Department for Cultural Environment and Polar Affairs

Ministry of Climate and Environment

The department’s main responsibility is strategy and policy development for protection and sustainable use of cultural monuments, sites and environments, and for the climate and environment in the Polar regions and the High North. Central areas of work are archaeology, built heritage, historic vessels, cultural monuments, sites and environments, cultural landscapes and historic urban environments, cultural environmental preservation, management of the environment on Svalbard and environmental cooperation in the Polar regions and the High North. It is also responsible for international work areas such as World Heritage Sites (UNESCO), the EU/EEA, and the Arctic and Antarctic. The department is assigned management responsibility for the subordinate agencies: the Directorate for Cultural Heritage, the Norwegian Cultural Heritage Fund, the Norwegian Polar Institute and Svalbard Environmental Protection Fund, and attends to the Ministry's contact with the regional cultural environment authorities.

The department consists of the following sections

  • Department Secretariat

    The Department Secretariat is responsible for the department's work on the national budget, financial management, grant management, reporting, closing of accounts in connection with the central government accounts and activity planning. It also contributes to the agency management of the Directorate for Cultural Heritage, the Norwegian Cultural Heritage Fund, the Norwegian Polar Institute and Svalbard Environmental Protection Fund. In addition, the Department Secretariat coordinates administrative matters on behalf of the entire department.

  • Section for Heritage, Land Use and Legal Affairs

    The section works on the application of laws and regulations in the field of cultural environment in various cases of land use. The section is responsible for the work on the new Cultural Environment Act, regulations related to the Cultural Heritage Fund, other laws and regulations that affect the cultural environment, and for safeguarding the cultural environment in all types of land use issues and in various planning processes, as well as for guidelines and guidance in this area. The section works on archaeology, buildings and structures, vessel protection, Sami and minorities and Polar issues.

    Deputy Director General Jan Mathys Truyen

  • Section for Cultural Environment and Development

    The section works on the links between the cultural environment and social development. It is responsible for the work on knowledge development, cultural environment statistics and environmental data, urban environment and site development, voluntary organisations and the cooperation areas cultural heritage/natural heritage/landscape and outdoor recreation, as well as a broad international portfolio (UNESCO World Heritage, EU, EEA, Council of Europe and Nordic cultural environment cooperation).

    Deputy Director General Berit Halvorsen

  • Section for Polar Affairs and the High North

    The section is responsible for national policy development and international work related to the environment in the Polar regions and the High North. It has special responsibility for the management of the natural environment on Svalbard, and managing the Norwegian Polar Institute, Svalbard Environmental Protection Fund and the environmental protection work of the Governor of Svalbard. The section manages the state’s ownership of Kings Bay AS and Bjørnøen AS. Developing research-based knowledge about the environment in the Polar regions is an important instrument in this work.

    Deputy Director General Aud Ingvild Slettemoen