Miljo, sakerhet och ekonomiska intressen : En empirisk analys av hur klimatforandringar pa Svalbard representeras i norsk diskurs

The Arctic area has undergone significant changes in recent decades, where climate change has led to reduced amounts of sea ice and increased access to the region ́s natural resources. In this dynamic Arctic landscape, Svalbard holds a unique position, experiencing more than twice the rate of global warming compared to the Arctic average, and five to seven times higher than the global average. The aim of this thesis is to analyse how the Norwegian state represents climate change in its discourse surrounding Svalbard, with particular focus on which national interests – environmental, economic and security - are expressed in these representations. Svalbard is a strategically and climatically vulnerable area where conflicting interest intersect, making it a particularly relevant empirical case. The study is based on a qualitative discourse analysis of three government white papers: Meld. St 22 (2008-2009), Meld. St. 32 (2015-2016), and Meld. St. 26 (2023-2024). The analysis applies Carol Bacchi ́s “What’s the problem represented to be?” approach, focusing on three key questions: how climate change is represented as a problem, which underlying assumptions enable these representations, and what effects they produce. The findings show that climate change is increasingly represented as a serious and urgent environmental concern, constructing Svalbard as a particularly vulnerable area. This development is simultaneously used to legitimize expanded state presence, transition policies, and control. This thesis thereby contributes to research on Norway’s role as a climate nation by highlighting how a state actor creates meaning and legitimacy in a context shaped by multiple, potentially conflicting, areas.