Autonomous territories

are a self-governing nation under the external sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark with a population of 50,000. The Faroe Islands have exclusive competence to legislate and govern independently in a wide range of areas, for example the conservation and management of living marine resources, protection of the environment, sub-surface resources, trade, taxation, industrial relations, energy, transport, communications, social security, culture, education and research. Nature and environmental management are thus under Faroese jurisdiction and are mainly governed by the Act of the Faroese Parliament on Environmental Protection from 1988, Act of the Faroese Parliament on the Protection of the Marine Environment from 2005 and Act of the Faroese Parliament on Nature Conservation from 1970. This environmental legislation serves to protect the environment from human contamination both on land and at sea, but it also covers climate issues. The administration of environmental issues is divided between the Environment Agency of the Faroe Islands and Faroese municipalities. In 2024, the Faroe Islands passed a sustainable tourism law to safeguard both its nature and culture.

is an autonomous territory of Denmark and self-governing under the Self-Government Act. It has around 56,000 inhabitants, out of which around one third live in the capital city Nuuk. In 2023, Greenland became signatories of the Paris Agreement, meaning that they will develop a climate strategy and nationally determined contributions to limit carbon emissions, and define strategies for climate adaptation. Environmental policies lie with the Department for Agriculture, self-sufficiency, energy, and environment. Greenland has a Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, outlining five overarching goals for sustainability, environmental policy, monitoring and international collaboration. The agricultural strategy 2021-2030, is developed to promote agricultural productivity in the country and increase self-sufficiency. Exploitation of mineral resources is a growing industry in the country, governed through the Mineral Resources Act.

is a self-governing province southwest of Finland with a population over 30,000 inhabitants spread over 60 islands (of more than 6,700 islands belonging to Åland archipelago). Parliament of the Åland Islands has legislative power to pass laws and set budgets including the matters of the environment. Finnish state law applies to matters related to foreign affairs, customs and other. Åland has been developing its sustainability agenda since 2014 and as a result developed an “Everyone Can Flourish” vision in 2016 which includes setting goals and developing policies for sustainable development in line with the SDGs and UN 2030 Agenda. Shared ownership and inclusive decision-making are among the core principles of Åland’s agenda. Systematic monitoring and indicators have been developed to monitor the implementation of the vision. The archipelago set seven strategic development goals among which are preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity. The Åland energy and climate strategy to 2030 additionally sets targets and goals for climate work, energy efficiency and information sharing on climate, energy and sustainability.

Bärkraft.ax network. (n.d.). Development and sustainability agenda for Åland. https://www.regeringen.ax/sites/default/files/attachments/page/development-and-sustainability-agenda-for-aland.pdf

Petersen, S. (n.d.). Nature and environmental management. Retrieved November 18, 2024. https://trap.fo/en/nature-and-landscape/natur-og-miljoforvaltning-pa-faeroerne/

The Government of the Faroe Islands (n.d.). Føroyar - The Faroe Islands. Retrieved November 18, 2024. https://www.government.fo/en/foreign-relations/about-the-faroe-islands

The Government of Greenland. (n.d.). Departement for Landbrug, Selvforsyning, Energi og Miljø. Retrieved November 18, 2024. https://naalakkersuisut.gl/Departementer/Dep_for_Land_Selvforsyn_Energi_og_Miljoe/Natur_og_Selvforsyning?sc_lang=da

The Government of Åland. (2024). Everyone Can Flourish on the Islands of Peace: Åland Voluntary Review 2024. https://www.regeringen.ax/sites/default/files/attachments/article/Everyone%20Can%20Flourish%20on%20the%20Island%20of%20Peace%20-%20%C3%85land%20Voluntary%20Review%202024%20%281%29.pdf

Ålands landskapsregering. (2017). Energi- och klimatstrategi för Åland till år 2030 [Energy and climate strategy for Åland until 2030]. https://www.regeringen.ax/sites/default/files/attachments/guidedocument/lr_energi_klimatstrat_2030.pdf