Sammendrag
In this article, we discuss national climate adaptation policies in Norway, departing from the recent history of the field, how it is organized, and the contents of the policies. We address the question of whether and how Norwegian climate adaptation policies connect to a risk and securitization approach, and what the consequences are for the governance of the field. By analyzing policy documents and a set of interviews with national-level actors, we show how Norwegian climate adaptation is partly characterized by horizontal complexity and fragmentation, partly influenced by a risk orientation, and partly how this risk orientation contributes to establishing an ambiguous relationship with preparedness and societal security policies. Despite long-time engagement by local actors in climate adaptation, the national climate adaptation field is more recent and less mature. Indeed, there have been few national-level policy initiatives and climate adaptation policies are directly dependent on sector-based policies.
Dispersed responsibilities create a distending situation, with unclear accountabilities and a clear need for coordination. At the same time, the national policy level is, in many respects, insulated from the realities of these climate challenges, which in practice are located at the municipal level. Despite an increasing risk orientation, which has become relevant for governance norms, we do not find evidence of securitization leading to the use of extraordinary governance measures. On the contrary, climate adaptation in Norway is handled as ‘business as usual’ within existing governance structures.
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