by Vigdis Teigen -

#06 The Dark Side of Land Use

The most significant threat to biodiversity is land development, not climate change as some might believe

Bernt-Erik Sæther, director of the Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics

The UN’s biodiversity panel, IPBES, ranks “land-use change” as the greatest threat to biodiversity (NTNU Event, 2022, 7:50). In 2022, WWF published a comprehensive report on the frequency and scale of biodiversity and climate changes. The report discusses the “2022 global Living Planet Index,” which shows an average decline of 69% in monitored wildlife populations between 1970 and 2018 (Almond et al., 2022, p. 12). It also highlights how the biodiversity and climate crises are interconnected, like two sides of the same coin—solving one requires addressing the other (Almond et al., 2022, p. 4).

An article titled Norway in Red, White, and Gray from the Norwegian Broadcasting Cooperation (NRK) used artificial intelligence to map 44,000 instances of environmental encroachment in Norway over the past five years (Mon et al., 2023).

Image from NRK´s report (Mon et al., 2023)

However, according to biology researcher Ivar Herfindal from Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)´s Department of Biology, this mapping only provides a skeletal overview of environmental impacts (NTNU Event, 2024, 22:40). He emphasises that satellite images do not reveal which species are affected by development, requiring more detailed investigations. This means that we have lost a lot more than this map can show us.

The NRK series The Inspector featuring Bård Tufte Johansen, also highlights nature loss, showing how various infrastructure developments—such as roads, wind power, and industry—gradually consume Norwegian nature piece by piece (NRK, 2024). This leads to habitat fragmentation and species extinction.

In his lecture “Why Can’t We Sacrifice Nature for the Green Transition?” professor Dag Hessen argues that nature is often compromised in favour of shorter travel times (Det Norske Vitenskapsakademi, 2023, 12:04). In an interview with Naturviterne, Hessen also emphasises that public engagement and awareness are crucial in influencing political decision-makers and driving change (Hundere, 2024).

But is is not only animals and plants that suffer from the nature shrinking. Humans also have a need for higher biodiversity and bigger green spaces around them – especially those living in urban areas. Urban living provides access to education, healthcare, and diverse cultures, but it often comes at the cost of health and well-being. Studies have linked urban environments—characterised by limited greenspace and high pollution—to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and attention disorders (McDonnell, et. al., 2024). Chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and obesity are also more prevalent in cities. To counter these effects, researchers highlight the benefits of exposure to nature, which can improve cognitive function, mood, and creativity while promoting physical health by encouraging exercise, reducing stress, and lowering blood pressure. Additionally, natural spaces foster social interactions and help combat loneliness.

Despite national environmental goals aimed at preserving important outdoor recreation areas, only 45% of the population in cities and towns have adequate access to nearby nature and walking trails. In the largest cities, this percentage is even lower (WWF, 2021).

Area neutrality involves restoring areas of nature to compensate for the loss of natural land, due to development elsewhere.


Bernt-Erik Sæther, the director of the Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics CBD, discusses in a talk at Arendalsuka – the largest political gathering in Norway – how here is currently a lack of an overarching strategy to identify and regulate which parts of Norway’s natural areas should be preserved (NTNU Event, 2022, 13:33). A strong national framework for regulating land development is needed. Since much of the decision-making power lies with municipalities or landowners, each municipality is left to make decisions independently, often without considering the broader picture.

However, the government is now working on a government report on nature, which is expected to outline how concepts such as area neutrality, nature positivity, and natural accounting will be implemented in Norway (regjeringen.no, 2023). A recent survey also shows that 80 Norwegian municipalities have plans to become “area neutral” (Nyhus, 2023). This is on the foundations of the COP15 in 2022, where governments from around the world came together to agree on a new set of goals to guide global action through 2030 to halt and reverse nature loss (UN, 2022).

Conclusion

Only if Norway and other states establish clear goals to prevent nature loss, define precise terms, and create reliable indicators to measure biodiversity loss, can they effectively strengthen the decline in biodiversity. However, policy alone is not enough – public engagement and awareness are crucial in influencing political decision-makers and driving change.

Sources:

Almond, R.E.A., Grooten, M., Juffe Bignoli,  D. & Petersen, T. (Eds). WWF, Gland, Switzerland. (2022). Living Planet Report 2022 – Building a nature- positive society. WWF. Retrieved from https://media.wwf.no/assets/attachments/lpr_2022_full_report_2023-02-09-115529_ahtx.pdf?_gl=1*16u778x*_up*MQ..*_ga*NjA1MTQ4ODUxLjE3MTQ2NTM5MTQ.*_ga_BB7Z1P8XYM*MTcxNDY1MzkxNC4xLjAuMTcxNDY1MzkxNC4wLjAuMA

Det Norske Vitenskapsakademi. (2023, 8th of November). Dag O. Hessen: Hvorfor kan vi ikke ofre naturen for det grønne skiftet? [Video]. Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOa2GFtmfu8

McDonnell, Amy S. & Strayer, David L (2024). The influence of a walk in nature on human resting brain activity: a randomized controlled trial. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-78508-x

Mon, S. T., Solvang, R., Støstad, M. N. (2023). Norge i rødt, hvitt og grått. Retrieved from
https://www.nrk.no/dokumentar/xl/nrk-avslorer_-44.000-inngrep-i-norsk-natur-pa-fem-ar-1.16573560

NRK. (2024). Oppsynsmannen – NRK TV. https://tv.nrk.no/serie/oppsynsmannen

NTNU Event (2022, 16th of August). Hvem bestemmer over norsk natur? – Arendalsuka 2022 [Video].  Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j16EJiCrxSA

Regjeringen.no (2023, 29th of June) Naturavtalen. Retrieved from
https://www.regjeringen.no/no/tema/klima-og-miljo/naturmangfold/innsiktsartikler-naturmangfold/det-globale-kunming-montreal-rammeverket-for-naturmangfold-naturavtalen/id2987476/

UN. (2022). UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15). Retrieved from https://www.unep.org/un-biodiversity-conference-cop-15

by Vigdis Teigen -

#01 How ecocentric design can help us coexist with nature

Topic and objective

This research is about the need for systemic change to combat environmental crises, emphasising that functioning ecosystems are essential for life and climate resilience. The research seeks to investigate how ecocentric philosophies, particularly those rooted in sustainable land use, can inspire innovative design interventions that support large-scale ecological restoration.

This investigation objective is to propose an analysis on the role design can play in addressing the interconnected crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. I also want to explore how ecocentric design principles can foster coexistence with nature by integrating approaches like permaculture and regenerative farming into scalable solutions.

Background

Today we stand in front of a huge task of saving the world. We are currently in the midst of a nature and climate crisis. Since 1970, two-thirds of the world’s wildlife populations have declined, and there has never been a more urgent need to restore damaged ecosystems than now (Almond et.al. 2022). We know that functioning ecosystems are essential for all life on Earth, since nature acts as a buffer against climate change.

We are less resilient to climate changes the less intact nature we have. Though trying to combat both these crisises, we see that they are intertwined in ways that makes change very difficult (Det Norske Vitenskapsakademi, 12:04). UN´s nature panel, IPBES range “changed areal usage” as the biggest threat to the biological diversity (NTNU Event, 2022, 7:50).

Why biodiversity is important – with Sir David Attenborough explaines some of the fundamentals on why we need to protect our nature.

Ecocentrism:

A worldview that sees all of nature as having inherent value, and is centred on nature rather than on humans. Also known as biocentrism. See anthropocentrism.

Research question: How ecocentric design can help us coexist with nature

The central research question driving the work is how ecocentric design principles can be used to promote coexistence with nature? This inquiry aims to bridge the gap between ecological theory and design strategies that empower individuals and communities to live in harmony with their environments.

How to solve it?

Trying to come up with solutions to these global problems is a tough job. It seems that we need deeprooted value change among the entire population. WWF writes in the Living Planet report 2022 that

It’s not too late for nature to recover, but we need big, bold solutions. Restoring nature will require unprecedented conservation efforts that meet the scale of the nature loss crisis, and an urgent transformation of our food, energy and finance systems. (Almond et.al. 2022)

WWF also lists these actions as the main solutions to these crisises:

  • TRANSFORMING CONSERVATION
  • TRANSFORMING OUR FOOD SYSTEM
  • TRANSFORMING OUR ENERGY SYSTEM
  • TRANSFORMING FINANCE

These are of course some very big systematical changes that I alone cannot take on by myself. Nevertheless, I aim to learn how I as a designer can contribute to these already existing movements.

When trying to explore some solutions on my own I have gotten an interest in topics like permaculture, regenerative farming, and sustainable land use. These are some of the more important areas that I think is crucial so learn about if I am to understand the interconnected problems.

Looking at possible solutions in the start, there are many different roads to go. For example, I could aim for an implementation framework that outlines actionable steps for integrating ecocentric practices into broader societal contexts. This solution is a very broad and vague one, but which also allows me to get the broad aspect early on, so I can dive deeper into a smaller and more defined area later in my anctual thesis.

Another possible solution is to explore how integrating approaches like permaculture and regenerative farming into scalable solutions. This could be looking at existing small-scale solutions (for example small sustainable communities) and see what can we learn from these and how to scale this up to be accessible for the greater societies.

Another way to go is to look in to existing methodology being used by cooperations with similar intentions on how to battle these huge societal problems. This could be to see how for example Green Peace, WWF, UN, NGOs, the different nations and even how political parties work with communication, value change, spreading knowledge and actually making a positive impact. This approach to my researching could help me navigate in this very broad theme – as well as giving me tools to learn more and more efficient.

The road and challenges ahead

As described above, my motivation for this theme is my personal desire to work against the interconnected crises of climate change and biodiversity loss – and learn as much as possible about what can be done. I believe that design is a powerful tool that can play a big part in the solution. This is what I aim to find out in this research.

The main challenges ahead that I can see is that I tend to go extremely broad in framing the problem – making the research task a very difficult one. Because of my desire to “save the whole world”, I find it difficult to close doors on themes and problems I find important. But since this topic is a very large and interconnected one – my main task in the start will be to narrow it down to a tangible amount I can work with. Another challenge is to work alone, whereas I have found working in groups much better – where I can spar and discuss with others.

If enough people realise that we have influence and can make an impact in this very big world, we can make actual change. Though I must admit that I also feel lost, scared and hopeless when facing such a wicked problem, I hope that through this research, I will be able to gain more knowledge and confidence – and restore hope that we will be able to turn our course to a better one.

Sources

Almond, R.E.A., Grooten, M., Juffe Bignoli, D. & Petersen, T. (Eds). WWF, Gland, Switzerland. (2022). Living Planet Report 2022 – Building a nature- positive society. WWF https://media.wwf.no/assets/attachments/lpr_2022_full_report_2023-02-09-115529_ahtx.pdf?_gl=1*16u778x*_up*MQ.._gaNjA1MTQ4ODUxLjE3MTQ2NTM5MTQ._ga_BB7Z1P8XYMMTcxNDY1MzkxNC4xLjAuMTcxNDY1MzkxNC4wLjAuMA

Det Norske Vitenskapsakademi (12:04) Dag O. Hessen [Video]. Youtube. Hvorfor kan vi ikke ofre naturen for det grønne skiftet? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOa2GFtmfu8

NTNU Event (2022, 16th of August). Hvem bestemmer over norsk natur? – Arendalsuka 2022 [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j16EJiCrxSA

Permaculture Research Institute (2024) What is Permaculture? https://www.permaculturenews.org/what-is-permaculture/

The Royal Society (11th Oct., 2021) Why is biodiversity important – with Sir David Attenborough. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlWNuzrqe7U&t=5s