New Tool to Prevent Conflict Between Seabirds and Industry

Trine Hay Setsaas

2026-01-15T08:03:00.0000000 2026-01-19T11:58:02.1870000

Atlantic puffins have experienced a dramatic population decline due to reduced food availability. Photo credit: Signe Christensen-Dalsgaard/NINA

One hundred and fifty years ago, seabirds lived in a very different coastal environment from the one we know today. The ocean was vast, limitless and largely untouched. Species were abundant, colonies were large, and fish stocks were rich.

Today, humans occupy an ever-growing share of marine space, and the ocean is no longer the seabirds’ domain. Rising demand for energy and food production is driving more industries offshore.

Pushed to the Edge

Shipping lanes, oil and gas installations, offshore wind farms and aquaculture facilities disrupt migration routes and vital feeding grounds. At the same time, industrial fishing reduces food availability, while climate change brings warmer seas, more extreme weather and shifts in prey distribution.

“It’s not a single wind turbine, oil platform or trawler that is the problem. It’s the cumulative impact of everything humans do at sea that affects our seabirds,” says Tone Reiertsen, researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).

The consequences are severe. Eight out of ten seabirds in Norway have disappeared since the 1970s. Species such as the common guillemot, Atlantic puffin, razorbill, Arctic tern and black-legged kittiwake now face a high to extremely high risk of extinction in Norway if current trends continue.

The common guillemot is critically endangered and at risk of extinction. Photo credit: Svein Håkon Lorentsen/NINA

Mapping Pressures – Species by Species

In response, researchers and partners from industry have developed a tool that makes it possible to accommodate both seabirds and industrial activity in Norwegian marine areas.

“The tool is a digital map that shows where seabirds are distributed and where different types of industrial activities take place. This allows new activities to be planned in areas that are least important for seabirds,” says Frank Hanssen, senior engineer at NINA.

The mapping tool is based on extensive datasets collected over the past forty years. It provides detailed insight into which marine areas are most important for seabirds, and which human pressures — including climate change — have the greatest impact.

Revealing Climate ‘Hotspots’ at Sea

Through this work, researchers have identified overlaps between seabird distributions and ocean areas that are warming faster than others. When such climate “hotspots” coincide with key breeding and feeding areas, seabird survival and reproduction are affected far more severely.

“Findings like these clearly show the importance of using all available knowledge when planning future human activities in our marine areas,” says Kate Layton-Matthews, researcher at NINA.

First of Its Kind

Due to its scale and level of detail, the tool is considered the first of its kind.

“This has never been done before with so many species and so many colonies. We can actually show how each individual population is affected by human activity both during and outside of the breeding season,” says Reiertsen.

The new innovation is at the forefront internationally among tools that support sustainable coexistence between people and seabirds at sea.

“Coexistence and sustainability are fundamental to all our offshore activities. That’s why this kind of knowledge and research is essential for finding the solutions we need,” says Hanne Wigum, Head of Offshore Wind Concepts at Equinor.

Read more about the tool here

Learn more about hotspots at sea here

Contact: Tone Reiertsen

Changing Winters Will Hit Arctic Lakes the Hardest

Trine Hay Setsaas

2025-09-05T10:32:00.0000000 2025-09-11T11:07:11.3330000

Early spring at Sandelvvatnet, in Målselv, Norway. Photo credit: Vegar Seljestokken/NINA

Led by scientists from USA, Canada and Norway, a newly published study uses models of sunlight, ice, and snow to reveal how warming winters are disrupting lake productivity.

Lake scientists have long overlooked the ice-covered season, leaving major data gaps on how winter conditions shape lake ecosystems, and on possible impacts of change.

“The ecology of ice-covered lakes is a bit of a black box for lake scientists. For a long time, we assumed that nothing interesting happened under the ice,” explains lead author Ted Ozersky, University of Minnesota Duluth.

But as climate change shortens winters, knowledge about how lakes function under the ice have become urgent. Ice thickness, snow depth, and timing of freeze and thaw all determine how much light reaches the water, and with it the potential for photosynthesis and food web activity.

Shifts in Productivity and Food Webs

The study shows that high-latitude lakes, from northern Norway to the Canadian Arctic, are far more sensitive to winter changes than lakes farther south. At 75°N, for example, more than half of the year’s solar radiation arrives while lakes are still ice-covered. Even small shifts in ice duration or transparency can therefore trigger large ecological impacts.

“In northern Norway and in other Arctic regions, many lakes are still frozen well into the midnight sun period. In these Arctic lakes, under-ice primary production can contribute substantially to food webs and could be threatened by predicted increases in snow cover. On the other hand, less ice during continuous daylight could create favorable conditions for more open-water productivity,” says co-author Amanda Poste, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)

As warming continues, this mismatch could narrow. More overlap between light and warmth may boost biological productivity but also reshape predator–prey relationships and the timing of food web events.

A Global Effort to Understand Frozen Lakes

“Many researchers who are starting to study frozen lakes focus on just one region. By collaborating with scientists across the northern hemisphere, from Minnesota to Québec to the high Arctic, we were able to identify this large-scale pattern,” concludes Ozersky.

The findings offer a new framework for predicting how climate change will affect lakes worldwide. The authors are now working with dozens of international partners to expand winter lake monitoring in order to understand and address future trends.

Amanda Poste and Eva Leu will follow up these questions as Norwegian partners in a recently funded Nordforsk-project, led by Milla Rautio titled: Arctic freshwater food systems: Influence of warming winters and increased snow cover (FROST, running from 2025-2029).

Read the article here

Contact: Amanda Poste

Norway and USA Sign Research Agreement on Hydropower and Environment

Juliet Landrø

2025-08-21T13:06:00.0000000 2025-08-22T14:45:01.4230000

Both Norway and the United States have a strong need for reliable renewable energy. Modernizing hydropower systems while safeguarding river ecosystems is crucial to prevent further loss of nature. The agreement, signed between Norway’s research center RenewHydro and the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE), aims to address these challenges.

“It is essential that renewable energy development goes hand in hand with nature, both in Norway and internationally. This agreement also ensures we maintain strong collaboration with our U.S. colleagues”, says Tonje Aronsen, Research Director at NINA.

Hydropower faces many of the same challenges worldwide, making international cooperation highly valuable.

“We are very pleased to renew our collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy. Researchers in Norway and the U.S. benefit greatly from working together, and this agreement will strengthen our joint efforts,” says Liv Randi Hultgreen, Director of RenewHydro.

RenewHydro, a Centre for Environment-friendly Energy Research, will over the next eight years develop solutions to make hydropower capable of securing renewable energy exactly when it is needed—without compromising the environment.

In a press release from the U.S. Department of Energy, they write that hydropower is a enormous resource with a great potential to strengthen America’s energy grid.

“Our collaboration with Norway—a country equally rich in hydropower resources—will help us expand capacity, modernize existing plants, and build the expertise we need to fully realize these opportunities,” says Lou Hrkman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. DoE.

The agreement was signed in Washington on July 6 by Norway’s Ambassador to the U.S., Anniken Huitfeldt, and U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

This renewed partnership builds on an earlier agreement signed in 2020 between the two countries’ energy departments. That cooperation has already delivered results in areas such as showcasing the value of hydropower in the International Energy Agency (IEA), developing digital twin technology, advancing the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) in rivers, researching fish migration, and improving understanding of how energy planning is affected by different environmental mechanisms.

Contact:

Liv Randi Hultgreen, Director of RenewHydro 

Tonje Aronsen, Research Director, Water and biodiversity at NINA

Novel tool for addressing climate risks in Norwegian municipalities

Trine Hay Setsaas

2025-05-27T18:20:00.0000000 2025-05-27T18:31:02.3100000

Atna River near Rondane. Photo credit: Shutterstock

As the adverse effects of climate change are expected to increase, there is also a growing demand for climate services that provide information on future climate scenarios, crucial for advancing preparedness efforts by local governments. Jan Ketil Rød from The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) has led the development of a new climate service designed to monitor climate risk in Norwegian municipalities, on behalf of The Norwegian Research Centre on Sustainable Climate Change Adaptation (Noradapt).

“This is an important step towards providing decision-makers with holistic climate services encompassing all four determinants of climate risk”, says Rød.

Introducing response as a climate risk determinant

So far, many local climate services have focused solely on future climate conditions, thus addressing only the hazard component of climate risk. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), however, has recently expanded the IPCC risk framework from three determinants (hazard-vulnerability-exposure) to a framework including response as a fourth. Response signifies that if responses aimed at reducing climate risks are not adequate, risks will increase or at best decrease less than anticipated.  

The climate service developed in this study provides information on all four risk determinants from the IPCC risk framework, including response. Available data with sufficient coverage and geographic resolution was utilized to enable the establishment of an indicator set representing essential characteristics of the four determinants.

“We argue that it is crucial for local governments and others to receive information not only about how the climate may change in the future, but also on how societal vulnerability and exposure may evolve, and how this will affect municipalities if their current responses to climate change remain unchanged”, says Rød.

Integrated in municipal preparedness processes

Noradapt provides yearly updates of the climate service, and it has been made available to local governments  through an interactive StoryMap application, including interactive graphics and illustrative examples.   

Regional authorities in the Norwegian counties of Nordland and Troms have already commissioned specific regional analyses based on this national climate service, developing handbooks to guide county administrations in conducting detailed climate risk analyses, addressing both public and private businesses.

“We now aim to utilize the IPCC framework to also encompass nature risk, developing methods for combined climate and nature risk assessments”, Rød concludes.

Read the full article here: Towards a holistic climate service: Addressing all four climate risk determinants

Contact: Jan Ketil Rød

The Arctic Coastal Ocean is strongly affected by climate change - but overlooked in climate models

Juliet Landrø

2024-10-15T12:00:00.0000000 2024-10-22T11:19:23.0330000

Researchers have studied the effect of melting glaciers on light access for kelp in Young Sound in Greenland. Photo credit: Karl Attard.

It is well documented that the Arctic is warming 3-4 times faster than in other parts of the globe and that sea ice, glaciers and permafrost are melting at an alarming rate. However, what is happening in areas where all these changes take place at the same time?

- We are seeing major changes in the coastal areas in the Arctic, says R&D Manager Paul Renaud from Akvaplan-niva.

- Pollution, alien species and changes in the coastal resources on which local communities depend, represent a shift in the livelihoods of human societies in these areas, he says.

A team of researchers from Akvaplan-niva, Aarhus University and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research NINA, has now published their results in Limnology and Oceanography Letters.

Here, the team concludes that focus should be on coastal areas to understand how rapidly the living conditions of plants, animals and people in the Arctic are affected by climate change. In fact, the accelerating effects of climate change can no longer be reversed, which leaves adaptation as the only alternative for communities living there.

- We see how the climate change effects on land are 'exported' to the coast where they have a combined effect with climate change effects from the ocean, says Professor of Ecoscience at Aarhus University, Mikael Sejr.

The coast must cope with the new reality

Even though most people live along the coast in the Arctic, a large part of the scientific research on climate change effects in the Arctic is focused on the open ocean where changes in the sea ice can be documented using satellite images.

- It is along the coast that people live, and these changes have direct societal effects. A greater effort should be put into understanding how the coastal communities are indeed affected by climate change, says Amanda Poste, Research Director at NINA.

The existing climate change models and satellite products have not yet been developed for coastal area conditions, but work is underway.

- We hope that the climate changes in the Arctic Coast Ocean will receive an increased focus and that we soon have tailor-made models for these areas, says Mikael Sejr.

Read the full article: Mikael K. Sejr, Amanda E. Poste, Paul E. Renaud. 2024. Multiple climatic drivers increase pace and consequences of ecosystemchange in the Arctic Coastal Ocean. Limnology and Oceanography Letters

Contact:

Amanda Poste, Research Director, NINA

Paul E. Renaud, Akvaplan-niva

Mikael K. Sejr, Professor, Aarhus University

Mild winters - bad news for Norway's insects

Jørn J. Fremstad

2024-05-02T09:00:00.0000000 2024-05-02T12:00:57.8630000

That insects thrive in warm summers are understandable. More surprising is it that cold winters with high precipitation have a positive effect. As part of the National Monitoring Program for insects in Norway, NINA researchers have looked at the effects of winter and spring weather on insect biomass.

- In the four years we have been collecting insects, biomass has decreased. Hopefully the trend is short-term and that it will reverse with more favourable weather conditions. At the same time, we fear climate change may have negative effects on insects in the future, says NINA researcher and project manager Jens Åström.

The researchers have looked at how precipitation and temperature affect the biomass of insects collected in traps in forests and meadows across large parts of the country. Biomass is calculated as the weight of insects a standardized trap collects per day. Warm and not too dry weather in summer has a positive effect, while a dry and mild winter creates challenges.

Snow as insulation

- It is challenging for insects to survive the winter in Norway, but a thick snow cover insulates well. Based on this, we assume that higher temperatures, which naturally will result in less snow, will affect insects, explains Åström.

In the same way, an early spring will cause insects to become active "too early". Precipitation in the form of rain or setbacks to more wintry conditions can then affect survival.

So far, the National Monitoring Program for insects in Norway has estimated an approximate 14 % decrease in insect biomass annually in the period 2020-23.

For the program, it is reassuring that we are able to detect time trends, but we naturally hope that the decline is short-term, says Åström.

Insects working for nature and people

Insects play a crucial role in most ecosystems. They break down plant material so that nutrients can be used again, they pollinate plants, help regulate pest populations, and they are food for other animals. Several studies show, however, that insect populations have been greatly reduced in recent years, particularly in Europe.

The consequences are difficult to predict in detail, but entire ecosystems could potentially be affected. It is therefore important to understand what influences the occurrence of insects, for example land use or changes in climate. To be able to do that in Norway, continous long-term and country-wide monitoring is crucial, says Åström.

Monitoring becomes country-wide

In 2023, the area covered by the Monitoring Program was extended to also include Northern Norway, which involves a large expansion of weather conditions and latitudes covered by the Program. In 2024, Western Norway will also be included, making the monitoring of meadows nationwide. Forests are currently only monitored in Eastern Norway. The Monitoring Program is run by NINA and financed by the Norwegian Environment Agency.

Contact Jens Åström 

Read the report Monitoring of insects in Norway. Report from the 2023 field season 

Understanding climate warming impacts on carbon release from the tundra

Camilla Næss

2024-04-17T17:07:00.0000000 2024-04-17T17:16:30.5030000

A team of over 70 scientists used open-top chambers (OTCs) to experimentally simulate the effects of warming on 28 tundra sites around the world. OTCs basically serve as mini-greenhouses, blocking wind and trapping heat to create local warming.

The warming experiments led to a 1.4°C increase in air temperature and a 0.4°C increase in soil temperature, along with a 1.6% drop in soil moisture. These changes boosted ecosystem respiration by 30% during the growing season, causing more carbon to be released because of increased metabolic activity in soil and plants. The changes persisted for at least 25 years after the start of the experimental warming – which earlier studies hadn’t revealed.

"We knew from earlier studies that we were likely to find an increase in respiration with warming, but we found a remarkable increase – nearly four times greater than previously estimated, though it varied with time and location," says Sybryn Maes of Umeå University, the study’s lead author.

Some regions will see more carbon release than others

The increase in ecosystem respiration also varied with local soil conditions, such as nitrogen and pH levels. This means that differences in soil conditions and other factors lead to geographic differences in the response – some regions will see more carbon release than others. Understanding the links between soil conditions and respiration in response to warming is important for creating better climate models. 

"Our work represents the first assessment of ecosystem respiration response to experimental warming across such a broad environmental gradient in the tundra, incorporating a comprehensive set of environmental drivers," says Associate Professor Ellen Dorrepaal of Umeå University. 

The study also offers a broader perspective on Arctic and alpine regions by predicting increases in respiration across the whole tundra area together with more detailed information about variation in the sensitivity of the response.

NINA opens Centre for Biodiversity Genetics

Jan Arne Stokmo

2022-10-25T13:07:00.0000000 2022-10-25T14:53:35.6400000

The official opening of NINAGEN was carried out by State Secretary Aleksander Øren Heen from the Ministry of Climate and Environment. Present at the opening were many of the users of NINA's genetic laboratory services.

Strengthens nature monitoring

All living things have their own unique DNA profile and access to these ‘biological nametags’ opens up a new world of possibilities for efficiently gathering knowledge about individuals, species and ecosystems. Genetic analyses have become an increasingly important part of contemporary nature management and NINA has a long track record of suppling genetic data and its conclusion to government and industry.

– DNA analyses have become a key tool in natural resource management and assignments from the government and other institutions are only increasing. Today we are opening a new, modern laboratory and establishing a new centre of competence to meet this growing demand, says Norunn S. Myklebust, managing director of NINA.

DNA has many uses

NINAGEN delivers genetic services to many areas of nature management. For example, DNA analyses are used when monitoring populations of Scandinavian carnivores, including brown bears, wolverines, wolves and golden eagles.

NINAGEN also uses DNA to monitor the condition of wild salmonid fishes in Norway and for example to quantify the degree of hybridization between wild and farmed salmon in Norwegian rivers.

With Environmental DNA, NINAGEN can simultaneously identify the presence of hundreds of species from only a small sample of water or soil. This methodology can also be used to assess the diets of individual animals via genetic analysis of fecal samples.

– New applications for the use of DNA in monitoring and research are continually emerging, and among others, have been implemented by NINAGEN staff in the management of deer, salamander, insect and plant populations. NINA stands at the cutting edge of this work, says Myklebust.

NINAGEN – a national centre of competence

The Centre for Biodiversity Genetics in Trondheim consists of several geneticists and researchers from various disciplines. Together with a team of experienced laboratory technicians, the centre forms a unique research platform, which can deliver a broad portfolio of genetic analyses. This capability is strengthened by a close collaboration with NINA's many ecologists and taxonomic specialists.

The centre provides services across terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, and in organism groups ranging from insects and plants to birds and mammals.

Genetic diversity is very important

– Genetic variation is a key part of biological diversity and is critical for the survival and adaptation of all species. This is more relevant than ever given the rapid pace of environmental change that is unfolding around the world. In this respect, NINAGEN will work efficiently to meet the increasing demand for genetic services, says Frode Fossøy, senior researcher at NINA.

For a research field that is constantly advancing due to technological development, NINAGEN will ensure that contemporary knowledge and methodology are efficiently implemented in Norwegian natural resource management.

Read more about NINAGEN on our new website (link)

Contact persons in NINA: 

Norunn S. Myklebust, managing director of NINA
Jonas Kindberg, head of Rovdata 
Frode Fossøy, senior researcher at NINA

Footprint and Impacts of Renewable Energy: Pressure on Lands Under Growth

Juliet Landrø

2021-12-12T07:30:00.0000000 2021-12-15T13:20:59.5470000

In the new project FIREPLUG (Footprint and Impacts of Renewable Energy: Pressure on Lands Under Growth) led by NINA researchers from three research institutions will cooperate with five environmental organizations in Norway and the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE).

– Our ultimate goal is to provide valuable new solutions to guide the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy while minimizing impacts on natural resources in Norway, says project leader Brett Sandercock, Senior Research Scientist at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)

Society faces two key scientific challenges:

The climate crisis requires managing the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy to mitigate the effects of climate change. The nature crisis requires minimizing the effects of land-use change from renewable energy on biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Thus, researchers and stakeholders will work together to address the technical challenges from several different perspectives.

– Our interdisciplinary team will develop alternative scenarios based on new technologies, impacts on carbon dynamics and ecological systems, and social and economic considerations, says Sandercock.

Renewables vs natural resources?

In recent years, public opposition to wind power development has increased in Norway. Many have protested that development of wilderness areas conflicts with cultural values and nature conservation.

Hydropower remains the dominant source of energy in Norway and recent debate has focused on the options of upgrading vs developing new hydropower. But so far, the knowledge on trade-offs between water- and wind power, and different locations of wind power has been inadequate.

– Evaluating options for renewable energy requires a better understanding of impacts on actual area requirements, carbon budgets, and biodiversity.  We will tackle these questions with new spatial models and software tools for a more complete accounting, says Sandercock.

The researchers will evaluate alternative scenarios where they will explore trade-offs between upgrading hydropower turbines vs new development, integrating hydro and wind power together for greater flexibility in storage and power production, options for solar power and other renewable energy sources, and building electricity grids in networks vs. corridors. 

What is the economical pay-off?

The transition to renewable energy involves considerable social and economic change.  Change is always disruptive. Whether it is an issue of changing your mind, changing policy, or spending money.  But change can turn out better than expected. It could be because we often do not consider the cost of “before,” or do not know what the potential economic gains will be.

– The final stage of our project will be to consider tax policy and possible economic incentives that might favor the best scenarios and develop new policy recommendations for decision-makers in Norway, says Sandercock.

Advice for policymakers

The goal is to provide options and valuable new solutions for renewable energy and land under pressure in Norway.

– The knowledge we are now developing will be used to make recommendations for policymakers in Norway, so that they will better be able to make informed decisions when it comes to land use and renewable development, says Sandercock.

– We hope to have a more complete accounting of the tradeoffs in terms of land use, carbon budgets and impacts on biodiversity than have been realized before. 

The project will also build infrastructure for research on renewable energy as a multi-faceted collaboration among ecologists, engineers, social scientists, and economists with complementary skills.

The collaborators will use new tools to explore a wider range of options for renewable energy development and to consider scenarios that are relevant to environmental groups in Norway.

– The dream outcome of this project is to identify novel and unexpected solutions for renewable energy development that have not been considered before and that can be supported by consensus among different stakeholders.

Contact:

Brett Sandercock, NINA

The FIREPLUG project has been financed as a 4-year project under the Land Under Pressure program of the Research Council of Norway (RCN).  The project is led by the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), with research partners at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the Centre for International Climate Research (CICERO).  Participating stakeholders include the environmental groups Naturvernforbundet, Norsk Friluftsliv, SABIMA, WWF-Norway, and ZERO, as well as the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) as the regulatory authority for concessions.

Increasing threats to animal migration

Anne Olga Syverhuset

2021-10-13T11:13:00.0000000 2021-10-13T13:36:06.5870000

Every year, millions of wild animals undertake long-distance migration to breed in the north. Migration is both dangerous and resource demanding, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. High food availability and long days for foraging in the summer, lower pathogen and parasite pressure and fewer predators represent major benefits, making the risk worthwhile. However, the advantages of migrating to northern latitudes are decreasing.

“Animals in the northern regions are experiencing changes in food supply related to climate change, and diseases and parasites are spreading north, as well as predators”, says Brett Sandercock, senior scientist in the Norwegian institute for nature research (NINA).

In collaboration with colleagues from The Czech Republic, Hungary and Great Britain, the international team have summarized research on a broad spectrum of migrating animals. The research has been published as a new article “Animal migration to northern latitudes: environmental changes and increasing threats” in “Trends in Ecology & Evolution”.

Hungry bears and tiny microbes threaten the common eider

The common eider is one of the species facing difficulties on their migrations for their northern breeding grounds, such as Svalbard.  Polar bears have a harder time hunting seals due to the decreasing sea ice, and instead turn to the nests of common eider and other colonial species for food.

In Arctic regions of Canada, the common eider is facing yet another large – and tiny – challenge. Climate changes have opened up new areas in the north for pathogens and parasites, and recent outbreaks of avian cholera have killed large numbers of birds in some colonies.

Disturbances in the “undisturbed” north 

Changes along the migratory routes, especially land use changes and anthropogenic disturbances, have received most attention as explanations for the decline in numbers of many populations of migratory animals.

“Changes in the northern regions have received less attention, as these regions are often seen as large, undisturbed regions. There are, however, many changes occurring in these more remote areas", Sandercock says.

Both acute and long-term stressors affect migrating animals

“The spatial and temporal extent of the changes are important factors in order to be able to forecast the effect of the changes”, says Sandercock.
Disturbances, such as storms, or a temporary mismatch in the timing of food resources, can be relatively brief, acute stressors that do not necessarily affect the animals over the long term. If repeated, however, such acute events can turn into long-term stressors. In Alaska, for example, the insects that the sandpipers rely on for food emerge six days too early, on average, resulting in food shortages when young birds need the food the most. Another example is the wild reindeer at Svalbard. Rain on snow events during the winter result in a layer of ice covering the vegetation, making it inaccessible for the reindeer.

Long-term, chronic stressors, such as temperature increase or an increase in woody plants, are slow, gradual changes over several decades. When such changes reach an ecological threshold, the whole ecosystem might shift to such an extent that it is no longer suitable for some of the species using the areas.

Need for international solutions

It will be challenging to directly mitigate the large-scale impacts of climate change for migratory species that are dependent on multiple environments distributed across several regions of the globe. Conservation efforts both on small and large scales are necessary, from local nest protection to development of networks of protected areas.

“It is important to consider the cumulative effects of all the different factors in different areas, and international solutions  are necessary to mitigate the negative effects”, says Sandercock.

Contact: 
Brett Sandercock (NINA)
Lead author Vojtech Kubelka

Major wind research centre kicks off its activities

Juliet Landrø

2021-06-16T11:01:00.0000000 2021-06-16T14:52:36.8530000

The centre's research is divided into five work packages, whose leaders gave short presentations outlining their objectives for the next few years. The centre aims at making wind energy cheaper, more efficient and more sustainable. One of its main areas of focus is offshore wind research. 

John Olav Tande from SINTEF leads NorthWind.

— The road to success in offshore wind depends on three factors: development, research and innovation. All three have to be present, says Tande. 

—NorthWind will guarantee progress on the research and innovation fronts. The development part of the equation received a welcome boost last week, when the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy announced plans to enable the large-scale development of offshore wind, he says  

NorthWind brings together over 50 partners from research institutions and industry all around the world. It is led by the research institute SINTEF, with partners NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology), NINA (The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research), NGI (Norwegian Geotechnical Institute) and UiO (University of Oslo). 

Nature friendly renewable energy 

The UN's sustainability goals, which are the world's action plan for a better world, have several goals that hit the mark with NorthWind. The goals of clean energy and climate action are obvious. At the same time development of wind energy must not must not be at the expense of sustainability goals for life at sea and on land. 

NINA-director Norunn Myklebust.

— At NINA, we have extensive knowledge of how the natural environment can be affected by wind power, and our goal is to develop possible solutions that reduce negative impacts. The key words are location, design and operation, says NINA director Norunn Myklebust. 

She believes the research center NorthWind has a big and important job to do. 

— In this center we have gathered the foremost expertise in nature, technology and society, and I believe NorthWind will contribute to strengthening Norway as a renewable nation, with good solutions that consider all the sustainability goals in a good way, says Myklebust. 

NorthWind is co-financed by its partners and by the Norwegian government through the Norwegian Research Council's Centres for Environment-friendly Energy Research program.  

You can learn more about the research centre on its new website: www.northwindresearch.no  

Norwegian-Russian cooperation aims to stop the spread of alien species to the Arctic

Jan Arne Stokmo

2021-04-20T13:10:00.0000000 2021-06-30T14:51:09.3600000

The main message for travelers to Arctic regions is that they should brush, hoover and wash clothes, shoes, luggage and equipment before they start their journey. Fishing equipment should be disinfected. Such simple measures will protect the vulnerable plant and wildlife in arctic regions.

The campaign is launched this year in northwest Russia after being tested on travelers to Svalbard in a pilot project in 2018-2019. It is also now expanding to Iceland and Greenland.

Serious threat to species

"Alien species are a threat to biodiversity globally, but also in the Arctic. Our goal is to inform travelers that they can easily help reduce this problem. Seeds can get stuck on mountain shoes, parasites can follow fishing gear and so on. With simple measures, the dispersion of such stowaways can be avoided, explains Jørn Thomassen, head of the project in the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).

NINA is leading the campaign in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Finland and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency in Sweden. For the launch in Russia, The National Park Russian Arctic (NPRA) is the central partner.

Will raise awareness of travelers

Alien species are species that have come to an area where they naturally do not belong, due to human activity. They are one of the biggest threats to biodiversity globally. Many people are unaware that they can unconsciously carry alien species to the vulnerable natural areas. This is what the campaign is going to do something with.

"Alien species can establish themselves and displace local species, and also threaten entire ecosystems. Climate change increases the chance of unwanted species gaining a foothold in the Arctic, Thomassen warns.

Collaboration with the tourism industry

In order for the campaign to succeed, we depend on good cooperation with tour operators, airlines, governments and more. The pilot project in Svalbard showed that the industries themselves took responsibility and were a crucial piece in reaching out to the travelers.

In Russia, the authorities and Russian tour operators carrying guests and workers to Arctic parts of Russia are also involved.

Uses animation film

An important part of the campaign consists of a two-minute animation film in which a speaking polar bear examines various travelers for alien species.

The film and accompanying website is translated into Russian and is meant to convince Russian-speaking travelers to take steps to stop the spread of alien species. The film is also subtitled in 13 languages for use in other parts of the Arctic.

Joint efforts

The campaign in northwest Russia is funded by the Ministry of Climate and Environment in Norway through the environmental cooperation programme with Russia.

For more information on the problem of alien species in the Arctic and measures to stop the spread of them on www.stoparcticaliens.com.

On behalf of the Norwegian Environment Agency, NINA has produced a report showing the status of mapping and monitoring of foreign species in the Arctic and recommended measures for further mapping and monitoring. The report from NINA (in Norwegian) can be read here.

Contacts:

NINA: Jørn Thomassen

NINA: Inga Elise Bruteig

NINA: Kristine Bakke Westergaard

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Finland): Johanna Niemivuo-Lahti 

Swedish Environmental Protection Agency: Melanie Josefsson 

National Park Russian Arctic: Ivan Mizin

More about invasive species: Aliens in the Arctic (podcast)

Facts:

• Alien species are a global threat to biodiversity.
• Plant and wildlife in the Arctic is particularly vulnerable to intruders from outside.
• Travelers to arctic regions can carry seeds, insects and parasites on clothes, equipment and luggage to the Arctic without knowing it.
• The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Finland have therefore made a film to raise awareness of the problem.
• The information campaign and film will now also be spread in northwest Russia.
• The main message is that you can help protect the vulnerable nature of the Arctic by taking some simple measures.
• The main measures are brushing, hovering and washing clothes, shoes, luggage and equipment before departure. Fishing equipment should be disinfected.
• The film is produced by the Trondheim-based company Klipp og lim, and is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Norwegian Environment Agency and the Governor of Svalbard.