March 2009
A report entitled, State of biodiversity in the Nordic countries: An assessment of progress towards achieving the target of halting biodiversity loss by 2010 was prepared by a group lead by Bo Normander of the Environmental Research Institute at Århus University. This report will be a basis for the Nordic Council’s Symposium on Biodiversity which will be held in Autumn, 2009. The report shows a decrease in biodiversity rich habitats in all Nordic countreis. Since 1990, two-thirds of the habitat markers are in decline, while one-third shows slight improvement or steady state.
Key messages from the report
• Our results show that biodiversity has declined in the Nordic countries since 1990.
• It is highly unlikely that the target of halting biodiversity loss by 2010 can be met in the Nordic countries.
• If further efforts are directed towards analysing existing data sources, additional indicators can be constructed and hence a better knowledge base can be achieved.
• We recommend that future nature and biodiversity monitoring be increasingly coordinated at a Nordic level.
