^{Words by Trygve Sunde Kolderup – Head of Sustainability, DNT – The Norwegian Trekking Association}

The Norwegian Trekking Association has just published its first ever sustainability strategy.

Download the full PDF in English here.

Overconsumption, gas emissions and degradation of valuable natural resources are the greatest challenges of our time. We must all face up to this, including those of us who facilitate and enjoy outdoors life: on the one hand, transport, energy use and emissions must be reduced; on the other hand, equipment for outdoor life is expensive and unnecessarily specialized.

The Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT)  operates activities and cabins in valuable and vulnerable countryside spots. This entails great responsibility. Our sustainability work therefore aims high.

Ever since the organisation was founded in 1868, facilitating simple outdoor life has been a core task, and with our huts and lodges we have been operating a sharing economy for 150 years.

With our credibility, long history and large membership base, we believe that DNT can act as a pioneering example inspiring members, as well as the society overall, towards a more sustainable future.

The new strategy sets overall sustainability goals for our own operations and aims to make nature- and climate-friendly outdoor life accessible to all. By improving our operations, we will inspire people to make environmentally smart choices in their everyday lives and further influence themselves decision-makers towards a sustainable direction.

The sustainability strategy has 20 targets to be reached till 2030 focusing on three axes:
1) Reduce the environmental footprint of outdoor life
2) Ensure that our cabins/lodges and route network will be Norway’s most sustainable holiday and leisure offering
3) Promote interests related to outdoor life and our shared natural heritage with a strong voice.

To reach the targets, hard and efficient work is needed, as well as continuous improvement; in that direction, the first step will be the establishment of a joint tool for systematic environmental management throughout our 57 local clubs.

Our sustainability strategy is available here.