Normative Governance for Green Policies: Exploring the Practices of Civil Society

Abstract

Societal norm formation is crucial in shaping collective action on global challenges such as climate change. This study explores the norm-building role of civil society organizations (CSOs) by examining their communication practices on green issues. Forty web-based communications from four Norwegian environmental CSOs—two membership-based and two professionalized organizations—are analyzed. The study focuses on three dimensions of normative governance: (1) how environmental issues are defined, (2) how social group identities are shaped to promote public engagement, and (3) how legitimacy is sought for policy positions. The results show that different types of CSOs use distinct strategies to influence norms and advance environmental policy agendas. These findings underscore the important role of CSOs in shaping climate action through normative governance mechanisms.