The Role of Norwegian Municipalities in Addressing the Climate and Nature Crisis

Climate change, nature loss and decline in biodiversity constitute some of the most pressing international challenges. As stewards of nature and planners of future local communities, Norwegian municipalities are said to play a key role in the “green transition”. Municipal decisions highly affect the relationship between people, place and nature, and municipalities constitute democratic arenas where local priorities, values and interest meet and are negotiated. At the same time many, especially rural, municipalities face major economic challenges, including out-migration and an aging population. How do municipalities prioritize, and what opportunities do they have to balance different, often conflicting, goals related to climate, nature and local development?