Paper short abstract:

In this paper, I examine energy elites via an exploration of their own energy and climate considerations. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork based in the energy industry in Oslo, Norway, I trace how energy elites navigate between hope and hopelessness in the face of climate change.

Paper long abstract:

With vastly growing climate change concerns, the experts, managers, executives, and investors in leading positions within the hydrocarbon industry have been placed under increased scrutiny. Despite often being at the centre of – or rather being the debate – these ‘industry leaders’ or ‘energy elites’ are a surprisingly under-researched group. With this paper, I wish to examine energy elites via an exploration of their own energy and climate considerations. Drawing on 18-months of ethnographic fieldwork in various energy companies in Oslo, Norway (including fossil fuel and renewable firms), I trace how energy elites navigate between hope and hopelessness in the face of climate change. In particular, I will discuss what I refer to as “optimistic fatalism”; the continued effort to change something that is deemed unavoidable, i.e. ‘doing something rather than nothing’ in light of expected bad outcomes. More concretely, I analyse how and why many Norwegian energy elites follow an action and solution-based approach towards energy and climate dilemmas despite believing that climate change cannot be halted, and its detrimental consequences cannot be avoided.