Governance, green finance and global climate advocacy of the Nordic countries:Small state syndrome or novel middle power?

• Main Author: Andersen, Mikael Skou
• Other Authors: Wurzel, Rüdiger, Tobin, Paul
• Format: Book Part
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 2020
• Subjects: Norway; Iceland
• Online Access: https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/governance-green-finance-and-global-climate-advocacy-of-the-nordic-countries(24b92508-1c09-4dca-bc0f-5b95900c2ae9).html; https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003014249; https://www.routledge.com/Climate-Governance-across-the-Globe-Pioneers-Leaders-and-Followers/Wurzel-Andersen-Tobin/p/book/9780367434366

Nordic countries have been pioneering ambitious policies to promote energy efficiency, renewables and climate mitigation for many years. Carbon taxes and feed-in-tariffs for renewables have been important policy instruments. Nordic countries moreover have strong local governments, underpinned by some distinct financing institution, providing low-interest credits for public green investments. Although being perceived as a progressive force in global climate negotiations, Nordic countries as a whole have relatively high per capita GHG emissions and consumption levels, while ranking 11th globally on their joint GDP. Norway and Iceland tend to subscribe to flexible mechanisms for climate mitigation, while Finland and Denmark are ramping up their domestic decarbonisation efforts, seeking to close the gap to Sweden’s notable achievements. This chapter provides analysis of key policy and institutional prerequisites, underpinning the quest for climate policy leadership announced by the Nordic Council of Prime Ministers. With coordinated and joint efforts through the Nordic Council, resourceful local and regional authorities, and due to their respective ties to trans-atlantic alliances and the European Union, the five Nordic countries are situated in a wider framework of multilevel governance. The chapter notes how this may help the Nordics leverage their structural leadership capacities as a potential ‘middle power’ in global climate policy. Still, without credible domestic mitigation policies this may not attract followers. Nordic countries have been pioneering ambitious policies to promote energy efficiency, renewables and climate mitigation for many years. Carbon taxes and feed-in-tariffs for renewables have been important policy instruments. Nordic countries moreover have strong local governments, underpinned by some distinct financing institution, providing low-interest credits for public green investments. Although being perceived as a progressive force in global climate negotiations, Nordic countries as a whole ...