Atle Christer Christiansen

New renewable energy developments and the climate change issue: a case study of Norwegian politics

Abstract It is widely agreed that the search for cleaner energy technologies is central to any long-term response to the threat of global climate change. Many countries are thus promoting the adoption of new renewable energy (NRE) sources and technologies within the context of energy and climate change policies. The scope of this paper is to unfold linkages between public policies and NRE developments using Norway as a case in point. The aims are firstly to assess the impacts of policy design and public priorities in terms of technology and industrial development dynamics, and secondly to discuss the role attributed to the climate change issue. The primary conclusion is that in spite of long-lasting public efforts, NRE sources represent only a pitiable fraction of the energy produced, delivered, and consumed in Norway, and only modest industrial development dynamics have taken place. Among the most important reasons for this poor outcome are (i) weak demand-side policies, (ii) fluctuating patterns in public priorities, and (iii) low electricity prices. The Norwegian experience substantiates claims that effective public strategies should be firmly based upon long-term commitments, employ a combination of policies and measures conducive to technical change and innovation, and be capable of guarding against path dependence.

Convergence or divergence? Status and prospects for US climate strategy

Abstract The objective of this paper is to assess recent developments and prospects for future changes in United States (US) climate strategy. In doing so, the paper explores some of the key factors that have shaped strategies and policies to date, distinguishing between factors related to institutional and governance structures, linkages between science and policy, energy technology and the role of interest groups. Against this background, the paper attempts to explore future development paths for US climate policy. More specifically, the paper assesses opportunities for policy changes compared to the preferences of the current administration, and the prospects for future linkages between US and international climate change strategies. In brief, the paper argues that substantial changes are unlikely to take place in the near to medium term, leaving open, however, the possibility of wide-ranging changes in domestic politics or major incidents that could facilitate a shift in the perceived need for near-term action.

Climate policy and dynamic efficiency gains A case study on Norwegian CO2-taxes and technological innovation in the petroleum sector

Against increasing scientific evidence of human-induced global warming, and prevailing uncertainties regarding the fate of the Kyoto Protocol, the use of environmental taxes has been gaining increasing popularity in the OECD region. Economists often conjecture that such instruments provide a continuous incentive for technological innovation, which is likely to be a key determinant for success or failure in climate policy, at least in the long turn. However, there is little empirical evidence available to justify claims of that kind. The objective of this paper is to provide such evidence, by assessing the impacts of Norwegian CO 2 -taxes, the key instrument in Norways climate policy, on technological innovation in upstream petroleum operations. The balance of evidence suggests that the introduction of CO 2 -taxes has provided some incentive for innovation that has shifted petroleum operations in a less emission-intensive direction. That said, the pattern of technological change pertains mostly to incremental process innovations, cumulative improvements, and adaptations of technologies already available. These insights may assist policymakers when formulating policy strategies and selecting instruments for climate change mitigation.

Promoting Environmental Innovation in the Energy Sector: An Analytcial Framework for Dynamic Efficiency Assessments

It is increasingly being recognised that the development, adoption and diffusion of cleaner energy technologies are key determinants to success or failure in environmental policy, at least in the long term. However, it is still unclear what specific role there is for public policies and regulatory intervention in this field, and how to select an appropriate portfolio of policy action and instruments that does justice to all stages in the development cycle of technological change. The key objective of this paper is to provide an analytical framework for analysing and assessing the way in which public policy can promote environmentally benign technological change. The framework comprises a template that blends a mechanistic representation of causal variable-impact relationships with knowledge and insights from empirical research. “It is widely agreed that technical innovation is the ultimate key to successful (meaning affordable as well as quantitatively adequate) global measures to stabilise the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere” (Toman, 1998: 610)

Environmental Policy Instruments and Technological Change in the Energy Sector: Findings from Comparative Empirical Research

This article explores the extent to which and in what ways environmental policy instruments may affect patterns of environmental friendly technological change in the energy sector. Our argument is based on the assumption, however, that technological change is also affected by the political context in which the instruments are applied and by the nature of the problem itself. Comparative empirical research involving different European countries, sectors and policy fields were examined, including climate change, air pollution and wind power. The relationship between environmental policy instruments and technological change is extremely complex, not least due to the impact of other factors that may be more decisive than environmental ones. Against this backdrop, it was concluded that: 1) a portfolio of policy instruments works to the extent that different types of policy instruments affect the different drivers and stages behind technological change needed to solve specific problems. The need for a portfolio of policy instruments depends on the technological challenge being faced; 2) voluntary approaches facilitated constructive corporate strategies, but mandatory approaches tended to be more effective in stimulating short term major technological change; 3) voluntary approaches work well in the short term when the problem to be solved is characterized by lack of information and coordination.