– Now the “monster tick” is actually coming – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country

– The World Health Organization now says that the climate crisis is the biggest threat to global health, because it increases the likelihood of infectious diseases and increases the likelihood of pandemics. That’s what climate minister Espen Barth Eide said when he presented the government’s plan to deal with the consequences of climate change, which is here now. – We will get even more dangerous ticks. If anyone was a little fed up with the tabloid newspapers’ annual report that the monster tick is coming, just wait. Now the monster tick is actually coming, also to Norway, he says. More infections Heat waves, drought, forest fires, extreme weather, reduced access to food and clean drinking water, and changes in insect-borne diseases. Disease that is transmitted via a biological carrier, where the carrier does not necessarily get sick himself, may become more common in humans and animals in new areas of the country. The tick is such an example, says the message to the Storting. The tick spreads the bacterial disease Lyme disease and the viral disease forest tick encephalitis. According to the notification to the Storting, it is believed that the tick will move further inland, further north and uphill, as the temperature increases, the snow cover decreases and the growing season becomes longer. Diseases that are spread through alien species can also make their way into Norway, writes the Ministry of Climate and Environment. – We also have a number of other carriers of diseases that we get more of. Zika virus has been discovered in France, for example, and things associated with parts of Africa are starting to appear in Norway. – Therefore we also have to think about this from a health perspective and here I work closely with the Minister of Health and Welfare, says the Climate Minister. Norway has ticks in places where we had not had ticks before. Climate change is causing the tick to creep northwards and inland. Photo: Hans Thomas Eikrem / news – Must get a better system in place – There is no such thing as the monster tick. He probably means the hunting tick, which has been called the monster tick, explains Randi Eikeland, specialist in neurology at the Tick Centre. Photo: National competence service for tick-borne diseases Randi Eikeland has a PhD and is a specialist in neurology at the Tick Centre. She calls for a better system to catch ticks and infection, and asks Barth Eide to look into this. – It will be extremely important to have systems that capture this. The systems should be checked for how we register this and make it available to people, says Eikeland. – We have had an increase in tick-borne diseases in the last three years. It’s pretty clear. It is mainly about how we use nature, but also that it is wetter and drier due to climate change, she says. She adds that the so-called “monster tick”, which is actually the hunting tick, will not be able to establish itself in Norway as the climate is now, even though it has been observed twice in Norway. – But should it be very warm and pleasant here, ticks with diseases can establish themselves. This is how they will secure the Norwegian Storting’s report “Climate change – together for a climate-resilient society” points to drought, forest fires, landslides, floods and rising sea levels as climate threats in Norway. It can affect everything from where we build, to how we travel and what we eat. Barth Eide says the plan contains 70 points that answer this. – Which points are it absolutely essential that we focus on now? – Number one is everything that goes into stormwater management, and how we must use nature more as our most important partner. Nature is often both the best and the cheapest solution to dealing with stormwater. It can also mean nature inside a city, inside a town. Let there be areas that enable you to channel the large amounts of water that we want to get more of, says the climate minister. Here are some of the other, more concrete measures to be found in the plan: Warning systems: Further develop the possibility of being able to notify people in the event of extreme weather and natural hazards where there is an acute danger to life and health, through Emergency Alert, the authorities’ new warning system Building: Climate-adapting property in government civil sector Social security: Increase knowledge about how national security and critical societal functions are affected by climate change, and make the functions more robust for the future Fisheries: Develop knowledge about possible measures that mitigate the effects of climate change and at the same time reduce greenhouse gas emissions from marine activities or increase CO2 absorption and carbon sequestration Aid: Triple aid for climate adaptation abroad. Climate, peace and security: Prepare scenario analyzes as a tool to highlight both future conflict potential and opportunities for preventive diplomacy linked to climate-related security risks in particularly vulnerable countries/regions. Otherwise, the government announces that they will in future present several new plans for climate adaptation, including in agriculture, the transport sector and fire protection. A green island on a field in Stange in Innlandet. Several farmers have already lost significant crops due to the drought and 2023 could be worse than 2018, they fear. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB – Toothless Several parties in the Storting are reacting to what they believe is too lax a package of measures to adapt Norway to the future climate. – It is good that the government has now submitted a report to the Storting on climate adaptation, but unfortunately it is thin when it comes to what the government is actually going to do, says Lars Haltbrekken from SV. – Many new investigations and assessments are being planned, which illustrates how little action-oriented the government is, says Ola Elvestuen in Venstre. – Now we need a change of pace. The Storting report summarizes well what needs to be done, but does not say enough about how, says Sofie Marhaug in Rødt. – It is nice that the government is finally focusing some attention on climate adaptation, but it is quite toothless and lacking in commitment. Climate adaptation is the new preparedness, says Lan Marie Berg in MDG. The Climate Minister counters by warmly welcoming the other parties’ proposals: – Now this will go to the Storting, and I am happy about that. So anyone who thinks they have something even more concrete, feel free to post it. Photo: Theodor Aasland Valen / news



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