Loss of nature and land use changes

We are losing nature to various types of "grey" land use at an increasing rate and extent. In Norway, we have thousands of interventions each year that remove natural areas; calculations estimate that we lose 79 square meters every minute.

About the topic

The trend is similar in Europe. This has negative effects on biodiversity not only because habitat is lost or degraded, but also because landscapes are fragmented and invasive species spread. We need better knowledge of and accounting for these land cover/land use changes, as well as area budgets for the future. Area neutrality is, therefore, desirable but presents many challenges. In the Master’s Program in Physical and Environmental Geography, you will have the chance to tackle this complex set of problems from various thematic and methodological perspectives.

Last updated: 17.11.2025