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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…

Will electric aviation take off in the Nordic Region?

Are we going to see electric airplanes criss-crossing the Nordic skies in the near future? The distinctive geography and commitment to climate neutral transport in the Nordics sets the stage for an ideal testing ground for new innovations. But if electric aviation becomes a reality, how would it impact regions and local communities? Nordregio’s new report offers insights through case studies and future scenarios. Exploring the future of electric aviation in the Nordic Region Electric aviation has potential to transform aviation and offer a solution for more sustainable air travel. While the topic is attracting increasing interest and gaining momentum, there is still much to explore. As Rebecca Cavicchia, Senior Research Fellow at Nordregio, explains: “when it comes to research about electric aviation, most of the studies have focused on the technical aspects of airplanes and infrastructure. However, it is important to look at the regional development dimension as well.” Five Nordic scenarios highlight challenges and opportunities The report presents five case studies and future scenarios for electric aviation in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and maps out a ten-year future scenario for turning electric aviation into reality in specific routes and regions. Building on insights from analyses and focus group discussions with local stakeholders, the report draws out trajectories for connections between: “All cases are unique and shed light on different aspects and nuances of electric aviation”, Jonas Kačkus Tybjerg, Research Assistant at Nordregio and one of the report’s co-authors, notes. The views differ from looking at electric aviation as means of working towards climate targets, leveraging it as a catalyst for regional development and connecting remote areas, or seeing it as a novel alternative to conventional flights. The cases highlight both the positive and negative sides of the electric aviation. “We looked at the issue broadly and…

Nordic Day on mobility and cross-border collaboration – where are we in 2024?

Overcoming mobility issues for Nordic citizens and businesses is a key part of the work in becoming the most integrated and sustainable region by 2030. In times of global challenges we need strengthened political commitment to solving Nordic regional issues. How do we facilitate freedom of movement in the future? This was the central question at Monday's event in Stockholm ahead of Nordic Day 23 March.

A new typology tool available – enabling spatial analysis more detailed than ever

Uppsala, Sweden’s largest rural municipality – while being Sweden’s fourth largest city? Up until now, it was impossible to conduct a comparative Nordic analysis of such internal differences within municipalities. But with Nordregio’s new tool, you can move beyond the traditional municipal-level analysis using a 1×1 km grid, allowing for an unprecedented level of detail in territorial studies. The Nordic urban-rural typology illustrates the complexity and diversity within the regions and captures nuances that have previously been missed. Mats Stjernberg, senior researcher at Nordregio explains: “In reality, a municipality can simultaneously comprise various types of areas. If we classify a municipality like Uppsala as being either ‘a’ or ‘b’, we lose the ability to perceive these differences within the municipality.” “The most novel aspect is that it is based on a grid level, down to kilometre level. Until now, there hasn’t been anything as detailed at a Nordic level.”, Anna Vasilevskaya, GIS Analyst at Nordregio. The typology can be used to get  insights into demographic trends and significant advancement in spatial analysis, for a more sophisticated approach to addressing and planning for the needs of diverse territories, for example planning of housing markets, and urban and rural services. Up until now, the most used classification system for international comparisons between countries has been DEGURBA from Eurostat, classifying areas into three types of territories: cities (densely populated areas); towns and suburbs (intermediate density areas) and rural areas (thinly populated areas). This set-up of parameters can create classifications that don’t always correspond to what those municipalities are like in reality. For example, Gällivare in northern Sweden, is classified as an intermediate municipality by DEGURBA. Meaning, not urban, not rural, but somewhere in between. Gällivare is, however, extremely sparsely populated and even uninhabited in large parts, with most of the population living very…
  • 2024 March

National initiatives are critical catalysts for sustainable urban development

Central governments in the Nordics often find their hands tied in influencing local-level priorities, especially concerning land use. This has sparked a series of innovative planning approaches and support mechanisms to encourage sustainable urban development across the region. But striking a balance with respect to state-municipal governance is essential, explains Johannes Lidmo, a researcher at Nordregio. “It is necessary to avoid overly strict control. You need to consider how national support initiatives can strengthen already existing local efforts aimed at sustainable urban development”, says Johannes Lidmo. “It is clear, though, that they can be useful complementary tools to spatial planning.” Lidmo is one of the co-authors of a new report titled “National Support Initiatives in Nordic Spatial Planning,” which analyses programs across Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. It showcases a variety of approaches to sustainable urban development, from Norway’s FutureBuilt initiative, focusing on reducing carbon emissions in construction, to Denmark’s Partnership for Vibrant City Centres and its concerted effort to keep city centers alive and thriving. It was important for the authors to study various types of national support initiatives rather than comparing similar ones. “The purpose of this was to shed light on the different approaches that can be found in the Nordic countries; so they can be an inspiration or be adopted at either the national or local level in other contexts,” explained Johannes Lidmo. The other case studies the report dives into is Sweden’s Visions: in the North, which aims to integrate beauty, inclusivity, and sustainability into urban development. It looks at Finland’s Sustainable City Programme that pushes for smart, sustainable urban living solutions. Finally, Iceland’s Borgarlína project which a testament to bottom-up climate action and sustainable transport planning. Against the backdrop of these municipal case studies and comparative analysis, the report highlights the different ways…
  • 2024 March

Our food choices are not rational – do we need a sugar tax, meat tax and subsidies on fruit and vegetables to make us eat better?

Changing our eating habits is the most effective thing we can do for both public health and the climate in the Nordics. According to a new report, taxes and subsidies are key policy tools for making that happen. Thought leaders in the food system call for strong governmental action and more collaboration for better evidence-based policies. Dietary habits are a major factor in disease development, and food systems are responsible for one-third of human-caused emissions. The new report “Policy tools for sustainable and healthy eating” explores policy measures that could facilitate the adoption of sustainable and healthy food alternatives at a time when scientific evidence repeatedly underscores the mounting pressures on both climate and public health. “This new report gives us the direction and tools for the difficult decisions we need to make and the discussions we need to have in order to make things easier for people to live sustainably and healthily,” says Karen Ellemann, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers. The report demonstrates how the Nordic countries can bolster their food consumption strategies in various ways and create an environment that makes it possible for citizens to eat sustainably and healthily. Taxes and subsidies are key policy tools and the report also suggests co-operation on labelling and marketing regulations to make it easier for people in the Nordics to enjoy healthier and more climate-friendly diets. People want cheaper fruits and vegetables – where is the political response? During the report launch event, several panel discussions were held with a mix of representatives from academia, government, industry, and civil society. Olga Grönvall Lund, representing the association Reformaten, highlighted the disconnect between politicians’ readiness to employ policy tools and the communication of these efforts to the public, underscoring the urgent need for more informed decision-making by both policymakers…

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New NATO map to mark Sweden’s full membership

With Sweden’s NATO accession, all Nordic countries are now full members of the Alliance. To mark this milestone, Nordregio has published an updated map showing NATO and non-NATO membership in Europe. Sweden became NATO’s 32nd member on 7 March 2024. Finland joined in 2023, while Denmark, Iceland, and Norway count among the founding members and part of the Alliance since 1949. Nordregio marks this new era of defence cooperation with an updated NATO map. The new map is a follow-up to our earlier editions (from 2015 and 2023) that have been among Nordregio’s most viewed maps.
  • 2024 March

Combining carrots and sticks: How to nudge the Nordics towards sustainable and healthy eating habits

When it comes to getting us to eat in a way that’s healthier and more climate-friendly, we need both the crack of the whip in the form of taxes, and the dangle of a carrot in the form of subsidies. But information campaigns and other measures are also required if we’re to succeed. That’s what Leneisja Jungsberg, Senior Research Fellow at Nordregio, says. Leneisja Jungsberg is a co-author of the report Policy tools for sustainable and healthy eating. The report assists with the follow-up to and implementation of the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR2023), which were published last year and attracted a lot of attention, largely because of the links drawn between our food and the climate for the first time. This follow-up report goes one step further and looks at what policy can do specifically to steer our eating habits towards being more climate-smart. The report mentions, among other things, a sugar tax, a meat tax, and subsidies for fruit and veg. “If you want to get people in the Nordics to change their eating habits, it’s important to consider a combination of policy instruments and incentives. Although taxes and subsidies play a significant role, they must be supplemented by measures such as information campaigns and things to nudge them in the right direction,” says Leneisja Jungsberg. According to Jungsberg, politicians have a responsibility to put the necessary guidelines in place and to promote cooperation between the public and private sectors. Politicians must also create a stable foundation through legal and administrative frameworks. Jungsberg says that the most important message from the report is that we have to understand how various food-related, personal, and socio-environmental factors affect the way in which we react to different control instruments. “In assessing policy instruments from a behavioural change perspective, it becomes clear how…

What are the best city parks in the Nordics?

During the recent launch of the handbook, Green and Healthy Nordic Cities, the presenters and audience were asked to share their favorite park in the city where they live.
  • 2024 February

Monitoring and assessing digital inclusion in the Nordic-Baltic region

Our Nordic and Baltic societies are becoming more and more digital, where digital skills are required to seek jobs and educational opportunities, use health care services or perform economic activities. This leads to a paradox – causing a higher degree of digital exclusion for those who cannot, or choose not, to use these services. Digital Inclusion in Action launches two significant publications during a launch webinar. The event, led by researchers Sigrid Jessen and Maja Brynteson, unveiled a policy report on national digital inclusion initiatives in the Nordic and Baltic countries and a discussion paper on monitoring practices in these regions. The policy report, co-authored by Nicola Wendt-Lucas, Sigrid Jessen and Maja Brynteson, delves into the national policies and initiatives of the Nordic and Baltic countries concerning digital inclusion. It reveals a substantial increase in initiatives related to digital inclusion, evidenced by the publication of 19 new strategies in less than two years. Despite the lack of a common definition of digital inclusion across these countries, there seems to be a shared understanding of its fundamental aspects, emphasising social justice and inclusion. The report also identifies the primary target groups for digital inclusion as older adults and people with disabilities, with some policies also focusing on immigrants, women, younger adults, and lower-income and education groups. A key takeaway from the report is the necessity for more harmonised monitoring to develop in-depth studies and evidence-based policies. The discussion paper, presented by partners from Digital Europe, Louise Palludan Kampmann and Lasse Wulff Andersen, emphasises the importance of monitoring digital inclusion to understand its scale and to foster evidence-based policymaking. The paper suggests that while the Nordic and Baltic countries have made significant strides in digital inclusion at the policy level, there is a gap in implementing corresponding monitoring practices. Key recommendations from…

Report to ensure gender equality in the Nordic blue economy

The blue economy, including maritime industries like fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism, is a vital sector in the Nordic region, and particularly for many coastal communities. However, the participation and representation of women in this sector have lagged behind, raising concerns about gender equality, inclusion and even harassment. A new report from Nordregio sheds light on this issue, offering insightful data and actionable recommendations, is now launched to increase gender equality in the blue economy. The “Ensuring Gender Equality in the Nordic Blue Economy” report, authored by Anna Karlsdóttir and Hjördis Guðmundsdóttir, was launched at Arctic Frontiers in Tromsö, Norway – a conference for science, policy and business in the Arctic region. The report highlights significant strides in gender equality within the Nordic blue economy, but also points out areas needing attention. “The notion of gender, women or equality is, with very few exceptions, absent from literature relate to the blue economy. This needs to be fixed! This lack of prioritizing gender equality is a challenge, not only for women, but for securing local communities along the coast, and creating equitable opportunities for leadership”, Karlsdóttir explains. Nordic Council of Ministers Secretary General Karen Ellemann, opening the joint Nordregio, Nordic Council of Ministers and ProTromsø event at the Arctic Frontiers, emphasised the importance of this research, stating, “Women are significantly underrepresented in the blue economy, and that is a problem for several reasons – not only because gender equality in these sectors boosts sustainability. When women are involved in natural resources, it benefits sustainability.” Harassment and harsh culture a problem for the sector Even though advancements have been made in several sectors, challenges remain – and some challenges come in the shape of sexual harassment. Susanne Mortensen, fisher and author of the opinion piece that set in motion the fishing industry’s Metoo…

Enhancing economic competence in Åland: Insights and strategies for policy enhancement

How can Åland improve its economic competence to manage future challenges? A new policy briefing on the topic emphasises the island’s importance of addressing contemporary megatrends, including demographic shifts, globalisation, digitalisation, and climate change. The article is a contribution to the Centrum Balticum Policy Briefing series and is written by Anna Lundgren, Senior Research Fellow at Nordregio, and co-author Jukka Teräs at NORCE. Åland, the autonomous region with slightly over 30,000 inhabitants in the Baltic Sea, is both an island economy and strongly interconnected with its neighbours in the global world, for example through international shipping, trade, tourism and international networks. In this policy briefing, the authors explore the implementation of the EU Structural Funds in Åland (2014-2020) and discuss how Åland can improve its economic competence to manage future challenges. The development of firms is closely linked to the macro-level economic development of the region, and to release systemic benefits and foster sustainable development, it is important to analyse current megatrends and engage with stakeholders from different levels of government. Moreover, to improve the organisational, technical and learning capabilities in a small economy such as Åland, attracting talent and competence and fostering place-based solutions is important. Read the policy briefing here.

Unwrapping Generational Delights: Nordic Christmas Care Map Revealed! 

As the year approaches its grand finale, the prospect of holiday relaxation beckons. However, we empathise with parents from whom the jolly chaos of keeping up with little ones can sometimes make you yearn for the tranquillity of your regular day job. Fear not! In some parts of our Nordic Region, help is closer than you might think.  Nordregio presents: The Generational Guardian Map  Our research led us to discover hidden corners in the Nordics, where the magic of Christmas care unfolds in a delightful generational dance. Here’s your sneak peek into the heartwarming narrative of our “Generational Guardian Map.”  As it turns out, the Generational Guardian heatmap puts the spotlight on Värmdö, Täby, Stockholm, Solna, Älmhult and Växjö in Sweden; Tårnby, Høje-Taastrup and Rødovre in Denmark; Ii, Laukaa, Sipoo in Finland; Lemland in Åland, Grimstad, Vegårshei, Hægebostad, Hareid, Frøya, Overhalla and Bodø in Norway; Borgarbyggð and Vestmannaeyjabær in Iceland; Vágar in Faroe Islands; and Kujalleq in Greenland. In other words: this is where you, parents of young children, can ensure your Christmas is not only festive but restful too.   Mapping Generational Harmony  Imagine a village where the wisdom of grandparents intertwines seamlessly with the laughter of children, creating a Nordic symphony of care.   Our GIS and demographic data have artfully painted this blissful image, to guide you to the corners where the elderly step in to look after the little ones, and where no senior is left alone for the holidays. This map is our gift to you – a ticket to a Christmas where generations unite to make the holidays truly enchanting.  Let’s decipher the ratios that paint a picture of the interplay between the elderly and the young in Nordic municipalities.  The map ingeniously displays the ratio of elderly individuals to children, acting as a key to…

Young people in the Nordic countries demand changes for sustainability

On November 1-3, 2023, a youth conference took place as part of the Education for Sustainability project, led by Rannís on behalf of the Nordic Council of Ministers in collaboration with Samfés. Over 70 young people from all Nordic countries and autonomous regions of the Nordic countries attended the conference. The topic of the conference was to hear the voices of young people and get their opinions on how schools address sustainability and how sustainability can be integrated with the existing curriculum. The young people who attended the conference worked together in workshops and came to a conclusion about the steps they believe are essential for a sustainable future. They emphasized that, first and foremost, information and skills are required in order to address the challenges that society faces. They wanted to do this by creating a special subject that deals with sustainability alone but also emphasised that the skills and abilities of teachers in the field need to be strengthened. Their third suggestion was to give students and young people further opportunities to have an impact on their own future and express their views. The results were presented to the Minister of Education and Children, Ásmundur Einar Daðason, at a formal event. In the picture, the minister receives the group’s results. The visiting youth also had the chance to connect and explore Iceland through a variety of formal and informal programs, with a focus on experiencing Icelandic culture and nature. Iceland holds the presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers, and this event was part of Iceland’s presidency plan. Here, you can access the results of the group: Young people and the future Education for Sustainable development The project Education for sustainability has established a cooperation network in and between the Nordic countries that works to integrate sustainability into…

Embracing a Just Green Transition: Insights from the Nordic Tripartite Dialogue

The Nordic tripartite collaboration faces a significant challenge: ensuring a just green transition in the region’s labour market. How are the Nordic countries tackling this? This question took centre stage at the Nordic Tripartite Dialogue for a Green Transition on the Nordic Labour market, held in Reykjavik on 1 December. Nordregio attended to present best practices as well as attitudes towards climate change across the Nordic Region. Representatives from government, employer organisations and trade unions gathered to discuss the current status: where we are and where we’re going when it comes to the green transition on the joint Nordic labour market. The goal was to spark a dialogue on how the three parties can work together to ensure a systemic transition where no one is left behind when moving to a greener future in the Nordic Region. The outcome of the event is stated in the Reykjavik Memorandum of Understanding – establishing the common principles and key messages aligning governments, employees, and employers. The Challenge: Ensuring a Just Green Transition in Nordic Labour Markets Recognising the need for a green transition, the participants collaboratively addressed challenges and embraced opportunities that come with it. “Our job is to meet the goals of the fair green transition. That is our duty to current and coming generations”, Iceland’s minister of Social Affairs and Labour, Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, emphasised as he opened the meeting. Nordregio’s publication, Embracing the Just Green Transition on the Nordic Labour Market, served as background and inspiration for the dialogue meeting in Reykjavik. The report offers basic knowledge about the green transition, and how it impacts the Nordic Region. It also showcases best practices from Nordic examples of how a just green transition can be tackled. Embracing a Just Green Transition Offering a foundation for the dialogue, Nordregio researcher Gustaf…
  • 2023 December

With Black Friday around the corner, the Nordic Co-operation urges consumers to be mindful of their spending

Did you know that people in the Nordics buy more clothes than the rest of the world and our consumption has increased by 40 % during the last 20 years? The Nordic countries often pride themselves on their climate actions, yet we continue to consume textiles in an unsustainable way. Textile production accounts for 10 % of global carbon emissions, exceeding those from international flights and maritime shipping. And the Nordic countries are no exception. The average person in the Nordic Region buys and wears an astonishing amount of clothing each year: Between 26 and 48 garments per person. We throw away around 11 kilograms of textiles every year, with less than 1 % being recycled. The first step one can take is to have a look in one’s own wardrobe, says Swedish sustainable fashion expert Jennie Dahlén “Most people own a lot of clothes with the average Swedish wardrobe containing about 160 items. It’s important to make the most of what we already have and get better at styling and utilizing the clothes we own.” There is a need for a paradigm shift Upcycling, mending, swapping, and borrowing clothes with each other are other strategies Dahlén advocates for. But we also need to change our perception of consumption. “Everything around us signals that we should consume more. We need to show that this isn’t necessary. Instead, we could be more creative and experiment with our personal style.” Regarding necessary legislation for a more sustainable fashion industry, Dahlén points to upcoming EU laws and Swedish efforts to manage textile waste. “It’s crucial to remove the worst-quality clothing from the market and design products that last,” she argues, suggesting economic incentives for repair and recycling over new purchases. Look for the Nordic Swan Ecolabel when you buy something new When it…

Nordregio becomes the center for all Nordic Statistics within the Nordic cooperation

From October 1st, Nordregio takes on the task of managing the Nordic Statistics database, bringing the most relevant statistics competences together under one organisation. “This is a tremendous new role that Nordregio is uniquely suited to adopt into our portfolio of competencies, as we have brilliant research staff who regularly apply and make insights based on statistics about the Nordic region for the benefit of further knowledge and cooperation.” Rolf Elmer, Director of Nordregio. Taking over from the Nordic Council secretariat, the task consists of counselling, communicating, creating activities and initiatives surrounding statistics projects. Nordregio continues to represent the secretariat which has stressed that it is important that the statistics work happens in a professional and highly collaborative environment of experts. This is why they identified Nordregio as the obvious choice and decided to place the function there. Nordic Statistics is a collection of comparative Nordic statistics which has existed and been funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers since the mid-1960s. The data is gathered from the Nordic Statistical Institutes (NSIs), the Nordic Health and Welfare Statistics database maintained by the Nomesco-Nososco committees, other Nordic statistics producers as well as international sources such as Eurostat, OECD and the UN. Since 2016, the secretariat has had a statistics function, primarily for employees at Nordic House, but also more generally for statistics and analyses within Nordic co-operation. The current Nordic Statistics database has been developed and maintained by Statisticon since 2018. At Nordregio, the statistics work can be carried out in collaboration with other experts in a research-based and statistical environment. This will ensure a broader knowledge and strengthen the quality of the statistical work across the Nordics. For a quarter of a century Nordregio has been the prime research source for regional and municipal analysis and data in the Nordics. Nordregio will…

The Nordic Rural Youth Panel publishes 40 action points for making rural areas attractive for youth

Many rural municipalities are experiencing population loss as young people move away, without returning. Is there a way to attract young people to stay and move back to Nordic rural areas? Yes, if you improve public transportation, offer diverse housing options and dynamic educational opportunities connected to the local job market, says the Nordic Rural Youth Panel. There’s a belief among youth that success and a good life are only achievable by moving to a city, which can make rural places feel less valued. However, there’s a growing interest in changing this narrative and showing that rural areas are full of opportunities. To combat stagnation in Nordic rural areas, 25 young people from the Nordic Region came together in a Nordic Rural Youth Panel to discuss key solutions for making rural areas more attractive to youth. They offer concrete action points for policymakers and decision-makers in rural areas and push for changes that would make young people want to stay and build their lives there. “We believe their suggestions can play a part in bringing life and vitality back to these rural communities”, says Research Fellow Mari Wøien Meijer who has been leading the project at Nordregio. The Nordic Rural Youth Panel is calling for affordable and efficient public transportation, advocating for diverse and affordable housing options, and demanding dynamic educational opportunities with clear pathways to the local job market, including innovative remote work solutions. They also highlight the need for public spaces and activities that bring people together, helping to create strong community ties. The panel’s recommendations are unique and represent a great opportunity for policymakers to get first-hand information directly from young people. The young people themselves have been involved in setting the agenda from the beginning and have worked together on the themes and recommendations during several…

How will climate policies hit Nordic wallets and welfare in the future?

How we consume, how we travel, how we heat our homes. Many far-reaching changes will be necessary to prevent further climate change. But who will end up paying for them? Spanning across timezones and academic fields, Nordregio launched the report with a widely anticipated online event last week, with the title: “What impact do climate change policies have on Nordic economies, industries, and households?”  The newly launched report is the first of four parts to the project Ensuring Inclusive Growth in the Transition to a Green Economy (EnIGG). The primary focus of this project is to look closer at vulnerable regions and population groups in a time where Nordic economies face grand transitions and looming climate change realities. Ambitious climate goals will not be met for free, but who will pay the highest price for them? This question was the central theme of the launch event. The report is based on a complex model that measures the impact of climate policies on GDP, industry outputs, employment and cost of living at national and regional levels.  The model, called Nordic-TERM, is a newly developed and covers almost the entire Nordic Region.  Professors Peter B Dixon and Maureen Rimmer demonstrated this model by showing the audience what happens when you estimate the impact of  three central greenhouse policies: The key finding is that ambitious climate policies related to transport and energy can be implemented without causing significant disruptions to the Nordic economies. With the exception of Sweden, these policies would not be sufficient to meet climate targets, but they would go a long way in reducing emissions without significant sectoral or structural effects. Ending the presentation with this insightful perspective on the value of this report, the audience was led straight into the panel debate, moderated by Kirsi Heikel, renowned journalist and…

The Nordic fashion paradox: We consume too much despite strong climate awareness

The Nordic countries often pride themselves on their climate actions, yet the reality paints a contrasting picture: Nordic consumers live like we have 4.2 Earths at our disposal. While adopting solar panels, vegan diets, and choosing train travel are commendable, did you know your wardrobe can be a major environmental villain?  “Designed to become forever favourites” is an example of a slogan on Nordic clothing web shops, encouraging consumers to view their purchases as long-term additions to their wardrobes. However, these “cornerstones” are paradoxically expected to be updated quarterly, highlighting a disconnect between marketed sustainability and actual consumer practices. From a global perspective, the Nordic countries stand out when looking at how we consume textiles. In the last 20 years, there has been a notable increase in textile consumption, surpassing the global average. The average person in the Nordic region buys and wears an astonishing amount of clothing each year: between 26 and 48 garments per person. The average Swede buys 40 % more clothes now than in 2000 and throws away around 11 kilograms of textiles every year, with less than 1% being recycled. The lifespan of our clothes is getting shorter, and low-priced garments are discarded after being worn only a few times. Unsold and returned clothes are sometimes burnt or shipped to landfills in lower-income countries outside the EU. Textile production is a major contributor to global pollution, accounting for 10% of global carbon emissions. This surpasses the combined emissions from international flights and maritime shipping. It is clear that there is an urgent need for change, both within the industry and in our consumer behaviour. Gen Z’s Fashion Paradox: Striking a Balance Between Style and Sustainability However, there’s a glimmer of change among Generation Z, with a fondness for second-hand fashion and heightened environmental awareness. The…