Structuring a conversation across space, time and political distance

The climate transformation processes needed to meet the Paris targets are not only politically contested, but fraught with innumerous spatio-temporal dilemmas. Transforming the offshore energy sector on the Norwegian Continental Shelf from petroleum extraction to renewable energy production is a good example. The industry is faced with demands by environmental activists to phase-out both exploration and extraction activities, but questions of time abound: How fast? By when? Treating the Norwegian petroleum industry in relative isolation furthermore poses a series of spatial dilemmas: How will a Norwegian phase-out affect the global emission levels? How should a global phase-out of petroleum extraction deal with principles of fairness and efficiency? To make matters even more difficult, establishing a rational and science-based conversation around these dilemmas with the actors directly involved in the industry has proven difficult, not simply because of the many vested interests in incumbent systems of production, but due of the high levels of affective polarisation in the climate debate. In this paper, I will reflect on the potential for innovative research methods – in particular using elicitation techniques in focus group settings – can help overcome the obstacles presented by complex time horizons, spatial (in)justices and political polarisation.