In Kristoffer Kolltveit, Elin Haugsgjerd Allern, Målfrid Braut-Hegghammer and Bjørn Erik Rasch (eds), Oxford Handbook of Norwegian Politics.Oxford University Press, 2025, pp. 697-714.
This chapter examines and compares nature protection and climate policies in Norway. Whereas nature protection policies are characterized by a limited number of targets, many regulations, some public–private collaboration, and no nature pricing, climate policies are dominated by many targets and timetables, carbon pricing, and some European Union (EU)-induced regulations. These differences can partly be explained by the political history and political economy of each issue area and partly by the fact that Norway, as an associated non-Member State, participates in EU climate policies but not in the EU’s nature protection policies. Trade-offs between climate, energy, and nature protection policies are evident in several countries, but the strong influence of the petroleum industry on climate policies is a particular feature in Norway. Although synergistic solutions are possible, the Norwegian case indicates that differences in climate and nature protection policies can amplify conflicts between the two issue areas.
