Wildlife Management, Species Injustice and Ecocide in the Anthropocene

Ragnhild Sollund

doi:10.1007/s10612-019-09469-1

Abstract

Norway has been signatory to the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (1979) (otherwise known as the “Bern Convention”) since 1986. Nevertheless, every year, Norwegian authorities authorize the killing of brown bears, lynx, wolves and wolverines, which are listed as strictly protected fauna species by the Bern Convention. Norway has a responsibility to protect these species and has several times been brought to court by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) for failure to satisfy their duties under this international legal instrument. This article discusses Norway’s large predator policy and its compliance with the Bern Convention through an analysis of court decisions and judicial reasoning from the perspective of species justice for nonhumans.

Highlights

In the past 40 years alone, the world has witnessed a 60% decline in the population of vertebrate species (WWF 2018)
Every year, Norwegian authorities authorize the killing of brown bears, lynx, wolves and wolverines, which are listed as strictly protected fauna species by the Bern Convention
Norway has a responsibility to protect these species and has several times been brought to court by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) for failure to satisfy their duties under this international legal instrument

Summary

Introduction

In the past 40 years alone, the world has witnessed a 60% decline in the population of vertebrate species (WWF 2018). The Bern Convention celebrated its 40th anniversary in September 2019—and the past decades have shown increased attention to animal rights, as exemplified by the expanding vegan movement, the compassionate conservation movement (Bekoff 2013), and a plethora of publications within different fields of academia, including green criminology (e.g., Beirne 1999, 2009; Beirne et al 2018a, b; Nurse 2015; Sollund 2012, 2013, 2017, 2019; White 2013a, b, 2018)—there remains growing concern about the rate and extent of extinction. Of this article, I present some background information on Norway’s approach to the conservation of wild fauna and natural habitats under the Bern Convention, before turning to a description of my methods.

Background and Methods

Findings

Conclusion