Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature
Encyclopedia
The Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature , also known as Friends of the Earth Norway and commonly abbreviated NNV is the largest Norwegian
environmental organization
with 28,000 members. The organization is based on a volunteer work among the members, constituting work both at local and national levels. NNV works within a large range of environmental areas. The organization is affiliated with Friends of the Earth
, and member of INFORSE-Europe
.
International activities include an educational project in 16 countries on sustainable energy and practical energy saving measures SPARE, which is also part of the INFORSE-Europe cooperation school activities. The SPARE activities started in eastern European countries in 1996-99, and became introduced in the previous Soviet Union countries since 2005, where it is spread in 7000 schools (2008).
while there is a marine office in Bergen
and a Barents Sea
office in Steigen
. The foreign work is led from Asker
. In total the NGO has about 30 employees, some working in the county offices throughout the country. NNV published the magazines Miløjournalen and Natur & Miljø.
Since 2005 Chairman has been Lars Haltbrekken
while Genereal Secretary since 2007 has been Jan Thomas Odegard. The organization highest authority is the bi-annual meeting, and in between these it is led by a 23-member national board (consisting of the County Chairmen and representatives from subordinate organizations and employees) as well as a six-member central board, consisting since 2007 of Lars Haltbrekken, Tone Skau Jonassen, Elin Lerum Boasson
, Ståle Undheim, Per Flatberg
and Ingeborg Gjærum
.
The organisation is part of the 30 national organisations that Friends of the Earth Europe
represents and unites at the European level.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
environmental organization
Environmental organization
An environmental organization is an organization that seeks to protect, analyze or monitor the environment against misuse or degradation or lobby for these goals....
with 28,000 members. The organization is based on a volunteer work among the members, constituting work both at local and national levels. NNV works within a large range of environmental areas. The organization is affiliated with Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 76 countries.FOEI is assisted by a small secretariat which provides support for the network and its agreed major campaigns...
, and member of INFORSE-Europe
INFORSE-Europe
INFORSE- Europe is an international, non-profit organisation network of European environmental organizations promoting sustainable energy development within Europe; and worldwide in cooperation with other INFORSE regions....
.
History
The society dates back to 1914 as the National Association for Natural Conservation (Landsforeningen for Naturfredning). In 1916 the association started its work after three regional chapters had been founded, and the first Chairman was Hjalmar Brock. The society changed its name in 1936 to the Landsforeningen for Naturfredning i Norge, and again in 1951 to Landsforbundet for naturvern i Norge. Its current name is from 1962. The first issue of the membership magazine Norsk Natur was published in 1965 and two years later Nature and Youth (Natur og Ungdom) was founded as the youth branch.International activities include an educational project in 16 countries on sustainable energy and practical energy saving measures SPARE, which is also part of the INFORSE-Europe cooperation school activities. The SPARE activities started in eastern European countries in 1996-99, and became introduced in the previous Soviet Union countries since 2005, where it is spread in 7000 schools (2008).
Organization
The organisation has 18 county chapters and 155 local chapters throughout the country. In addition it has the youth branch Nature and Youth (Natur og Ungdom) and the children's branch Eco-detectives (Miljøagentene). Head offices are located in OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
while there is a marine office in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
and a Barents Sea
Barents Sea
The Barents Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Norway and Russia. Known in the Middle Ages as the Murman Sea, the sea takes its current name from the Dutch navigator Willem Barents...
office in Steigen
Steigen
Steigen is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Leinesfjord....
. The foreign work is led from Asker
Asker
Asker is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Viken traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Asker. The municipality is a suburb of Oslo, the national capital...
. In total the NGO has about 30 employees, some working in the county offices throughout the country. NNV published the magazines Miløjournalen and Natur & Miljø.
Since 2005 Chairman has been Lars Haltbrekken
Lars Haltbrekken
Lars Haltbrekken is a Norwegian environmentalist and chairman of Friends of the Earth Norway since 2005, after having been deputy chairman the two preceding years. Haltbrekken was also chairman of Natur og Ungdom in 1995 and 1996...
while Genereal Secretary since 2007 has been Jan Thomas Odegard. The organization highest authority is the bi-annual meeting, and in between these it is led by a 23-member national board (consisting of the County Chairmen and representatives from subordinate organizations and employees) as well as a six-member central board, consisting since 2007 of Lars Haltbrekken, Tone Skau Jonassen, Elin Lerum Boasson
Elin Lerum Boasson
Elin Lerum Boasson is a Norwegian environmentalist and was chairman of Natur og Ungdom in 2001 and 2002. Before being chairman she had been deputy chairman and active in the organisation since she was 13...
, Ståle Undheim, Per Flatberg
Per Flatberg
Per Flatberg is a Norwegian environmentalist and pharmacist. Flatberg took the pharmaceutical degree at the University of Oslo in 1961 and started working at both the university and at a pharmacy. From 1981 he ran the pharmacy in Lørenskog and from 1990 the pharmacy in Levanger...
and Ingeborg Gjærum
Ingeborg Gjærum
Ingeborg Gjærum is a Norwegian environmentalist.She hails from Ottestad. She broke national news in 2005, when she was a central board member of Natur og Ungdom. She was deputy leader from 2006 to 2008, and became leader in 2008. She remained so until 2009.In 2010 she was hired by the public...
.
The organisation is part of the 30 national organisations that Friends of the Earth Europe
Friends of the Earth Europe
Friends of the Earth Europe is the European branch of the world's largest grassroots environmental network, Friends of the Earth International . It includes 30 national organisations and thousands of local groups....
represents and unites at the European level.