Production vs Consumption: Exploring the political reluctance to consider a reduction in meat consumption in Norway

The world is currently facing an increasingly grave climate crisis and finding solutions will be a significant challenge to the modern world. The production and consumption of meat and its effect on the climate is becoming ever clearer and a growing body of research is pointing to the environmental benefits of policies aimed at reducing meat consumption. There is, however, little political action taking place to reduce meat consumption. This study explores this reluctance to consider policies to reduce meat consumption in the Norwegian context. The study found various arguments presented by Norwegian political parties to explain this lack of action. An emphasis has been placed on the production side measures for a number of reasons linked to consumer choice, a fear of public backlash and a reliance on technological advancements to achieve reductions. Motivations for this reluctance range from are emphasized by agricultural policy that emphasizes continued competitiveness in the Norwegian agricultural sector