Chapter 4
Potential for Nordic co­operation on agricultural land use

All Nordic countries have experienced increasing discourses on land use. Looking at the statistics on agricultural land within each country in the Nordic region, it is evident that the decrease in agricultural land is slowing but not stopping. However, there are increasing demands on land use in all Nordic countries. There is a high demand for development of green energy infrastructure, including solar and wind parks. Simultaneously, there are demands from commitments made in international agreements on nature conservation, biodiversity and to lower land-use-related emissions. There is a need for measures to balance different land use interests.

From discussions with senior officials and researchers in the Nordic countries, the following topics have been identified as prospective fields for Nordic collaboration regarding agricultural land use.

The decision-making power to develop or convert agricultural land lies with municipalities in the Nordic countries. In general, they lack financial incentives to avoid development of agricultural land.

Mark Brady and Niklas Malmström, Att bygga på åkermark – ett hot mot framtida livsmedelsförsörjning?, AgriFood Fokus, 2023:9 (2023).

This leads to a risk that more agricultural land is developed than is desired from a national perspective. The similarity between the spatial planning systems in the Nordic countries, where the main responsibility lies with local authorities, offers common challenges, but also common ground for cross-border cooperation. There are, however, some significant differences between the Nordic countries, especially regarding national governments’ abilities to influence and steer local planning by means of the formal planning system.

Johan Lidmo, Dung Huynh, and Malin Stjernberg, Nationellt inflytande i den fysiska planeringen: Nordisk utblick till Finland, Norge och Danmark, final report produced on behalf of Boverket, September 30, 2020, https://www.boverket.se/contentassets/e337eb6de57c4a50b3a99db04db8b77d/nationellt-inflytande-i-den-fysiska-planeringen.

The differences can be seen both in concrete policy and legislation, and also in variation of procedures and processes for dialogue between national and local authorities to reach a balance between national and local interests. There is also variation amongst the Nordic countries in how agricultural land is considered or prioritised strategically. Since land use pressures have risen, all Nordic countries are currently developing new policies and instruments to handle new demands. In these processes, state officials are requesting examples and knowledge sharing from other Nordic countries. Joint discussions on policy innovation could be focused on the following areas:

The Nordic countries differ in which land uses competing with agriculture they perceive as more pressing. These differences are often based on differences in land and soil conditions. However, the development of agricultural land for infrastructure and housing is a conversion that is nearly irrevocable. Much loss of agricultural land occurs as urban areas expand and larger cities in the Nordic countries are situated on or near agricultural land. New housing and infrastructure will be required regardless. It is therefore important to explore new ways of building these while getting the best use out of the available land. This is particularly relevant in expansion of smaller towns and metropolitan areas, where the tradition is to build low and wide. Solutions to avoid metropolitan expansion seizing more agricultural land exist both within and outside the Nordic countries. There is a will to jointly explore urban planning and densification solutions. Incorporation of several relatively new concepts into national and local planning needs to be explored. The concept of land degradation neutrality (LDN) is established in the international community and has since 2016 been a target for Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on land. To achieve LDN means no net loss of land-based capital from a set baseline or reference point.

A. L. Cowie et al., "Land in Balance: The Scientific Conceptual Framework for Land Degradation Neutrality," Environmental Science & Policy 79 (2018): 25–35, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2017.10.011.

Additionally, the two concepts ‘arealnøytralitet,’ to avoid loss of natural resources, and ‘planvask,’ a method where older plans in a municipality are systematically and strategically reviewed and updated, have gained increased recognition in Norway. The potential benefits and application of these concepts could be further explored at the Nordic level.

National soil maps in the Nordic countries are either limited or outdated. For example, Norway is currently updating its AR5 map that shows land resources with an emphasis on the production base for agriculture and forestry. Iceland recently published new guidelines for the classification of agricultural land. Additionally, the Nordic EU-member countries will be obligated to collect data due to the EU Directive on Soil Monitoring. Knowledge on soil potentials relies on correct soil-rating data, which could be a tool for simplifying land use change decisions. The need for examining soils and updating soil ratings applies not only to current agricultural land, but to any potential arable land and pastures, as there are uncertainties about how much land falls in this category. Knowledge exchange on experiences and methods for soil rating and classification could improve understanding of potential food production and soil values in the Nordic countries.

A similar classification of arable land and better quantification of arable land in the Nordic region can create a better knowledge base for cooperation among the Nordic countries during crises. It would improve the understanding of which areas have potential for food production and could be activated during a crisis. The alignment of data, including definitions, would therefore be a prerequisite for cross-border collaboration on preparedness.

Land for food production, development of green energy infrastructure, afforestation and protection of natural values and biodiversity are examples of goals whose importance has increased in the Nordic countries, both as a consequence of domestic debates and international commitments. This added pressure on land is bringing forward questions on how to make land use change decisions. As this challenge is experienced by all Nordic countries, there is reason to jointly discuss and explore solutions for prioritising different purposes within the green transition. The mentioned priorities, amongst them food security, are often committed to and defined at a national level. The Nordic countries share a common challenge that requires investigation into how these goals can be taken into account locally. New transitions can also provoke disputes when stakeholders experience a development project as unfair, for example when it conflicts with reindeer husbandry. This includes the matter of compensation and inclusion in decision processes. This is relevant in rural areas, but also within smaller municipalities where little land is available. This common challenge, which is expected to increase, could be addressed by jointly exploring new and existing tools for stakeholder mediation in land use discussions.