Taming the West: Senate Bill 4 and California\u27s Struggle to Regulate Fracking

This Comment begins with a history of fracking, the current impact of the practice, and why it has become such a highly contested issue. It will explain how fracking is being done in California and present the current landscape of federal and state regulations. Specifically, California fracking regulations are currently in a state of flux due to the recent enactment of California State Senate Bill 4 ( SB 4 ). The Argument section of this Comment posits that SB 4 may have some beneficial effects regarding increased environmental protection and regulatory oversight, but there remain weak spots in the current regulations that put human health and the environment at risk. Although not perfect, SB 4 is a sign of progress, and this Comment explains how the new regulations can be further improved to protect the health, welfare, and natural environment of California. Such improvements include limiting trade secret exemptions for fracking liquid, increased notice requirements, adequate funding for state agencies charged with implementing new regulations, and proper procedural oversight of new agency practices. If these improvements are implemented, they will make SB 4 a model for other jurisdictions seeking to adopt similar environmental protections

Taming the West: Senate Bill 4 and California\u27s Struggle to Regulate Fracking

This Comment begins with a history of fracking, the current impact of the practice, and why it has become such a highly contested issue. It will explain how fracking is being done in California and present the current landscape of federal and state regulations. Specifically, California fracking regulations are currently in a state of flux due to the recent enactment of California State Senate Bill 4 ( SB 4 ). The Argument section of this Comment posits that SB 4 may have some beneficial effects regarding increased environmental protection and regulatory oversight, but there remain weak spots in the current regulations that put human health and the environment at risk. Although not perfect, SB 4 is a sign of progress, and this Comment explains how the new regulations can be further improved to protect the health, welfare, and natural environment of California. Such improvements include limiting trade secret exemptions for fracking liquid, increased notice requirements, adequate funding for state agencies charged with implementing new regulations, and proper procedural oversight of new agency practices. If these improvements are implemented, they will make SB 4 a model for other jurisdictions seeking to adopt similar environmental protections

Patriotic values for public goods: transnational trade-offs for biodiversity and ecosystem services?

The natural environment is central to human well-being through its role in ecosystem service (ES) provision. Managing ES often requires coordination across international borders. Although this may deliver greater conservation gains than countries acting alone, we do not know whether the public supports such an international approach. Using the same questionnaire in three countries, we quantified public preferences for ES in home countries and across international borders. In all three countries, the people were generally willing to pay for ES. However, our results show that there is a limit to the extent that environmental goods can be considered global. ES with a use element (habitat conservation, landscape preservation) attracted a patriotic premium, such that the people were willing to pay significantly more for locally delivered services. Supranational management of ES needs to be balanced against the preferences that people have for services delivered in their home countries

Constructing the Desirable Reader in Swedish Contemporary: Literature Policy

This study contributes to a growing number of critical studies of reading that are seeking to understand how reading is constructed socially and politically. It addresses issues concerning why certain types of reading are deemed more appropriate than others in various contexts and historical eras. The aim of the study is to explore constructions of reading, reading promotion, and readers that can be identified in Swedish literature policy 2012-2013 in order to make explicit the implicit assumptions embedded in the politics of readinğ This is achieved through a discourse analysis of the Swedish Government Commission report on Literature from 2012 and the subsequent Government Bill from 2013. The analysis focuses on the construction of the 'problem' that reading is supposed to solve, the subject-position of the reader, and the knowledge practices that underpin the construction of the 'problem'. The analysis reveals that the main 'problem' is the changing reading habits of the Swedish population and the decline in the reading ability of Swedish children and youth. This is seen as a threat to several important societal values, such as children's learning and development, democracy, “the culture of reading”, Sweden's economic competitiveness, and the market for literature. Responsibility for the problem is placed on the school system, parents, and the use of computers and the Internet. The remedy is seen as the promotion of the right kind of literature. Furthermore, the analysis illustrates how the subject position of the appropriate reader is formed around the notion of the harmful non-reader. Similar dividing practices are constructed around youth/adult, pupil/teacher, child/parent, and son/father where the latter is expected to make the former a reader and thereby a desirable subject. The analysis also shows how two contradictory knowledge practices are joined together in the policy texts, where seemingly rational, objective, and empirical research is paired with humanistic Bildung values

Supply Chain CyberSecurity & NIS2 Readiness: The role of purchasing decisions and actors

Denne bacheloroppgaven utforsker cybersikkerheten i energisektoren og dens forsyningskjede i samsvar med NIS2-direktivet. Basert på dokumentanalyse og intervjuer med cybersikkerhetseksperter innen nettverksovervåking, identifiserer den sentrale sårbarheter og vurderer hvordan disse kan håndteres gjennom interne tekniske kontroller og ekstern samhandling med leverandører og staten. Arbeidet er forankret i tre teoretiske områder: Cybersikkerhetsrisikostyring, forsyningskjedeutvikling og kvalitetsledelse. Disse teoriene støtter arbeidet med å identifisere kritiske sårbarheter, belyse begrensningene som følger av komplekse leverandørkjeder, og vise hvordan NIS2-direktivet kan bidra til å styrke cybersikkerheten i hele sektoren. Gjennom en kvalitativ tilnærming kombinerer oppgaven ekspertintervjuer med dokumentanalyse fra kilder som ISO-standarder og NIS2-direktivet. Funnene viser at sårbarheter finnes både internt og hos oppstrømsleverandører, spesielt i operasjonell teknologi (OT) som SCADA- og PLC-systemer. På bakgrunn av dette konkluderes det med at tekniske kontroller alene ikke er tilstrekkelige. For å redusere systemisk risiko må man styrke synligheten i forsyningskjeden og standardisere cybersikkerhetsforventninger. NIS2-direktivet fungerer i denne sammenhengen som et juridisk og strategisk virkemiddel. Ved å pålegge risikovurderinger, informasjonsdeling og koordinert innsats på tvers av sektorer, gir det energiselskaper større forhandlingsmakt til å kreve åpenhet og ansvarlighet fra sine leverandører. Direktivet muliggjør også støtte fra statlige myndigheter til operatører av kritisk infrastruktur gjennom nasjonale cybersikkerhetsstrategier, CSIRT-er og regulatoriske tiltak. På denne måten viser oppgaven at forbedring av cybersikkerheten i energisektoren krever en felles innsats, hvor tekniske, organisatoriske og juridiske virkemidler må samhandle for å beskytte samfunnskritiske tjenester og redusere konsekvensene av cyberangrep.This thesis explores the cybersecurity posture of the energy sector and its supply chain in accordance with the NIS2 directive. Based on desk research and interviews with cybersecurity surveillance professionals, it identifies key vulnerabilities and evaluates how they can be addressed through internal technical controls and external collaboration with suppliers and the state. The work is grounded in three theoretical areas: Cybersecurity Risk Management, Supply Chain Management, and Quality Management. These theories support the identification of critical vulnerabilities, the limitations that come with complex supply chain dependencies, and how the NIS2 Directive can help strengthen sector-wide cybersecurity. Using a qualitative approach, the thesis combines expert interviews and document analysis from sources like ISO standards and the NIS2 directive. Findings show that vulnerabilities exist both internally and in upstream suppliers, particularly in Operational Technology (OT) like SCADA and PLCs. Because of this, technical controls alone are found to not be enough and enhancing supply chain visibility and standardizing cybersecurity expectations are presented as essential steps toward reducing systemic risk. The NIS2 Directive is found to serve as a legal and strategic enabler in this context. By mandating risk assessments, information sharing, and coordinated action across sectors, it gives purchasing leverage to energy providers to demand greater transparency and accountability from their suppliers. The directive also enables state authorities to support critical infrastructure operators through national cybersecurity strategies, CSIRTs, and regulatory enforcement. In this way, the thesis demonstrates that improving cybersecurity in the energy sector requires a joint effort, where technical, organizational, and legislative tools must work together to safeguard critical services and minimize societal consequences from cyberattacks

Supply Chain CyberSecurity & NIS2 Readiness: The role of purchasing decisions and actors

Denne bacheloroppgaven utforsker cybersikkerheten i energisektoren og dens forsyningskjede i samsvar med NIS2-direktivet. Basert på dokumentanalyse og intervjuer med cybersikkerhetseksperter innen nettverksovervåking, identifiserer den sentrale sårbarheter og vurderer hvordan disse kan håndteres gjennom interne tekniske kontroller og ekstern samhandling med leverandører og staten. Arbeidet er forankret i tre teoretiske områder: Cybersikkerhetsrisikostyring, forsyningskjedeutvikling og kvalitetsledelse. Disse teoriene støtter arbeidet med å identifisere kritiske sårbarheter, belyse begrensningene som følger av komplekse leverandørkjeder, og vise hvordan NIS2-direktivet kan bidra til å styrke cybersikkerheten i hele sektoren. Gjennom en kvalitativ tilnærming kombinerer oppgaven ekspertintervjuer med dokumentanalyse fra kilder som ISO-standarder og NIS2-direktivet. Funnene viser at sårbarheter finnes både internt og hos oppstrømsleverandører, spesielt i operasjonell teknologi (OT) som SCADA- og PLC-systemer. På bakgrunn av dette konkluderes det med at tekniske kontroller alene ikke er tilstrekkelige. For å redusere systemisk risiko må man styrke synligheten i forsyningskjeden og standardisere cybersikkerhetsforventninger. NIS2-direktivet fungerer i denne sammenhengen som et juridisk og strategisk virkemiddel. Ved å pålegge risikovurderinger, informasjonsdeling og koordinert innsats på tvers av sektorer, gir det energiselskaper større forhandlingsmakt til å kreve åpenhet og ansvarlighet fra sine leverandører. Direktivet muliggjør også støtte fra statlige myndigheter til operatører av kritisk infrastruktur gjennom nasjonale cybersikkerhetsstrategier, CSIRT-er og regulatoriske tiltak. På denne måten viser oppgaven at forbedring av cybersikkerheten i energisektoren krever en felles innsats, hvor tekniske, organisatoriske og juridiske virkemidler må samhandle for å beskytte samfunnskritiske tjenester og redusere konsekvensene av cyberangrep.This thesis explores the cybersecurity posture of the energy sector and its supply chain in accordance with the NIS2 directive. Based on desk research and interviews with cybersecurity surveillance professionals, it identifies key vulnerabilities and evaluates how they can be addressed through internal technical controls and external collaboration with suppliers and the state. The work is grounded in three theoretical areas: Cybersecurity Risk Management, Supply Chain Management, and Quality Management. These theories support the identification of critical vulnerabilities, the limitations that come with complex supply chain dependencies, and how the NIS2 Directive can help strengthen sector-wide cybersecurity. Using a qualitative approach, the thesis combines expert interviews and document analysis from sources like ISO standards and the NIS2 directive. Findings show that vulnerabilities exist both internally and in upstream suppliers, particularly in Operational Technology (OT) like SCADA and PLCs. Because of this, technical controls alone are found to not be enough and enhancing supply chain visibility and standardizing cybersecurity expectations are presented as essential steps toward reducing systemic risk. The NIS2 Directive is found to serve as a legal and strategic enabler in this context. By mandating risk assessments, information sharing, and coordinated action across sectors, it gives purchasing leverage to energy providers to demand greater transparency and accountability from their suppliers. The directive also enables state authorities to support critical infrastructure operators through national cybersecurity strategies, CSIRTs, and regulatory enforcement. In this way, the thesis demonstrates that improving cybersecurity in the energy sector requires a joint effort, where technical, organizational, and legislative tools must work together to safeguard critical services and minimize societal consequences from cyberattacks

Frivillig arbeid i introduksjonsprogrammet: Hvordan kan frivillig arbeid bidra til læring og motivasjon hos nyankomne flyktninger i introduksjonsprogrammet?

I en tid med mye urolighet i verden, er flyktningkrisen en av de mest pressende og utfordrende problemene vi står ovenfor. Regjeringen er i en prosess med å innskrenke tiden på introduksjonsprogrammet for ukrainske flyktninger. Introduksjonsprogrammet er et individuelt tilpasset program, som har som mål å styrke mulighetene for deltakelse i yrkes- og samfunnsliv for innvandrere (arbeids og inkluderingsdepartementet, 2023). Med et anslag fra IMDI (Integrerings og mangfoldsdirektoratet) om bosetting av 845 flyktninger i Trondheim kommune i 2024, medfører dette at vi får en gruppe med mennesker som må fortere ut i jobb, og dermed mindre tid til å lære norsk og norsk samfunnskunnskap (Integrerings og mangfoldsdirektoratet, 2024). Det har da blitt større fokus på at frivilligheten kan bistå i denne prosessen. Ved å gjennomføre kvalitative intervjuer ønsker jeg dermed i denne oppgaven å se om frivillig arbeid kan bidra til læring og motivasjon hos flyktninger i introduksjonsprogrammet.In a time of considerable unrest in the world, the refugee crisis is one of the most pressing and challenging issues we face. The government is in the process of shortening the duration of the introduction program for Ukrainian refugees. The introduction program is an individually tailored program aimed at enhancing the opportunities for immigrants to participate in professional and social life (Arbeids og inkluderingsdepartementet, 2023). With an estimate from IMDI (Integrerings og mangfoldsdirektoratet) of the settlement of 845 refugees in Trondheim municipality in 2024, this means that we will have a group of people who need to enter the workforce faster, leaving them less time to learn Norwegian and about Norwegian society (Integrerings og mangfoldsdirektoratet, 2024). As a result, there has been a greater focus on how volunteer work can assist in this process. By conducting qualitative interviews, I aim to explore whether volunteer work can contribute to learning and motivation among refugees in the introduction program