Scalar orientation of policies and technology legitimacy: The case of decarbonization in Norway
Teis Hansen, Jens Hanson, Tuukka Mäkitie, Håkon Endresen Normann, Markus Steén
Abstract
• The scalar orientation of policy rationales influence technology legitimacy. • We develop a novel conceptual framework to understand the scalar orientation of policies related to challenges and effects. • We employ this framework to analyse policy developments and changing legitimacy for three technologies in norway. • Policy rationales’ scalar orientation influence technology legitimacy and need to be considered also in mission-oriented innovation policy. This paper suggest that we need to better understand the relationship between policy rationales and their scalar orientation. The former refers to the underlying motivations for proposing policies. The latter refers to two dimensions: the geography of challenges that policy seek to address, and the geography of effects that policy seek to instigate. Such variations in the scalar orientation of national level climate and energy policy, may lead to differing rationales for (not) supporting technologies that can contribute to decarbonization, depending also on their alignment with broader context structures. In this way, scalar orientation of policy rationales may have significant implications for technology legitimacy. We develop a conceptual framework that distinguishes four types of scalar orientation in local/global challenges and effects. Empirically, we analyse how shifting scalar orientation of policy rationales in Norway has influenced legitimacy for LNG in shipping, offshore wind in the energy sector, and CCS for various user sectors.