Christian Steel, Sabima – It is harmful in so many ways to build up bogs, that it would be the happy madness to continue with it. It is therefore very good, highly appropriate and completely in line with the Storting’s decision that the Norwegian Environment Agency now presents a strict proposal for a ban on building on bogs. There must be a very high threshold to be able to grant a few very few dispensations in very special cases. To the extent that this “limits freedom”, then it is exempting municipalities and other land managers from making insane environmental mistakes. Lars Haltbrekken, Storting representative for SV – Protection of bogs was a very important environmental victory that SV got in the budget negotiations last year. Taking care of the marsh is absolutely decisive in the fight against the climate crisis and the fight to take care of nature. Of course, a ban on demolition will have consequences for development interests, but so has the lack of a ban. Large areas of bog have been built down, which has led to large emissions of greenhouse gases. Rather, we can only accept that old development plans will be allowed to control the development. Among other things, there are large-scale plans for the establishment of new cabin fields. I think it must be stopped. We don’t have space for new cottage villages in marshy areas or other places in nature. Une Bastholm, parliamentary representative for MDG – This is a good proposal from the Norwegian Environment Agency. If we are to stop the loss of nature and begin to build a richer wildlife and more intact ecosystem, then it is precisely such offensive proposals that we need. In Norway, we have already destroyed and drained far too many marshes. It is high time that a limit is seen. Protecting our moors is crucial, both for animal and birdlife, but also to prevent large greenhouse gas emissions and increase the risk of flume. Sofie Marhaug, parliamentary representative for Raudt – The Storting has already decided that we want some form of ban on the construction of bogs. It is good that the Norwegian Environment Agency takes the decision seriously. We have a political responsibility to both take care of nature and cut greenhouse gases. In addition, Raudt believes that we must give support to the municipalities. In our alternative budget, we have both set aside money for plan washing in the municipalities, and a separate natural rate for the municipalities. Because this is a big job, where financial resources must follow and competence must be increased with the new rules. Ola Elvestuen, parliamentary representative for Venstre – Me gives full support to a ban on the construction of bogs. It is an important climate measure because bogs bind enormous amounts of carbon while at the same time providing better security against floods and droughts, and with protection we want to safeguard an endangered nature type with great biological diversity. Global warming and the loss of nature are the biggest crises the world is facing. We are forced to take care of more nature and all municipalities must therefore become much more skilled at utilizing areas that have already been developed. In the climate agreement we have entered into with the EU, the Storting has obliged Norway to have no emissions from land use changes as early as 2030. This means that we must pursue a policy that ensures that we become land-neutral, and a ban on the development of bogs is an important measure to achieve it. Truls Gulowsen, Naturvernforbundet – This is a wise and good proposal, and it is important that the ban also applies to marshland that has been set aside for development in various municipal plans, so that these plans must be stopped. In addition to banning construction, arrangements should also be established for the restoration of bogs that have been damaged by drainage or peat extraction. Bogs are a particularly important natural type for both carbon storage, biological diversity and climate adaptation, and with limited economic value. Marsh protection is therefore an environmental concern that should be given a very high priority, especially in light of the fact that many marshes have been destroyed through cultivation, ditching and construction. Nils Vagstad, Nibio – When a ban is introduced against the cultivation of bogs to produce food, it is quite obvious that at least equally strict restrictions will be introduced when it comes to the use of bogs for other purposes. But when absolute prohibitions are introduced against the use of one type of area, it can also have unfortunate consequences and will almost automatically increase the pressure on other areas. This is therefore something that should be clarified thoroughly in the further process of the bill. Karoline Andaur, WWF – This is a fantastic proposal that can make a major contribution to achieving the goal we have committed to in the nature agreement of 30 percent protection and conservation in Norway by 2030. This will in turn help us on the way to reaching the global the climate target. Furthermore, it is important to bear in mind that we have committed ourselves to representative protection, which means the entire range of variation in Norwegian nature. This is absolutely necessary to stop the ongoing loss of nature. Almost half of the species in Norway live in forests, and flower meadows of various kinds are of the nature with the greatest diversity of species per square metre. So even if all bogs are protected, there is a great need to protect and preserve far more of the forests, salt meadows and hay fields in this country. Lajla Tunaal White, Acting Head of Research NINA Oslo – The ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and loss of nature require us to follow up with ambitious measures as a matter of course. Preservation of bogs in the form of comprehensive protection will be a very important step in the right direction to take care of natural diversity and carbon stocks. Knowledge about bogs is rapidly developing, including better methods for mapping area, condition and carbon storage, which will be useful in the further process. Ingeborg Wessel Finstad, section leader for nature and sustainability at the Norwegian Tourist Association – We are positive about measures that prevent the destruction of important natural types such as bogs. We have not seen this proposal in detail, but it appears to be an important step in the right direction to deliver on the nature agreement. Asbjørn Torvanger, Cicero – Protection of bogs is an important nature and climate measure against the background of major previous interventions, protection of habitats for many plants and animals, and to secure the carbon store in bogs today and in the future. But mire protection should form part of a high-priority and broad strategy for enhanced protection of all nature types, plants and animals in relation to the use of land for other purposes.
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The state will protect all bogs – news Vestland
