As a Norwegian who worked many years in the oil industry, I have no problems saying we are hypocrites. But it is worth noting that Norway isn’t a person. It isn’t one guy named Norway making both these oil choices and green choices.

Rather different political factions are fighting for their interests. The oil interest groups have seen no reason to oppose the EV transition. But naturally the oil industry has massive lobbying power in Norway. It isn’t merely a question of the corporations themselves but also the unions of the workers in the oil sector and their local communities. Whole towns and communities exist because of it and will fight to preserve their livelihood. Such a big industry starts defining a country. It becomes part of the identity and very hard to uproot.

The oil industry in Norway has also managed to build up a mythology that we are nothing without it. A very Norwegian trait is humility. Norwegians tend to not want to think they are great at anything. We actually like to buy into the idea that we got crazy lucky when we found oil and that everything we achieved is luck.

That is a horrible attitude in this case because it makes Norwegians fail to have faith in our ability to succeed without oil. Ultimately Norwegian oil industry expands because Norwegians lack self-confidence.

The oil industry is more than happy to nurture this low self-esteem.