Meld. St. 35 (2023–2024)

In this white paper, the Government presents Norway’s new National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). Through the action plan, Norway is following up on the global targets for biodiversity set out in the global Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework (the KMGBF) agreed upon in Montreal in December 2022. The White Paper also outlines the strategic direction for Norway’s nature management and biodiversity policy in the years ahead, enabling us to address both challenges and needs. The targets, measures and policy instruments described in the report are designed to ensure that Norway manages its biodiversity in a sustainable manner. This biodiversity provides the foundation for life, nutrition, health and well-being for people, wildlife, plants, organisms and ecosystems in both the short and long term. The KMGBF is a response to the global biodiversity crisis, driven by human activities that have degraded ecosystems worldwide. Land and sea use change, over-harvesting, climate change, pollution and invasive alien species are the main drivers of biodiversity loss. Many of the negative impacts are irreversible or extremely difficult to reverse. In Norway, land use change remains the most significant driver of biodiversity loss, even though Norway generally has better ecological integrity than many other countries.