Abstract
This thesis investigates opportunities and barriers for implementing supply-side climate policies in Norway. Studies have shown that reducing petroleum production on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and hence the market supply of Norwegian oil and gas can provide meaningful climate change mitigation, however a supply-side climate strategy is not considered relevant by Norwegian authorities. This research applies a social constructionist approach and Critical Discourse Theory to explore the underlying mechanisms preventing such a strategy despite the presence of exhaustive research and viable pathways. Middle-range theories on path dependency, carbon lock-in and the green paradox is put forward to elaborate on these mechanisms and the separation between petroleum and carbon policies in Norwegian politics. Six governing documents, consultation responses from 5 licensing rounds, in addition to observational studies of the ‘climate lawsuit’ provides the data material for the discourse analysis. Three prevalent discourses in the political landscape is identified; the ‘status quo’; ‘managed decline’ and ‘scientific research’ discourse. Each discourse holds opportunities and barriers for implementing supply-side climate policies, however the research finds that the current dominance and carbon entanglement of the ‘status quo’ discourse functions as a main obstacle for alternative pathways away from fossil fuels.