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“The climate transition requires growth, but it also drives growth”:The dominance of the neoliberal environmentalist norm-complex in Swedish climate action plans

Wellergård, Ebba LU (2024) STVK04 20241
Department of Political Science
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to gain an understanding into how a neoliberal environmentalist norm-complex can be used to understand the Swedish climate action plans published in 2019 and 2023. This was done through a mixed method approach, where the qualitative stage was allowed to take the most place. The quantitative stage of the analysis showed that the normative element of Green growth and sustainable development was exceedingly present in the texts, especially when referring to climate goals. When diving deeper into the texts, it was apparent that the neoliberal environmentalist norm-complex carried a compelling power to explain circumstances and reasons behind certain phrasings. In alignment with the theory, the concept of growth was... (More)
The purpose of this paper is to gain an understanding into how a neoliberal environmentalist norm-complex can be used to understand the Swedish climate action plans published in 2019 and 2023. This was done through a mixed method approach, where the qualitative stage was allowed to take the most place. The quantitative stage of the analysis showed that the normative element of Green growth and sustainable development was exceedingly present in the texts, especially when referring to climate goals. When diving deeper into the texts, it was apparent that the neoliberal environmentalist norm-complex carried a compelling power to explain circumstances and reasons behind certain phrasings. In alignment with the theory, the concept of growth was referred to in an uncritical manner and increased competitiveness was often framed as a solution to climate issues. The thesis therefore reaches the conclusion that the norm-complex offers a comprehensive way of understanding Swedish climate actions plans which shine light on the difficulty of alternative solutions to the climate crisis and that point out how the relationship to nature is framed. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Wellergård, Ebba LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK04 20241
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Neoliberal environmentalism, Norm-complex, Norms, Sweden, Climate action plans
language
English
id
9153006
date added to LUP
2024-07-18 13:36:56
date last changed
2024-07-18 13:36:56
@misc{9153006,
  abstract     = {{The purpose of this paper is to gain an understanding into how a neoliberal environmentalist norm-complex can be used to understand the Swedish climate action plans published in 2019 and 2023. This was done through a mixed method approach, where the qualitative stage was allowed to take the most place. The quantitative stage of the analysis showed that the normative element of Green growth and sustainable development was exceedingly present in the texts, especially when referring to climate goals. When diving deeper into the texts, it was apparent that the neoliberal environmentalist norm-complex carried a compelling power to explain circumstances and reasons behind certain phrasings. In alignment with the theory, the concept of growth was referred to in an uncritical manner and increased competitiveness was often framed as a solution to climate issues. The thesis therefore reaches the conclusion that the norm-complex offers a comprehensive way of understanding Swedish climate actions plans which shine light on the difficulty of alternative solutions to the climate crisis and that point out how the relationship to nature is framed.}},
  author       = {{Wellergård, Ebba}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{“The climate transition requires growth, but it also drives growth”:The dominance of the neoliberal environmentalist norm-complex in Swedish climate action plans}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}