Sustainability Communication

Abstract

This chapter conceptualises sustainability communication and narrates the key similarities and differences between sustainability communication in the West and Asia. Sustainability communication is an emerging field of interest in Asia; however, its conceptualisation is considered inadequate by scholarly standards. Notwithstanding, the universality of the sustainability concept requires a more comprehensive definition compared with the analogous ones of both Western and Asian regions. This chapter also highlights the integrative approach of sustainability communication, which is associated with environmental communication, climate change communication, and science communication. As an integrative approach that is interdisciplinary in nature, sustainability communication often overlaps and connects with these types of communication. As a matter of fact, environmental communication is frequently regarded as the origin of sustainability communication. Progressively, the rapid evolution of the digital world invites this chapter to explore sustainability communication via websites and social media. The ubiquity of online resources has reduced the barriers to communication for sustainability between people in the West and Asia. In accordance, this chapter also discusses the impact of culture on sustainability communication, particularly in Asian countries with distinct norms and traditions. Specifically, the role of universities in various Western and Asian countries in sustainability communication is emphasised. Other than discussing the significance of sustainability communication as a tool for organisational legitimacy, this chapter also highlights the barriers to sustainability communication, particularly with regards to technical issues. As the West and Asia represent vastly diverse geographical and geopolitical contexts, this chapter only features selected countries to be elaborated.