Animal collisions are a significant and growing problem

Elg på jernbane. Foto: Jimmi Nilsson (SJ)

Collisions with animals are a significant and growing problem globally, with hundreds of millions of animals being hit annually. In Norway, this problem is also very widespread, with up to 20,000 animals registered as being hit on Norwegian roads and railway lines every single year. It is important to point out that only a few…

Read More

Easier community planning for small municipalities – new paths to better development

Illustrasjonsbilde

The project, which was based on co-creation together with the participating municipalities, concludes that increased planning awareness and better clarification of roles are the keys to success. The project has developed resources such as enkelplanlegging.no – a website that aims to ease the planning process – to support small municipalities in their planning work. The…

Read More

Geography helps determine which education you take

Illustrasjonsbilde av studenter på en skole

By Alexander Zahl-Thanem The further away from the big cities you grow up, the lower the probability of completing education at university and college level. This is clear from a research article I wrote in connection with my own doctoral thesis, which was recently published in the European Sociological Review journal. The aim of the…

Read More

One in three farmers wants climate advice

Tresking av havre

In 2021, on the initiative of the parties in the annual negotiations in agriculture, the Norwegian Agricultural Advisory Service (NLR) and Tine, the big milk cooperative, launched an offer of climate advice aimed at farmers. Under the scheme, farmers can apply for a grant to receive climate advice, and then, together with trained climate advisor,…

Read More

Ground rent: Exporting a good principle?

Turistskatt?

This text expresses the writer’s personal views. We live in a time with strong pressures on both nature and democracy. When looking for strategies to meet these, it is possible to see these issues interlinked. A proposal including the principle of the ancient Norwegian general right of access for recreational purposes in the forests, mountains,…

Read More

Do we need people along the coast – and why should young people want to stay or come back?

Skjermdump fra filmen

Identity, connection, and practical knowledge are some keywords. Using the body, head, and hands in one’s own landscape, strenghten a sense of belonging, ownership and mastery – also in terms of self sustenance– has significance on many levels. But today few children and young people are included in local, primary business processes and value chains.…

Read More

Can ‘ordinary’ people contribute to solving energy crises?

COPPER stands for ‘Creating, Optimizing and Planning Positive Energy Districts’ and is part-financed by the European Commission and the Norwegian Research Council. In the age of the green transition, COPPER looks at an exciting opportunity: how local energy communities can contribute to solving the global energy crisis. Through research, innovation, and strategic collaboration, new solutions…

Read More

Natalia Mamonova – senior researcher at RURALIS – has given an interview to the Ukrainian journal “Commons” about her project on “Food security, food sovereignty and collective action during the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian and global perspectives”.

En rakett sitter fast i en ukrainsk hveteåker

The text of the interview is available at this link: https://commons.com.ua/en/zemelna-reforma-v-ukrayini-pid-chas-vijni/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2yKYgQkcI1Y8wdWlmaOBfFmW1q3N0EB-TYX-fIZBiG_txA6MoszZCgAKI_aem_AZIjP6n8amcG6gjIBKI2Vp7OC2E8cGKfPCxdpji1intB0q_H_Py-ekKiqClKJ8HacVO3xV5BAf2kHLL2FUvn-pHZ

Read More

Greenland and its growing tourism – how can it be sustainable?

Professor Gestur Hovgaard from Ilisimatusarfik opened the meeting by presenting some ongoing research collaborations in the field of tourism and work in progress. Hovgaard is currently leading a proposal on sustainable tourism that will be submitted together with several other partners including Ruralis to the highly competitive NordForsk program on sustainable Arctic. He emphasized a…

Read More

Neoliberal Limits – Farmer Protests, Elections and the Far Right

Bønder protesterer i Tyskland

The following material is republished with the permission of ARC2020 and was originally published on ARC2020’s website on April 30, 2024. What is happening in Europe now regarding the farmers’ protests? Protests are still ongoing, despite the farmers having already won some concessions from EU and national authorities. Farmer protests in January and February were…

Read More

Farmer protests, environmental regulations and the rise of the far right in the EU

Together with Håkon Sælen, senior researcher at CICERO, Natalia discussed the ongoing farmers protests in the EU, related changes in the EU environmental and agricultural policy, and the upcoming EU parliamentary elections in June. She also drew some parallels with the situation in Norwegian agriculture and discussed the potential for rising right-wing populist sentiments in…

Read More

The Ocean Decade – and the important questions

The aims of the BioShare project has been to develop knowledge and analytical understanding necessary to assess, organise and manage the sharing of benefits from the utilization of natural resources, and provide policy recommendations accordingly. We especially focused on aquaculture and wind energy, but also bioprospecting and the strong growing interest in the ocean, comparing…

Read More

We have now set the timetable for the BluePlaces project

Nidelven, Trondheim

On 19 and 20 March, we gathered project partners and advisers for the kickoff of BluePlaces at Scandic Nidelven in Trondheim. During two exciting days, we discussed project structure, content, and how we will work going forward. With blue skies and proximity to the sea, it was a fitting and good start to the project.…

Read More

Citizens’ recommendations on how to improve animal welfare

Bonde med sauene sine

The debate on animal welfare in Norway appears polarized and at times very loud. Nevertheless, most of us are listeners to this debate rather than participants. What do regular Norwegian citizens –– really think about animal welfare? What would have happened if Norwegian citizens had been well informed about animal welfare and Norwegian food production,…

Read More

International Women’s Day on 8th March 2024

International Women's Day on 8th March 2024

Achieving gender equality and women’s well-being in all aspects of life is more crucial than ever if we want to create prosperous economies and a healthy planet. Kudos to all the women in our Living Labs who are breaking new ground, developing innovations and co-learning through mutual support. They are sowing the seeds for future…

Read More

Blame the System, Not the Farmers

Uten bønder blir butikkene tomme for varer

The following material is republished with the permission of ARC2020 and was originally published on ARC2020’s website on February 1, 2024. Over the past couple of months, many angry farmers have taken tractors to the streets of major cities in protest. At first glance, the protests appear to have very little in common. In France…

Read More

Citizens’ engagement is essential for an efficient green transition

Written by Maria Eklöf, Head of Communications, Nordic Energy Research. Dr Kristian Borch, who is Senior Researcher at Ruralis – Norwegian institute for Rural and Regional Research, and Associate Professor at Aalborg University, Department of Sustainable Energy Planning, will hold a session on citizen involvement in renewable energy. Nordic Energy Research asked him to elaborate on this important…

Read More