Nature protection and biodiversity - Outlook 2020 (Norway)

It is likely that climate change will replace habitat destruction as the biggest threat to biological diversity in the future. Studies show that climate change will be noticeable first in the Arctic and alpine areas, and that the biggest changes also will happen there in the future. Nordic, low-productive areas that are poor in species will be particularly vulnerable to global warming.

The climate change-related factors affecting Norwegian flora and fauna in the years to come will be an increase in precipitation and a rise in temperature. Warm spells in the winter months could also lead to frost damage on plants. It is likely that global warming will lead to an increase in biodiversity in Norway. New species will establish in areas that were previously covered by snow, such as hardwood forests and the species of birds and insects that reside there.