Norway - Overview

Status and trends of biodiversity, including benefits from biodiversity and ecosystem services

Norway’s nature is very diverse. The differences between various parts of the country in terms of landscapes, habitats, plants and animals are striking. The large variation over short distances is rare, not only in the Nordic context, but in a global context as well. Mainland habitats range from southern beech forests to the Arctic areas in the north, and from humid coastal areas to dry inland valleys... More »

Main pressures on and drivers of change to biodiversity (direct and indirect)

Biodiversity in Norway is (as has also been established at the global level) mainly threatened by five direct drivers of change: land use change, over-harvesting, climate change, invasive alien species and pollution. Changing land use is the most significant factor impacting Norwegian biodiversity and has or will have a negative impact on 87% of the threatened and near-threatened species... More »

Implementation of the NBSAP

Norway’s first “Biodiversity Action Plan” was adopted by Parliament in 2001 (Parliamentary Report 42, 2000-2001) and has been central to the development of Norwegian environmental policy. This white paper laid the foundation for new biodiversity legislation and a focus on knowledge, including the establishment of the Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre... More »

Actions taken to achieve the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets

Milestones have been reached towards the achievement of the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets. In terms of habitat and species conservation, almost 17% of the Norwegian mainland and 65% of the Svalbard (Arctic) region is at present protected by means of national parks, nature reserves or other conservation areas. Approximately 2.7% of the productive forest in Norway is currently protected under nature reserves or national parks prohibiting forestry... More »

Support mechanisms for national implementation (legislation, funding, capacity-building, coordination, mainstreaming, etc.)

A major legislative tool for NBSAP implementation is the Nature Management Act, adopted by Parliament in 2009. The Act supplements existing legislation with general rules for invertebrates and plants, common management objectives and sustainable use principles, common rules for harvesting biological resources, common rules for invasive species, and a new set of regulations on access and benefit-sharing in relation to genetic resources... More »

Mechanisms for monitoring and reviewing implementation

The Norwegian Government has strengthened research, mapping and monitoring of biodiversity in the past years. A Nature Index for Norway developed in 2008 reveals the overall status of Norwegian nature. The National Red List for species and the Nature Index was updated in 2010. A Red List for Ecosystems and Habitat Types was developed in 2011... More »