Climate change and its consequences have long been explored in the natural sciences, and in recent years, researchers in the humanities and psychology have also addressed topics such as climate anxiety, climate grief, and a universal sense of existential crisis.
Nevertheless, the social sciences have played a more limited role in mapping the consequences and formulating concrete proposals for societal changes that can counteract climate change. This includes how the welfare state is financed, the role of the Norwegian oil fund, welfare reforms, public climate discourses, global inequalities, and social challenges related to green transitions.
The KlimaVel network brings together expertise across fields such as public administration, economics, media studies, social policy, human rights, and social work. The goal is to explore what 'the good life' can – and should – mean in a world marked by climate change.
KlimaVel aims to be an arena for social science innovation, where different perspectives meet to shape a sustainable future.
Heads of network
Members
More about the research group
The core members of the network come from the Department of Social Work, Child Welfare and Social Policy, the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, and Oslo Business School at the Faculty of Social Sciences.
The group’s activities will build on the members' expertise in welfare research and sustainability, social services and practices, sustainability and green social work, human rights and welfare law, climate and environmental communication, climate journalism, environment and climate economics and democracy/participation and nature management.
The network also has core members from civil society:
- Nordic Centre for Sustainable Finance
- The Norwegian Electricians and IT Workers Union (EL og IT Forbundet)
- The Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees (Fagforbundet)
- The Norwegian Civil Service Union (Norsk tjenestemannslag, NTL)
- The Norwegian Association of Scientists (Naturviterne)
- The Norwegian Association of Social Scientists (Samfunnsviterne)
- The union Styrke
- The Norwegian Farmers and Smallholders Union (Norsk Bonde og Småbrukarlag)
- The Nature Conservation Association (Naturvernforbundet)
