Webinar

Nature loss under the radar? Pathways to nature-positive spatial planning

Norway has one of the most decentralized governance systems for land-use planning in Europe, with 357 municipalities serving as the primary land-use authorities. Coordination mechanisms are weak, and effective instruments for ensuring necessary oversight and coherence are largely absent. A newly published mapping conducted by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation NRK, researcher Zander Venter (NINA), and the Arena for Journalism in Europe shows that Norway ranks at the top in per capita land conversion in Europe**.

  • clock 03. desember 2025, kl.09:00 – 11:15
  • location marker Webinar
  • venue Teams webinar
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Arrangør er CIENS with NIBR/OsloMet

Arrangementet er gratis.

Bakgrunn

What explains the high municipal conversion rate of natural areas in Norway, and how can more nature-positive land use be achieved?

The webinar presents new research on the drivers of land use conversion in Norway. We will also learn from England, having introduced a national, governance system for biodiversity net gain (BNG) under the Town and Country Planning Act in 2024.

BNG seeks to ensure that natural area conversion delivers an overall positive impact (“net gain”) on biodiversity and may therefore serve as a pathway to enhancing natural habitats.

In England, developers are required to deliver a minimum of 10% biodiversity net gain when undertaking development projects, thereby ensuring more – or better quality – natural areas after development than before.

Tentative program

09.00     Welcome by Marthe Indset, Senior researcher OsloMet, the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research NIBR

09.20     Nature loss under the radar: Political and structural drivers behind planned development in Norwegian municipalities.
Researcher Kristian Tvedt, OsloMet, the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR)?

09.40     Five minutes break

09.45    Towards biodiversity net gain in England: Insights from the newly adopted ecological compensation system
Dr. Sophus zu Ermgassen, Nature finance lead, University of Oxford Nature-positive Hub

10.15    Lessons for Norway? Norwegian Experiences with nature accounting and governance innovation in land-use planning.
Researcher Ulrika Lein ,The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research NINA

10.45     Questions and Comments

Ca. 11.10 End of webinar

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** France (Le Monde), Italy (Facta), Belgium (De Standaard), Spain (Datadista), Greece (Reporters United), Turkey (The Black Sea), Poland (Gazeta Wyborcza), Finland (Long Play), United Kingdom (The Guardian), Germany (Die Zeit) and Norway (NRK). https://www.nrk.no/dokumentar/xl/europa-fra-gront-til-gratt_-nordmenn-bygger-ned-mest-natur_-viser-europeisk-kartlegging-1.17577504