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In recent decades, the craft beer sector has grown rapidly, and it has been studied across the world through various lenses. In Norway and Sweden, the sector is a well-established complement to large-scale beer producers, but it has yet to be thoroughly studied. Previous studies show that the location of a brewery is important in terms of marketing and branding approaches, but also that craft brewers contribute to place development. The aim of this study is to explore how context affects the possibilities of craft breweries to contribute to local place development. The study results are built on a web-survey, answered by 201 craft beer brewers in Norway and Sweden. The findings show that brewers, especially those located in rural areas, struggle under tough conditions regarding profit margins, as well as troublesome and limiting legislation. Place is considered very important, but breweries in rural areas use place-connection to a higher extent. Tourism is important, especially for breweries located in rural areas, and changes in regulation could increase the importance even more. The results of this study show that there exist contextual differences which also have an impact on the extent to which the brewers can contribute to their local community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land-use planning has been promoted as an important tool for adaptation to climate change. However, its success depends on effective communication between researchers and decision-makers. A “risk and vulnerability assessment” (RVA) is one method to facilitate the interaction between the groups. RVAs have been performed in Norwegian land-use planning for about 20 years, and been mandatory for new development the last few years. The first part of the article reviews the history and current legal regulation of RVAs in Norway. Continuing, the main part discusses the distribution of authority and responsibility for different parts of the process and result. The key finding is that significant decisions are deferred to municipal discretion, for example, the necessity (if doubtful) and scope of the assessments. Other topics (such as the burden of costs and eligible performers) are largely unregulated, prompting some arguments about the need for further legislative effort. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The stated purpose of Norwegian land use planning is to promote sustainable development. Environmental considerations are central in the planning process, but have to compete with many other goals and interests. In recent years, complexity, population density and similar factors have made the society more vulnerable. Several major floods, landslides and other natural incidents have raised public awareness about the safety aspect of planning. At the same time, better knowledge about natural systems, including the effects of climate change, have increased the level of uncertainty. In this article, I consider the relation between environmental and safety considerations in planning from a legal perspective. While the examples and theoretical framework are from the Norwegian legal system, the overall analysis is general and, thus, relevant also outside the national jurisdiction. Rather than being opposite and directly competing goals, I argue that safety and conservation can be promoted by the same measures, often with mutual benefits. Thus, the current focus on societal safety can actually enhance the environmental aspect of sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]