policy approaches can be undertaken that lead to more effective climate resilience and sustainable planning in coastal regions.