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Mining the Deep, Selling the Green : Norwegian deep-sea mining companies in constructing and legitimising their role within sustainability narratives

Osland, Emilie LU (2025) SGED10 20251
Department of Human Geography
Abstract
This thesis explores how Norwegian deep-sea mining (DSM) companies construct legitimacy through sustainability narratives during 2024, a year marked by both the opening and suspension of national seabed exploration. Using Critical Discourse Analysis within a Regulationist Political Ecology framework, the study examines how corporate actors position DSM as essential to the green transition. The analysis draws on 60 publicly available texts, including LinkedIn posts and website content from seven DSM-related companies. Four key discursive strategies are identified: constructing necessity through critical mineral framing, presenting extraction as a precondition for sustainability, disarming criticism through strategic concessions, and... (More)
This thesis explores how Norwegian deep-sea mining (DSM) companies construct legitimacy through sustainability narratives during 2024, a year marked by both the opening and suspension of national seabed exploration. Using Critical Discourse Analysis within a Regulationist Political Ecology framework, the study examines how corporate actors position DSM as essential to the green transition. The analysis draws on 60 publicly available texts, including LinkedIn posts and website content from seven DSM-related companies. Four key discursive strategies are identified: constructing necessity through critical mineral framing, presenting extraction as a precondition for sustainability, disarming criticism through strategic concessions, and positioning Norway as a responsible and ethical actor. These narratives align DSM with environmental responsibility, national security, and technological progress, framing extraction as part of the solution to climate change. The findings reflect broader patterns of green extractivism, where sustainability discourse is used to justify continued resource exploitation. By unpacking these strategies, the thesis contributes to debates on post-fossil transitions, highlighting the contradictions within mineral-intensive climate mitigation efforts and the role of corporate discourse in maintaining extractive hegemony. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Osland, Emilie LU
supervisor
organization
course
SGED10 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Deep-Sea Mining, Norway, Critical Discourse Analysis, Sustainable Development, Green Energy Transition, Corporate Legitimacy
language
English
id
9208714
date added to LUP
2025-10-02 10:29:16
date last changed
2025-10-02 10:29:16
@misc{9208714,
  abstract     = {{This thesis explores how Norwegian deep-sea mining (DSM) companies construct legitimacy through sustainability narratives during 2024, a year marked by both the opening and suspension of national seabed exploration. Using Critical Discourse Analysis within a Regulationist Political Ecology framework, the study examines how corporate actors position DSM as essential to the green transition. The analysis draws on 60 publicly available texts, including LinkedIn posts and website content from seven DSM-related companies. Four key discursive strategies are identified: constructing necessity through critical mineral framing, presenting extraction as a precondition for sustainability, disarming criticism through strategic concessions, and positioning Norway as a responsible and ethical actor. These narratives align DSM with environmental responsibility, national security, and technological progress, framing extraction as part of the solution to climate change. The findings reflect broader patterns of green extractivism, where sustainability discourse is used to justify continued resource exploitation. By unpacking these strategies, the thesis contributes to debates on post-fossil transitions, highlighting the contradictions within mineral-intensive climate mitigation efforts and the role of corporate discourse in maintaining extractive hegemony.}},
  author       = {{Osland, Emilie}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Mining the Deep, Selling the Green : Norwegian deep-sea mining companies in constructing and legitimising their role within sustainability narratives}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}