Environmental and Socio-Economic Consequences of Recent Mountain Glacier Fluctuations in Norway

Mountain glaciers currently experience significant mass losses and frontal retreat at the global scale. Because mountain glaciers generally respond sensitively to climate and are differently affected by climate variations at the regional scale, they may significantly and specifically impact their natural and human environment. Norway has the largest glacier mass in continental Europe and its glaciers are generally well-studied and monitored. Norway may, therefore, provide valuable insights into both causes and consequences of recent glacier fluctuations. In this chapter, the Holocene glacier history of Norway is presented with special focus on glacier fluctuations since the beginning of the twentieth century CE. In line with global patterns, the majority of Norwegian glaciers are facing overall mass losses which are predicted to accelerate in the future. Glacier retreat has an environmental impact by enhanced paraglacial activity, increased natural risk potential, and changes of glacier foreland ecosystems. The socio-economic consequences of mountain glacier changes in Norway are most relevant in the high-revenue glacier tourism and hydropower production industries. It appears that the natural and socio-economic systems in Norway are rather resilient to the anticipated changes and consequences of recent and future glacier fluctuations in comparison with other mountain regions worldwide.