ABSTRACT

Research on the Geography of Sustainability Transitions (GOST) has enhanced our understanding in how place-based factors condition sustainability transitions. Its emphasis on the geography of niche development, however, neglects regime-level responses to regional sustainably transitions imperatives. Given the urgency of sustainability transitions, recent sustainability transitions research has emphasized an active destabilization and/or phase-out of incumbent carbon-intensive industries. However, this poses normative and practical challenges for regions heavily dependent in these sectors. Here the challenge is how to ensure an inclusive transition. This paper contributes to GOST by focusing on distributional and procedural dimensions of policy mixes, relying on just transition and institutionalist literature. Our longitudinal case study of two Norwegian oil-dependent regions, Stord and Verdal identifies phases separated by critical junctures, with different policy mixes. Underpinned by the Norwegian tripartite cooperation model, the multi-scalar policy mixes in the regions has focused on the sector’s decarbonization, rather than its phase-out, while developing renewable energy sectors through technology-push. Supporting short term business as usual, this provides the industry time to prepare for emerging renewable technologies and reducing negative impacts of transitions. We suggest that just sustainable development of such regions requires coherent multi-scalar policy mixes, and legitimacy and participation among key actors.

摘要

可持续性转型地理 (GOST) 的研究增强了我们对基于地点的因素如何影响可持续性转型的理解。然而，它对利基发展地理的强调忽视了政权层面对区域可持续转型必要性的反应。鉴于可持续性转型的紧迫性，最近的可持续性转型研究强调了对现有碳密集型产业的积极破坏和/或淘汰。然而，这对严重依赖这些部门的地区提出了规范和实际挑战。这里的挑战是如何确保包容性过渡。本文通过关注分配和程序对 GOST 做出贡献政策组合的维度，依赖于公正的过渡和制度主义文献。我们对挪威两个依赖石油的地区 Stord 和 Verdal 的纵向案例研究确定了由关键时刻分开的阶段，以及不同的政策组合。在挪威三方合作模式的支持下，该地区的多尺度政策组合侧重于该行业的脱碳，而不是其淘汰，同时通过技术推动发展可再生能源行业。支持短期业务照常进行，这为行业提供了时间来为新兴的可再生技术做准备并减少过渡的负面影响。我们认为，这些地区的可持续发展需要连贯的多尺度政策组合，以及主要参与者的合法性和参与。