Paper short abstract:

Current socio-ecological transitions, moving from fossil-based to renewable energy sources have evoked new constellations of protest groups. This paper explores the emergence, and continuous efforts to stabilise heterogeneous networks of resistance to land-based wind power in Norway.

Paper long abstract:

Europe has seen a growing political will to invest in renewable energy, such as land-based wind power. In Norway this have evoked a series of conflicts over natural resources, land use and risk of environmental degradation. New movements and new alliances between various political fractions, environmental groups, NGOs and climate activists has been forged. They represent a plurality of perspectives and positions but share a common goal of opposing the current energy regime policies and established narratives and imaginaries. Through a series of concerted actions and campaigns they have successfully influenced on the energy transition pathways. Still they represents fragile constellations, with multiple diverging views and visions.

This paper explores the emergence, and continuous efforts, to stabilise and coordinate new protest alliances related to the development of a wind power installations in Norway. The paper is based on a series of qualitative interviews with representatives from NGOs, wind-power resistance groups, environmental movements and associations of indigenous people. It focus on a chain of protest events evolving around the development of land-based wind power in northern part of Norway, conflicting with indigenous arctic peoples needs for pasture land for reindeer herding. It explores how central actors in the protest movement worked to establish framework and common agendas, and how the “eventful protests” worked as catalysts to gain attention and opportunities refocus narratives and frames. It contributes to the wider discussion of how protest groups and constellations can contribute to disruptive breaks and changes in energy transitions pathways.