Arne Bardalen opened his keynote by stressing that soil conservation must be addressed through the lens of food security, which he described as the most fundamental societal function that must be always ensured. Referring to the Norwegian Auditor General’s 2023 report, he noted that agricultural land in Norway is still not managed sustainably and that high-quality soils continue to be converted despite long-standing national protection targets.
He placed soil conservation in a global context, highlighting that the Paris Agreement identifies food security and the eradication of hunger as core priorities. As food production systems are highly vulnerable to climate change, emissions reductions and the preservation of productive soils are essential. Since 95–98% of global food energy is produced on agricultural land, soil health is a cornerstone of long-term sustainability.
Bardalen identified three key prerequisites for food security: Resilient domestic production, protection of soils, water and genetic resources, and well-functioning international trade and logistics. He emphasized the Nordic region’s role as a reliable supplier to global markets, particularly through Norway’s importance to EU seafood supply. At the same time, he noted that current self-sufficiency indicators in the Nordic countries are based on differing national calculation methods, which limits their comparability and reduces their usefulness for policy development, and emphasized the need for harmonized definitions to support robust and informed food security planning.
He further highlighted growing uncertainty caused by interacting crises, referring to the concept of polycrisis, where climate change, geopolitical tensions and market disruptions reinforce each other. This amplifies vulnerabilities in food systems and land use, making soil conservation a strategic national concern. Sustainable and resilient agricultural value chains, capable of delivering safe food even under major disruptions, were described as essential.
Looking ahead, Bardalen stressed that climate change is likely to shift food production pressures northwards as drought and heatwaves intensifies in southern Europe, increasing the strategic importance of Nordic soils. He called for the Nordic Council of Ministers to move beyond dialogue toward binding cross-border agreements on land management and transport corridors, supported by stronger knowledge sharing.
At the municipal level, he advocated for soil protection strategies grounded in robust data and effective communication. In conclusion, Bardalen emphasized that food security and soil protection are inseparable, noting that healthy soils underpin global food production, biodiversity, and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.