Climate adaptation in the national park municipalities
Climate change is affecting national parks and their surrounding areas. More and heavier precipitation makes it e.g. difficult to get to the hiking area. In some places, increasing ice melting is preventing traffic on the glacier. At the Nigard glacier in Jostedalen (pictured), the glacier guides had to cut out the guided family trip in 2019 (photo: Wikimedia Commons).
In a pilot project funded by the Norwegian Environment Agency, Western Norway Research Institute is investigating how climate adaptation can be included in the set of criteria for obtaining status as a national park municipality. The project will also help to raise knowledge about how climate change affects the Norwegian national park municipalities.
All municipalities that have the status of a national park municipality or have a town with the status of a national park village, can apply to become a member of the association Norwegian National Park Municipalities (NPKL). The criteria have been prepared by the Norwegian Environment Agency. NPKL currently has 32 members, while the number of municipalities that can choose to apply for a membership is 102.
Western Norway Research Institute is carrying out the pilot project in collaboration with Norway's national park municipalities and Lesja municipality. An important goal of the project is to prepare a main project where the member municipalities are involved. The idea is that the main project will take a closer look at competence-enhancing measures that can equip the national park municipalities to meet the challenges that come with climate change.