Implementing Environmental Policy – analysing the governance of integrated use and protection politics – Governance, forvaltning og implementering av integrert bruk- og vernpolitikk

During the last decades, the involvement of local stakeholders, lay knowledge and cross-sectoral approaches in environmental decision making have been addressed in a wide range of international conventions. Also, the Mountain text and the Coastal strategy, described by Norwegian environmental authorities, reflect the need for an integrated use and protection approach within Norwegian natural management. However, there is still a high level of distrust and conflict between farmers, property owners, fish farmers, municipalities on the one side and Norwegian environmental authorities on the other. This project aims at studying the implementation of the Mountain text and Coastal strategy within networks at local, regional and national level (including politicians, bureaucrats, business actors, environmental organisations and the like). In particular personal norms, attitudes and formal training, as well as communication and interaction between different actors will be studied using network analyses, document analyses and qualitative interviews. Institutional theory (governance), environmental philosophy and philosophy constitute the theoretical framework. The results stemming from the project are expected to contribute to increased transparency within Norwegian environmental bureaucracy, and cross-sectoral management of Norwegian outfields and shoreline. Furthermore, the project might scrutinise the role of the environmental bureaucracy in relation to other actors and lower the level of conflict and distrust between use and conservation interests.