Energy development supplies itself with intervention-free nature – shrunk by 116,500 football pitches

– We have supplied ourselves bit by bit with intervention-free nature. Over time, we see that this constitutes large areas, and when unencumbered nature first disappears, it is usually too good, says the Norwegian Environment Agency’s director Ellen Hambro in a press release.

An analysis carried out by Norkart AS on behalf of the Norwegian Environment Agency shows that undisturbed nature was reduced by 830 square kilometers between 2018 and 2022.

That corresponds to well over a hundred thousand football pitches.

– Out of control

– This confirms that the degradation of Norwegian nature is out of control. Behind these figures hides an enormous number of nature encroachments in encroachment-free areas, which affect both wildlife, ecosystems and places people are happy in, says MDG’s parliamentary representative Une Bastholm.

Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen (Ap) acknowledges that there is a problem.

– Norway has lost approximately 1.4 million soccer pitches with a non-intervention nature since I was born. This is a major loss of nature, which is negative for both nature and society. We cannot continue like this, says the minister.

Energy development is the scapegoat

Road building in forestry used to be the thing that came most at the expense of the undisturbed nature, now it is energy development that is the biggest reason.

Between 55 and 60 per cent of the reduction in intervention-free nature in the last five years is due to energy development.

– The fact that energy development is the main cause of the loss of undisturbed nature is not surprising and illustrates an important dilemma in climate and nature policy. If Norway is to succeed in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, renewable power is probably absolutely essential, says Hambro.

The director of the Norwegian Environment Agency points out that Norway needs 40 terawatt hours more renewable power if the goal of cutting emissions by 60 percent by 2035 is to be achieved.

– As much power and networks as possible should be built on, or close to, areas that have already been developed. There is still reason to expect that nature without intervention will still be able to shrink due to new energy production and distribution which is necessary to cut greenhouse gas emissions, she says.

Can repair some of the damage

It is Vestland, Trøndelag, Nordland, Troms and Finnmark that have experienced the largest reductions of a non-intervention nature in the last five years. In several of these counties there have been major energy developments.

– In some cases, we can repair the damage. By restoring nature, removing old power lines, buildings or roads, we can increase the amount of undisturbed nature for the best for natural diversity and hiking experiences. This has happened, for example, through the restoration of the shooting range at Hjerkinn on Dovrefjell. It is nevertheless both cheaper and better if we basically do what we can to avoid loss of nature, says Climate and Environment Minister Bjelland Eriksen.