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Inclusive smart communities? Mapping the impact of connectivity in the Nordic-Baltic region

The Nordic-Baltic region, renowned for its digital proficiency, faces a critical challenge: a widening digital divide between urban centres and its vast, sparsely populated rural areas. To address this, a new Nordregio research project “Nordic-Baltic Connectivity (NB-Connect) was launched, building upon the success of its predecessor.

Cross-Nordic perspectives: From research insights to policy inspiration

How can urban, rural, and regional policies contribute to the Vision 2030 of making the Nordic Region the most sustainable and integrated region in the world? Starting from January 2025, we will give you a closer look through a series of events. Our research insight series offers an opportunity to explore how urban, rural, and regional policies can work in synergy to address shared challenges and create sustainable solutions. We will share selected highlights from research and projects carried out by Nordic thematic working groups in 2021-2024. Each event will focus on a different topic. Through different perspectives, they highlight the unique benefits of Nordic cooperation, showcasing how Nordic countries, regions, cities and municipalities are working together to address shared challenges and opportunities through tailored and locally adapted solutions. You can already sign up for: Upcoming sessions later in the new year will address remote work, social inclusion, smart adaptation in rural areas, and climate-neutral cities. Stay tuned for more details! This series provides a platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration among policymakers, researchers and academics, as well as practitioners in the Nordic Region. Join us to learn, share, and draw inspiration for the future of regional policy and practice. Get insights into how Nordic collaboration translates research into policy inspiration and strategies that benefit the entire region.

Are we ready for a more diverse care sector in the future?

Gender imbalance in nursing has significant social, cultural and economic implications. Nursing remains a female profession, which not only limits workforce diversity – but also perpetuates gender norms. Encouraging more men to enter and succeed in the field is essential to address critical workforce shortages and ensure equitable representation. A more diverse workforce enhances creativity, improves patient care and better reflects the communities it serves, ultimately contributing to a more equitable healthcare system.  According to Gísli Kort Kristófersson, Professor of psychiatric nursing at University of Akureyri, and a project member in “Share the Care”, there are four main reasons why we should increase male enrollment to nursing:  “First of all, it’s kind of a human right argument. Males should have the right to go to nursing without having this micro aggression. It has to be a choice, and it has to be with you being the person you want to be.  Two is work force reason […]. If we are only recruiting from one half of the population […], if we only recruit to nursing people with red hair we would have less nurses, and it’s the same with gender […] and we are facing a shortage of nursing.  Then there is a quality reason […] that the nurses should represent the users they serve, and this goes for race, ethnicity, culture, […], and gender is only one part of that.  And then there are also evidences to suggest that more gender balanced workplaces are a little happier”.   Why are men under-represented in nursing, why are they dropping out of nursing studies and why don’t they take jobs in the care sector? The project tries to address these questions. Funded by the Nordic Gender Equality Fund (NIKK), the Share the Care project is a joint initiative of Nordregio and partners from Iceland, Norway…

Remote work is redefining Nordic urban and regional landscapes 

Remote work is no longer a passing trend; it is fundamentally altering how people in the Nordic Region live, move, and interact with space. With hybrid work now the norm for many, its effects on transportation, housing, urban cores, and rural areas demand strategic attention. As policymakers and planners navigate these shifts, embracing change while shaping sustainable outcomes has never been more critical.  Drawing from Nordregio’s collected research on the topic, this report explores the implications of remote work for planners and policymakers as they navigate the evolving landscape. It focuses on the tools and policies used in Nordic countries after the COVID-19 pandemic to support remote work.   COVID-19: A significant shift in work patterns  The numbers are clear: remote work levels in the Nordic Region surged during the pandemic, and have remained high ever since, exceeding those in the rest of the European Union. Norway, in particular, has seen a dramatic increase, and Denmark reports the lowest levels in the region after the pandemic. Despite this growth, most of the Nordic population still cannot, or chooses not to, work remotely – 58% never work from home in 2023 compared to 73% in 2017. However, hybrid work has become the new normal for a substantial segment of the population, bringing about notable spatial effects.  Changing mobility and settlement patterns  The rise of remote work has influenced migration patterns, with higher mobility observed during the pandemic, especially movements away from major cities. While most relocations have remained within metropolitan areas, rural regions and smaller towns have gained attention as viable alternatives. This “two-way exchange” benefits both sides: while future mobility patterns are unclear, it is possible for remote work to further enable economic growth in urban centres or for rural areas to attract skilled workers and boost local services. Studies reveal local…

New toolbox identifies six crucial areas for a just green transition

To achieve their climate goals, the Nordic countries need to implement ambitious climate policies in the coming years. The green transition impacts all parts of society, and the just green transition means adding a social dimension: it must be inclusive and avoid disproportionately affecting certain groups.   Policymakers face a major challenge of ensuring that everyone is part of the journey to climate neutrality. This calls for a broader understanding of the social implications, which is why the Nordic research institute Nordregio just launched a digital toolbox, providing policymakers with the knowledge and resources to develop inclusive, fair policies.    Nordregio’s research, supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers, identified six actionable priority areas to make the transition inclusive: developing a vision, engaging citizens, assessing and mitigating social and regional impacts, adopting a place-based approach, investing in inclusive reskilling and upskilling, and supporting green choices.   “The user-friendly toolbox highlights the key areas policymakers need to keep track of, which is invaluable when working to ensure that Iceland’s green transition is both fair and inclusive”, says Eggert Benedikt Guðmundsson, Leader of Sustainable Development in the Prime Minister´s Office of Iceland, and chair of the research project’s steering group.    The consequences of an unjust green transition could be far-reaching, with increased social inequalities and divides, reduced economic productivity, and lower competitiveness.    “We want to point out in a simple way what policymakers need to take into account to make the green transition as fair as possible”, Nora Sánchez Gassen, senior researcher at Nordregio.     The toolbox is the final product of Nordregio’s research project Not Just a Green Transition (NJUST) – Examining the path towards a socially just green transition in the Nordic Region. The content is based on desk research, a Nordic survey and discussions with representatives of social groups. Extra attention is…

Nordic Summit highlights synergies for sustainable lifestyles 

The Nordic countries are often considered global front-runners when it comes to creating sustainable societies. And while we do a lot of things right, big tasks lie ahead if we are to reach our vision of being the most integrated and sustainable region in the world by 2030. So how can we make sustainable everyday choices more attractive?  The Sustainable Living programme set out to explore this, collecting six innovative projects, each addressing a crucial aspect of sustainability: youth, food, culture, product labelling, education, and gender. The ultimate goal is to make sustainable choices the new norm in the Nordic Region and this requires a team effort across sectors and country borders. This week, Nordregio hosted the Sustainable Living Summit in Stockholm, marking the conclusion of the four-year programme. The event launched the Sustainable Living Hub, collecting all the project resources in one place, and thought leaders across industries, policy, government, academia and civil society joined as we shared an inspiring conference day for sharing Nordic knowledge. Nordregio was pleased by the strong interest in the event, with nearly 700 people registering to attend either in person at Kulturhuset or online (watch a recording of the event here).   Sweden’s Climate Minister, Romina Pourmokhtari, was invited to open the full-day event, and she set the tone for a collaborative atmosphere by putting emphasis on our everyday practices and Nordic collaborations:   “The Sustainable Living programme is a shining example of how we can foster sustainable lifestyle choices and integrate sustainability into our everyday lives through concrete guidelines and Nordic peer learning.”  Her words encapsulated the sense of responsibility that echoed throughout the day’s discussions, underscoring the need to tackle environmental challenges across sectors and disciplines. Throughout the day, the speakers put the spotlight on both a policy level and an individual level. Sustainable…

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Young leaders practice slow fashion and push for action in Vilnius

Slow fashion initiatives were on the agenda as Nordregio facilitated hands-on upcycling workshops for youth last week at the first-ever Nordic-Baltic Youth Summit in Vilnius. Read the key takeaways and youth insights.

How to boost robust regional civil preparedness?

As global challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, and geopolitical tensions intensify, preparedness and resilience have become central concerns for policymakers at all levels. Nordic regions face various risks, including severe weather events, disruptions to food and energy supplies, and cross-border emergencies. Ensuring robust civil preparedness is essential to maintain stability and operational capacity during crises. A newly published storymap ‘Robust regional civil preparedness in the Nordic Region’ introduces a selection of good practices to showcase how Nordic regions address risks and challenges through locally adapted solutions. The good practice examples have been collected as a part of Nordregio’s Robust Regional Preparedness project that examines the regional policy dimension of building civil preparedness and resilience. Elin Slätmo, Senior Research Fellow at Nordregio and project leader of Robust Regional Preparedness, explains: “In this assignment from the Nordic regional ministers, our team is looking into how regional policy in the Nordics addresses civil preparedness and crisis response. We are also working to identify cases and good examples from across the Nordic Region.“ Diverse initiatives across the Nordic Region The storymap reflects a wide range of diverse approaches for strengthening civil preparedness at regional and local levels. In addition, the examples highlight the importance of cooperation between different actors to address shared risks and enhance joint preparedness. Among the 24 featured good practices, you can discover for instance how: What is the role of regional policy and local and regional action in build robust societies? Civil preparedness is an important part of managing risks ranging from natural disasters like storms and wildfires to disruptions in essential services such as food and energy. Local and regional authorities are often the first to respond and take action, implementing measures that safeguard communities and ensure the continuity of essential services. Their ability to implement flexible,…

The future of food: Nordregio at Green Innovation Week 2024

How are the nutrition professionals of tomorrow working towards a greener and healthier world? What motivates a career in the food industry? Nordregio is going to Green Innovation Week 2024.

Sweden’s climate minister opens Nordic sustainability summit

On 15 October, a range of sustainability stakeholders will gather in Stockholm as Nordregio hosts a conference on sustainable lifestyles. Sweden’s Minister for Climate and the Environment, Romina Pourmokhtari, will give the opening speech.

Civil society’s key role in bridging the digital divide

In an increasingly digital world, the gap between those included in the transformation and those left behind becomes even more prominent. In the Nordic-Baltic Region, many civil society organisations are leading the charge to close this divide. Our new Storymap, Bytes and Rights covers the challenges and achievements in bringing digital inclusion to at-risk groups. In recent years, civil society actors have received more responsibility for the work on digital inclusion – both from a political side and from increasing demands from their user groups. Despite this, we know little about what characterises their work, and what strategies and methods work well. We wanted to change this. Through desk research, a survey and interviews, we have mapped the support civil society actors offer socially at-risk groups across the Nordics and Baltics, as part of our research project Digital Inclusion in Action, in which we promote collaboration, dialogue, and knowledge sharing between practitioners and policymakers. Key findings from Bytes and Rights The research resulted in one of our most comprehensive Storymaps ever, where we give the word back to the civil society actors. “Bytes and Rights: Civil society’s role in digital inclusion” features insights from 17 NGOs and their approaches to include their target groups, such as older adults, people with disabilities, immigrants, socially vulnerable, rural communities, and youth. Our survey targeted 314 civil society actors across the Nordic and Baltic Region, and received 74 responses. 93% of them reported their target groups being at risk of exclusion, and 83% offered assistance to combat this. The civil society actors’ key approaches to aiding the target groups were: Despite their efforts, organisations face financial, societal, and political hurdles, putting spanners in the works: Financial challenges: Insufficient funding, short-term planning, and limited personnel and time.Societal challenges: Negative stereotypes (“it’s their own fault”), decreasing…

Strategies for youth climate action in new report

How do youth organisations for climate and sustainability work with inclusion and recruitment? And how can they reach out to and engage more people? At the launch of a new report by NIKK for Nordregio, challenges and strategies were discussed with youth representatives in the Nordic region.  

This Fall is Green – event series

Summers are hotter, winters are colder and this fall is green. Climate change is a growing storm, potentially bringing Nordic stability to an end. What can be done to reverse the damage and change the future?  This fall, Nordregio is leading the charge with an event series dedicated to research-based tools and best practices for advancing the green transition – and we’re not gatekeeping any of it! Come with us on a green tinted pathway from research to action.   Nordic countries are committed to significant green transition milestones, aiming for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Nordic Vision by 2030. Yet, achieving climate targets and cutting consumption-based emissions is lagging. To secure a sustainable future, we must take bold steps. “Nordregio’s research provides insights and solutions to support a just green transition across a wide range of topics. My hope is that through This Fall is Green, we can offer a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the Nordic Region towards the Nordic Vision 2030 – and inspire to act accordingly.” – Rolf Elmér, Nordregio director This year, the fall is green. The green transition cannot wait—it requires a joint effort across sectors and disciplines. How can we together speed up the transition towards a socio-economically inclusive and climate-neutral region? Our event series will guide you through the critical steps necessary to achieve this transformation. This Fall is Green will highlight the latest research on achieving a socially just green transition and offer actionable policy recommendations. Together, we can accelerate progress toward the Nordic Vision: becoming the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030. Register now for tools and inspiration: ACTION: Nordic solutions and inspiration for key actors driving the changeSustainable Living Summit is a full-day conference in Stockholm and online offering research results, tools and…

A new global benchmark for localising the 2030 Agenda

Development happens locally – but what does that look like at a cross-national level? During the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, the Nordic countries presented the first-ever Nordic Voluntary Sub-National Review (VSR), setting a new global benchmark for localising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Representatives from Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark presented the collaborative findings, and international and youth actors offered learnings for implementing the 2030 Agenda at the local level across Nordic municipalities. “Local level is taking the lead” “As this new Nordic VSR shows, the local level is taking the lead in advancing sustainability and transforming society, by integrating the SDGs in steering models and utilising them as tools to spur cross-sectoral collaboration and enhance the quality of life for citizens,” declared Anna Karin Eneström, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations, as she opened the session. This sentiment was echoed throughout the event, highlighting the critical role that municipalities play in translating global goals into strategic local actions. The most sustainable region in the world by 2030 Nordic countries operate under a decentralised welfare model where regions and municipalities have extensive responsibilities based on strong local self-government, something which Merete Fjeld Brattested, Norway’s Permanent Representative to the UN, pointed out to serve as a benchmark for systematically addressing sustainability challenges. The long tradition of robust relations between the different levels of government, supported by national agencies, produces reliable statistics, creating favourable conditions for working towards sustainable development. By 2030, the Nordic Region aims to be the most sustainable and integrated region in the world, according to the Vision 2030, accepted by all Nordic governments. The Vision 2030 and the 2030 Agenda are strongly interlinked. Multilevel cooperation is key to enhance the implementation of these agendas, as Eeva Furman pointed out during…

What would a fully integrated Nordic labour market look like?  

For seven decades, Nordic citizens have had the opportunity to travel, live and work in another Nordic country without permits and with common rights. This was celebrated with a jubilee conference in Malmö, where Nordregio launched a report “Nordic Common Labour Market: 70 Years and Beyond,” examining the past, present, and future of this pivotal agreement.   70 years of Nordic labour mobility  Established in 1954, the Nordic Common Labour Market agreement has significantly facilitated cross-border employment, fostering economic cooperation and mobility. However, despite the longstanding cooperation, practical barriers such as as tax legislation and language barriers still hinder seamless cross-border labour movement.  To evaluate the impact of the agreement, Nordregio researchers Anna Lundgren, Gustaf Norlén, Debora Pricila Birgier and Nora Sanchéz Gassen presented a literature review, analysed available statistics, and conducted surveys, and interviews. The report reveals that while 15% of Nordic citizens move houses within their countries annually, only 40,000 people per year move to another Nordic country. Nordic citizens working and living in another Nordic country in 2023 was 1.6%. In the year 2000, this number was 1.9%, a lower average compared to 3.9% in Europe in 2023.   – What surprised me the most was the importance of geographical and cultural closeness when it comes to moving within the Nordic region. Norwegians form the largest minority population at the Swedish border. Similarly, Danes are also a prominent minority at the Swedish border. In Denmark, Greenlanders constitute the largest minority in several municipalities, underscoring the historical and ongoing connections within the Kingdom of Denmark, Anna Lundgren stated.   Key Insights from the report  Reflecting historical migration trends, the largest group of migrants in Sweden are those older than 70, particularly those who moved from Finland during the 1970s. In contrast, Iceland and the Faroe Islands attract many young Nordic migrants.…

Regional disparities on the rise: taking stock of the trends shaping the Nordic Region

State of the Nordic Region 2024 is out! The 20th edition takes stock of the latest development trends on demography, labour market and economy across the Nordic countries and regions.

Nordic finance ministers discuss Nordregio research

On June 3 and 4, the Nordic finance ministers convened in Stockholm to address shared economic challenges. Key topics included the economic and political management of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the subsequent energy and inflation crises in the Nordic region.

Nordic geographies of discontent – what are the drivers?

The recent years have been marked by a rising sentiment of discontent, increasingly polarised political debates and shifting political attitudes and electoral behaviour across the Western liberal democracies. The Nordic countries have also seen their share of emerging political discontent, increasing urban-rural and periphery-centre divides, as well as economic, social, cultural, and demographic divergence that contribute towards forming geographies of discontent. Myriam Chilvers, Research Fellow at Nordregio and one of the authors, sums up some of the key questions as “Is political discontent driven by where you live, either in a remote rural area or a big city? And how can this discontent be measured in a transparent way? Which are the driving forces of political discontent?” and adds that while academics and political thinkers alike have long thought that the apparent voting divide between rural and urban areas may provide a hint on both questions, there is more to explore. “This paper has established some of the key economic, social, cultural or demographic factors that might be driving this phenomenon in a Nordic context”, she notes. The working paper and the map have been published as a part of ‘Ensuring inclusive economic growth in the transition to a green economy (EnIGG)’ project. The work in the project continues until the end of 2024. Looking ahead, Carlos Tapia, Senior Research Fellow at Nordregio, explains: “The next step will be to look deeper into whether geographies of discontent have appeared in the Nordics, and develop an empirical model to quantify the influence of the various factors fuelling discontent”. More results will follow in the upcoming months. About ‘Ensuring inclusive economic growth in the transition to a green economy (EnIGG)’ projectThe project analyses how the Nordic countries can accelerate the green transition towards a climate-neutral economy. It explores the issue from different…

Can Nordic-Baltic collaboration help bridge the digital divide?

No social inclusion without digital inclusion. By joining forces, the Nordic and Baltic countries can enhance their efforts in bridging the digital divide. Nordregio’s “Digital Inclusion in the Nordic-Baltic Region” conference held in Stockholm 14-15 May, which introduced new research, tools and strategic collaboration, marks a step towards joint efforts in address this pressing issue. Approximately 85 experts from across the Nordic and Baltic region gathered in Stockholm to discuss challenges, solutions and the future for inclusion through new research, tools, and methodologies. The conference attracted policymakers, practitioners, civil society actors, academia and private sector, creating an interactive environment for dialogue and exchange. Throughout the two conference days, we welcomed renowned speakers from different countries and sectors, launched reports and tools, and made room for discussion on how to further cooperation across the region. Dan Sjöblom, Director-General of the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Representative for the Swedish presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2024, opened the conference, offering a context to the conference by emphasising the need to integrate digital inclusion into broader societal contexts. “Digital inclusion is no longer a standalone issue,” Sjöblom stated. “Being excluded digitally means being excluded from society. We need to start talking about being included in society overall.” And the conference was kicked off! 19 new policies – and the Nordic-Baltic digital paradox The Nordic and Baltic societies are among the most digitalised in the world, and while this progress brings many benefits, it can also deepen societal divides. Sigrid Jessen, researcher at Nordregio and project leader for “Digital Inclusion in Action” discussed how the so-called Nordic-Baltic digital paradox of digital advancements can exacerbate exclusion for those unable to participate. So, what is being done in the Nordic and Baltics to address this? Nordregio’s report “National Digital Inclusion Initiatives…

Learning together to change how we use and plan our shared seas 

In the face of climate change, biodiversity loss, and emerging maritime activities, we need to redefine how we collaborate over sea basins in the Nordic and Baltic Region. Rapid growth in industries like wind energy, fishing, and shipping is good for the economy but can harm the environment. Finding a balance is crucial – but how?  The European Union is moving to update Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) practices in response to these challenges, but with knowledge and decision-making decentralised across countries and authorities, solutions are complicated to reach. Diverse countries and stakeholders possess pieces of the puzzle, underscoring the need for an MSP framework that is not only flexible but also visionary in the long term. We need to change how we use, know and plan the seas as we navigate a challenging future in which adaptive and collaborative governance is key.  eMSP NBSR brings together decision-makers to address challenges  The European Green Deal protects the seas, encouraging sustainable human activities in areas such as renewable energy and cleaner shipping. This is the backdrop against which the eMSP NBSR project operates. The research project, which stands for “Emerging Ecosystem-based Maritime Spatial Planning Topics in the North and Baltic Sea Regions”, develops knowledge and links stakeholders within the five most emerging topics in MSP: ocean governance, ecosystem-based MSP, sustainable blue economy, monitoring and evaluation, and data sharing.  Through collaboration and knowledge-sharing, eMSP is developing the capacity to better equip policymakers to address current and future challenges in the North and Baltic sea regions. The project’s culmination recently took place with a conference and the delivery of seven policy briefs, aimed at EU policymakers, local and regional authorities, maritime planners, businesses, NGOs, researchers, and universities.  Nordregio was responsible for facilitating the eMSP NBSR Scientific Advisory Board and for documenting the learning in…