The ecological dilemma of a rich welfare state: The development in popular attitudes towards eco-social policy in Norway

In an era marked by social inequalities, political polarisation and economic and geopolitical instability, knowledge of citizens' perceptions of and preferences for welfare and environmental policy, and of how these interact, is essential for assessing the political scope for eco-social policy development. Based on data from the Norwegian Monitor Survey, the article studies citizens' attitudes towards welfare and environmental policies in Norway, focusing on changes in support over the period 2003–2023. The share of respondents expressing simultaneous support for welfare and environmental policies has increased, suggesting an increasing alignment of social and environmental policy attitudes among the Norwegian public. This indicates a widened scope for parallel policy efforts across the two domains and ample potential for eco-social policy development in Norway. The study confirms a socioeconomic divide in environmental and welfare preferences. However, tracking attitudes over time, we find growing support for environmental policies among the financially insecure over the study period. This points towards a weakening socioeconomic divide in Norway and a convergence of attitudes across socio-economic groups. Another key finding relates to political trust, which emerged as an increasingly important explanatory factor.