Cooperation between different stakeholders to implement national programmes

9.2.3.1 The  Norwegian  Genetic  Resource  Centre  and  its  Genetic  resource  committees  

The Norwegian Genetic Resource Centre is responsible for monitoring, ensuring access to and increasing the use, knowledge and awareness on the conservation and sustainable use of animal, plant and forest genetic resources for food and agriculture. Having a single centre working on a large share of the country's genetic resources for food and agriculture, Norway is in a privileged position to both identify and take advantage of the synergies between the different sectors and to weigh the trade-offs, of which there are few. The sectoral committees on animal, plant and forest genetic resources both jointly and separately discuss and provide advice on the Centre's strategic and action plans and on national policies of relevance to genetic resources for food and agriculture. Joint meetings of the three genetic resource committees have led to interesting exchanges of knowledge and expertise across sectors on issues such as the characterization of genetic resources, in situ and ex situ conservation and the development of indicators.

9.2.3.2 Collaboration  to  implement  the  Convention  on  Biological  Diversity  (CBD)  

All Norwegian authorities, industrial sectors and other relevant actors are required to play their part in efforts to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Since the adoption of its first National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan in 2001, Norway has taken a series of measures to strengthen its commitment to the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Strategic Plan (2011-2020). The country strengthened its knowledge base, including through the development of monitoring programmes,91 _{and it improved existing and} developed new legislative instruments. In addition, the Nature Diversity Act was developed to protect biological diversity and ecological processes through conservation and sustainable use. The Act also includes provisions on alien species and access to genetic material. Applying to multiple sectors, the Nature Diversity Act significantly facilitates multi-sectoral coordination. Other cross- sectoral measures of relevance to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, include the Planning and Building Act, the management plans for Norway's sea areas and the river basin management plans. In addition, the Ministry reports on the status and trends of biodiversity in Norway through the submission of national reports to the CBD. For the preparation of such reports, the Ministry coordinates and consolidates inputs provided by the Norwegian

Environmental Agency, other relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and the Sámi parliament. For the most recently submitted Fifth National Report to the CBD, inputs from other relevant stakeholders, gathered through an open consultation, were also included. Between 1998 and 2014, five national reports have been submitted to the CBD. The Fifth National Report is the first report prepared by KLD since the adoption of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity

91_{Some of Norway's major ecosystems, including agricultural habitats, forests and marine and freshwater environments}

are monitored through biodiversity monitoring programmes; and monitoring systems are in place for the regular assessment of certain animal populations (e.g. wild salmon, marine fish stocks and large ungulates).

2011-2020.92 _{In this report, KLD reported on the implementation of the 20 Aichi Biodiversity} Targets with support from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, particularly with respect to Aichi Target 13.93 _{Since 2001, Norway has systematically developed actions plans for the conservation of} animal, forest and plant genetic resources. The country has also undertaken assessments of the status of characterization in the different sectors. Each of these activities contributes to achieve Aichi Target 13.

9.2.3.3 Collaboration  between  sectors  to  implement  White  papers  and  laws    

The following White papers are of relevance to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for food and agriculture. Each of them requires the involvement of stakeholders from different sectors for their implementation: White paper Nr.58 (1996-97) - Environmental policy for sustainable development; White paper Nr.42 (2000-2001) – Norwegian biodiversity policy and action plan - cross-sectoral responsibilities and coordination; White paper Nr.9 (2011–2012) Agriculture and food policy “Welcome to the table”; White paper Nr.21 (2011-2012) Norwegian climate policy; and the Nature Diversity Act of 19 June 2009 Nr.100 Relating to the management of biological, geological and landscape diversity.

Concrete actions undertaken to implement the mentioned White papers and the Nature Diversity Act, include the:

• Development of a national programme to map and monitor biological diversity; • Establishment of protected areas (i.e. national parks, protected forests and protected

marine areas);

• General provisions on sustainable use in the Nature Diversity Act; • Establishment of the Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre;

• Development of action plans for endangered and prioritized species and for selected nature types;

• Establishment of the Norwegian Genetic Resource Centre and of its genetic resource committees for animal, plant and forest genetic resources;

• Engagement in the establishment of the Nordic Genetic Resource Center (NordGen) in 2008;

• Establishment of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (2008).

92 _{http://www.cbd.int/reports/nr5/}

93 _{By 2020, the genetic diversity of cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and of wild relatives, including}

other socio-economically as well as culturally valuable species, is maintained, and strategies have been developed and implemented for minimizing genetic erosion and safeguarding their genetic diversity).

9.2.4 Projects  in  support  of  the  conservation  and  sustainable  use  of  biodiversity  for