Climate change mitigation policymaking and communication at the local level: a case study of the Areaand transport plan of the Arendal region in Norway

Abstract

Climate change mitigation is a collective effort, and different governmental levels must be involved in pursuing it. People in the Nordic counties have a high awareness of climate change, but there is a discrepancy between knowledge and implementation of climate-friendly policies locally. In recent years, Norway has seen the emergence of protest movements opposing restrictive climate change mitigation measures. These parallel and contradictory dimensions challenge and disrupt established forms of policymaking. The urban regions must strike a balance between national climate goals and potential local resistance. This qualitative case study explores these the socio-political dynamics and challenges oflocal-regional policymaking in increasingly politicised environments. The theoretical framework is built on three different fields of literature addressing communication, media and the fragmented (online) public sphere; consensual political culture in policymaking processes; and the role of local and rural identities in collaborative regional policymaking. The study examines local-regional strategy planning between four adjacent municipalities and the county using The Regional Area and Transport Plan for Arendal Region in Norway as an example.