Rødlista

Rødlista, short for the Norwegian Red List of Threatened Species, is a national assessment of the conservation status of wildlife and natural habitats in Norway. It aims to identify species and habitat types at risk and to inform conservation action and policy.

The list follows international IUCN Red List criteria and uses categories such as Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near Threatened, and Not Threatened, as well as categories for data deficiencies and not evaluated. In Norway there are separate lists for species and for habitats.

Assessments are produced by Artsdatabanken on behalf of the Norwegian government. They synthesize data on population size and trends, geographic range, and threats, drawing on field studies, museums, and citizen science. Evaluations are periodically updated to reflect new information.

Rødlista serves as a tool for spatial planning, environmental impact assessments, and prioritization of conservation actions. It informs policy, protected areas, and resource allocation, and supports researchers, foresters, and land managers in making evidence-based decisions.

Limitations include uneven knowledge across taxa and regions, data gaps, and the time required to update assessments. Despite these challenges, the Red List provides a transparent, internationally aligned framework for monitoring Norway's biodiversity and progress toward biodiversity targets.