ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the ways in which different kinds of Non-governmental organisations (NGO) work in relation to various branches of national government in Norway. NGOs are no less prominent in the field of environmental protection than in other areas of politics. A prominent feature of the literature on special interest organisations is the occurrence of various forms of special relations between NGOs and public agencies. Norwegian NGOs have traditionally had a close and implicating working relationship with public authorities. The ‘ifs’ of participation do not seem to obstruct the participation of organisations in public decision-making processes to any great degree. The formalised channels of contact between NGOs and the ministries in our three sectors seem to support the picture of the segmented state as far as environmental politics are concerned. Environmental considerations have come to occupy an increasingly prominent position in agricultural policies, at the same time as internal toisions have increased in the sector.
