What does Mahony argue about the IPCC's burning embers diagram?

• A. It proves climate risks are objective and universally understood.
• B. It is a neutral representation unaffected by conventions.
• C. It mediates and constructs understanding of risk through visual practices.
• D. It is irrelevant to policy communication.

Answer: (C)

Visual representations in climate risk talk do more than show data—they shape how people understand risk. Mahony argues that the IPCC’s burning embers diagram functions as a visual practice that mediates and constructs our grasp of risk, not merely displays it.

The diagram uses a burning-ember metaphor, color gradients, and a deliberate layout to cue urgency, severity, and how risks interconnect across systems. These design choices guide what readers notice, how they interpret likelihood and impact, and what kinds of actions or policies seem warranted. In this view, risk is not simply objective information; it is shaped by conventions in visualization, cultural metaphors, and rhetorical aims embedded in the image. Because of that, the diagram participates in producing a particular understanding of climate risk and the appropriate policy response rather than being a neutral snapshot.