REEN GROWTH. THE NORDIC WAY - APRIL 2014 web magazine CONTENT. Introduction 2. Who are we? 3

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1 GREEN GROWTH THE NORDIC WAY - APRIL 2014 web magazine REEN GROWTH CONTENT Introduction 2 Who are we? 3 Feature article: Networking the backbone of Nordic cooperation 4 Feature article: It s all about networks: Towards a new bioeconomy for the Baltic Sea region 9 Notes 13 Events and reports 18

2 Introduction 7 Nordic Stories Annual Report 2013 for the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers publikationer/ NEW NORDIC NETWORKS Introduction by Dagfinn Høybråten, Secretary-General of the Nordic Council of Ministers Networking and the building of partnerships is part of the DNA of international organizations like the Nordic Council of Ministers. In this issue of Green Growth the Nordic Way you can read about some of the ways we operate to create results through networks. The many highly skilled and specialized institutions under the umbrella of Nordic cooperation all in various ways through their networks combine the best of the related sectors in the Nordic countries, be it within research, innovation, regional studies or energy research, or indeed within welfare studies and other more specialized fields like plant genetics and health studies. Within the upcoming field of bioeconomy the Nordic Council of Ministers furthermore plays a special role as network builder in the Nordic-Baltic region, as lead partner in charge of bioeconomy under the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. Read more about the Nordic Council of Ministers bioeconomy efforts: bioeconomy The path towards a biobased society in itself requires more cooperation across sectors and borders, a task we as an organization hope to contribute to even more in the coming years, and networking will be an important part of this effort. Dagfinn Høybråten Secretary-General, Nordic Council of Ministers f Follow us on facebook: facebook.com/sdnordic 2

3 REEN GROWTH Who are we? The Nordic Council of Ministers constitutes the official cooperation between the five Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, along with the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland. This magazine follows the activities of the Nordic Council of Ministers in the areas of green growth, sustainable development and bioeconomy, principally in connection with the green growth initiative launched by the Nordic Prime Ministers, The Nordic Region leading in green growth and the bioeconomy initiative NordBio. The aim of these initiatives is to create joint Nordic solutions to shared problems in selected areas. The vision of a Nordic lead in green growth and bioeconomy is based on utilizing Nordic strengths to further energy efficiency, sustainable energy development, environmental awareness, better use of resources and less production of waste, green solutions and standards, as well as green investments in innovation and research. Apart from the projects under the Nordic green growth initiative and NordBio, the magazine also documents a wide range of other activities connected with greening the economy, as well as highlighting new reports from the Nordic Council of Ministers in this field. More info at norden.org/greengrowth and norden.org/bioeconomy 3

4 Feature article Networking the backbone of Nordic cooperation Renowned for their unique ability to collaborate on culture, research, innovation and policy, the Nordic countries build their cross-border activities on networking and knowledge sharing. The Nordic Council of Ministers and its institutions are key actors in the work of linking the countries together into regional networks an undertaking which also extends to the Baltic and Arctic regions, EU and other venues of international cooperation. By Páll Tómas Finnsson Tried and tested methods Among the Nordic institutions that use networking to promote sustainability and green growth are NordForsk, Nordic Innovation, Nordic Energy Research, NORA, Nordregio and NordGen. They all have systems in place to encourage cross-border collaboration, and the funding they provide is generally predicated on participation from at least three Nordic countries. All our research is based on competitive calls, where at least three of the countries have to collaborate to be eligible. In some cases, cooperation with Russia, the Baltic countries or other international partners is also required, says Jostein Sundet, Senior Advisor at NordForsk. The institutions make use of their well-established Nordic networks when launching new initiatives. For example, Nordic Innovation works closely with the national innovation agencies, NordForsk collaborates with the research funding agencies, and Nordic Energy Research with the five national energy agencies. This cooperation is valuable because the institutions have their fingers on the pulse and know what s happening in each country. It allows us to identify common needs and the value to the Nordic region of working together, says Communications Director Bardur Örn Gunnarsson of Nordic Innovation. 4 Continues next page

5 REEN GROWTH Top-level Research Initiative and NordBio The largest Nordic research and innovation cooperation project to date is the Top-level Research Initiative, responsible for the creation of a variety of networks on climate, energy and the environment. NordForsk has funded and coordinated two sub-programmes on climate change; Nordic Energy Research has led the work on largescale wind power and sustainable biofuels; and Nordic Innovation was responsible for initiatives on energy efficiency with nanotechnology and carbon capture and storage. Results of the Top-level Research Initiative will be presented at a conference in Stockholm on November Nordic cooperation s next main focus area is the bioeconomy, which will be a key issue under Iceland s chairmanship of the Nordic Council of Ministers in The three institutions will all contribute to NordBio the Nordic Bioeconomy Programme launched in February Funding and matchmaking in Nordic energy research There are many similarities in the ways in which the institutions create and maintain Nordic networks. Funding, the most obvious driver, is designed to encourage Nordic cooperation and involve as many relevant stakeholders as possible. In general terms, we facilitate networks where industry, research and policy-makers come together, says Kalle Bartholin-Nielsen, Communications Manager at Nordic Energy Research. The institution funds two network types: research networks, receiving up to 85% of total project costs, and industry networks, which receive up to 60%. All funding from Nordic Energy Research requires active participation from a minimum of three countries. Open calls are launched every four years, corresponding to Nordic Energy Research s strategic periods. The next call is scheduled in autumn Our funding in the upcoming period will encourage the creation of research networks with more industry involvement than previously, says Bartholin-Nielsen. National workshops will be held to enable stakeholders to provide input into strategy development for the next period, In addition, a matchmaking portal will be set up, where researchers and industry can find partners for their projects. 5 Continues next page

6 REEN GROWTH This has yielded good results in the past. For example, the networking we facilitated through the Nordic Energy & Transport Programme has been very successful. Many of the partners are now applying for EU Horizon 2020 projects together, adds Bartholin- Nielsen. Challenge competitions to spur innovation At Nordic Innovation, networking starts with a mapping of the most important stakeholders engaged in the programme topic, often in cooperation with the national innovation agencies. After this initial phase we contact the stakeholders to expand the network and locate what we call unusual suspects people or businesses that are not yet known to our national partners, says Gunnarsson. Nordic Innovation then teams up with industry organisations and businesses that are working on similar issues. We re very much oriented towards the industry and an important aspect is to locate existing networks. We try very hard to avoid creating parallel networks or competition within topics. One of Nordic Innovation s high profile networking initiatives is Nordic Built, which is aimed at accelerating the development of sustainable building solutions. It has brought together a large number of industry partners all of which have signed the Nordic Built Charter - and organised a successful challenge competition for the best sustainable building concepts on the market. Read more about the Nordic Council of Ministers bioeconomy efforts: bioeconomy In light of the good results from Nordic Built, we re now considering applying similar methods on issues like health innovation, entrepreneurship and the bioeconomy, says Gunnarsson. Centres of Excellence are powerful networking tools NordForsk is by nature a networking institution. All our activities are based on networking and cross-border collaboration, says Anne Riiser, Head of Communications at NordForsk. NordForsk works closely with researchers, research institutions, research councils and financing agencies in all five countries, as well as policy makers and industry. Its main financing instruments are 6 Continues next page

7 REEN GROWTH the Nordic Centres of Excellence (NCoE), which receive funding for research collaboration, workshops, exchange and mobility. The Nordic Centres of Excellence are powerful networking instruments that expand and develop the Nordic research excellence they are anchored in. This is in itself valuable branding, which attracts researchers and generates international interest, says Sundet. NordForsk runs several Nordic-Baltic collaborations, such as the Living Lab, a project within the organisation s health and welfare programme, and a common PhD training programme. NordForsk is currently organising a conference that will take place in Estonia on May, to look at ways to step up collaboration between the two regions. In addition, NordForsk has a European networking dimension through our Memorandum of Understanding with the European Commission and partnership with European stakeholder organisations. Networking and researcher mobility are important items both on Nordic and European agendas, says Riiser. NORA Nordic Atlantic Cooperation NORA s main task is to strengthen collaboration and networking between various stakeholders in the NORA territory, which includes Iceland, Faroe Islands, Greenland and coastal Norway. Sustainable economic development is a key feature of its operations and it supports a variety of projects aimed at increasing green growth in the area. One of its initiatives in 2014 is The Digital Arctic, a conference that looks at ways in which the NORA region could create a more diversified economy. We must create a more diversified economy and become less dependent on natural resources. The conference will look at how digital development can create opportunities to establish knowledgebased businesses in the NORA-region and the Arctic, says Director Lars Thostrup. In addition, a group of the region s universities is following up on a recommendation from the North Atlantic Think Tank, which NORA facilitates, by developing a North Atlantic Master s degree. The course will be launched in autumn Continues next page

8 REEN GROWTH Cooperation on responsible use of genetic resources NordGen seeks to promote the sustainable use of genetic resources in the Nordic region: plants, farm animals and forests. This cooperation has been on-going for more than 35 years, with the primary task of securing a broad diversity of genetic resources linked to food and agriculture. In addition to its Nordic activities, the institution has organised numerous collaboration projects with the Baltic countries and Russia. The projects involve NordGen, the Nordic Gene Bank, the use of SESTO, a regional gene bank documentation system, and the widely used breeding software EVA, developed by NordGen. Regional development based on close dialogue Nordregio is a research institute engaged in the broad field of regional studies and spatial development. Its main objective is to produce relevant material for policy makers at the local, national and regional levels in the Nordic countries. Nordregio s communication strategy is built on two-way communication, meaning that everything we do should be in close dialogue with relevant Nordic stakeholders in the area in question, says Anna Lena Schlossman, Head of Communication at Nordregio. The organisation also works closely with international stakeholders, especially in the EU and the Arctic region. Often when you here about the Arctic region, the focus is on climate change. Our angle, however, is regional development; we look at issues such as demographic changes and the challenges they create, explains Schlossman. Nordregio also acts as the secretariat for four Nordic working groups concerned with demography and welfare; sustainable regional development in the Arctic; green growth, innovation and entrepreneurship; and lastly green growth and sustainable urban regions. 8

9 REEN GROWTH It s all about networks: Towards a new bioeconomy for the Baltic Sea region The demand for food and energy is growing dramatically. Bioeconomy could be an answer to this challenge. But a biobased economy requires increased cooperation across borders and sectors. The Nordic Council of Ministers would like to offer a path towards that change by facilitating the formation of new networks and partnerships in the Baltic Sea region. As part of its effort to create new networks and initiatives under the umbrella of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region the Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM) recently hosted a conference in Estonia under the headline Realizing the Bioeconomy in the Baltic Sea Region. The meeting was the first in a series of events aimed at promoting innovation and cross sector cooperation towards a more biobased economy in the region, uniting policymakers, academics, NGOs and business leaders. - Small countries need to cooperate to create sufficient critical mass to make changes on a macroregional basis. Here we need organizations like the Nordic Council of Ministers to help facilitate the process, said Secretary of State Risto Artjoki from the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in his presentation at the event. - The European region is excellent when it comes to creating innovation. But unfortunately most ideas are capitalized in the US. So the inner market does not work well enough yet and we need to be much better at cooperating and creating new opportunities, also in the field of bioeconomy, he added. Regional glue The Baltic Sea region is particularly well suited to meet the challenges of a new bioeconomy, according to a number of experts attending the conference. There are ample natural resources, good infrastructure and intellectual capital, and a tradition for thinking in holistic terms. 9 Continues next page

10 REEN GROWTH The latter is also one of the hallmarks of the Nordic Council of Ministers. It s in the DNA of international governmental organisations like the Nordic Council of Ministers to take the broader outlook across sectors and borders. Thus we are eminently suited to facilitate and coordinate some of the work needed in this new effort to move from a fossilbased to a bio-based economy, maintains Secretary-General of the NCM, Dagfinn Høybråten. A recent mapping of the bio-sector in the Baltic Sea region undertaken for the NCM by the company Innogate shows that the eastern part of the region is lagging behind when it comes to creating start-ups and new bio-sector initiatives. This is also a task for the NCM. Through our networking efforts we can help the eastern rim of the Baltic Sea leapfrog ahead to join developments in the western countries. And we can align activities with what is going on in Brussels, adds Høybråten. Sustainable Development Indicator: Discharge of nitrogen and phosphorus to the Baltic Sea nordic-council-of-ministers/ ministers-for-co-operationmr-sam/sustainabledevelopment/indicators-forsustainable-developmen/ viable-ecosystems/ discharge-of-nitrogen-andphosphorus-to-the-baltic-sea Along with the Council of Baltic Sea States, the NCM is lead partner in a so called horizontal action forming part of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. The NCM is in charge of the bioeconomy aspects, while the CBSS is responsible for the sustainable development side. Sea in need The EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) was actually initiated by the Commission a few years back at the request of the European Parliament, with the aim of saving the environment in the heavily polluted sea, in addition to fostering new partnerships and creating sustainable growth. The purpose of the EUSBSR is to inspire further action in the region, promote policy changes and increase investment opportunities where needed. The aim is to break down silos and think beyond traditional sector borders, according to National Expert at the EU Directorate General for Regional Development Axel Rød. These are precisely the requirements needed to promote a new bio- 10 Continues next page

11 REEN GROWTH based economy, and bioeconomy projects make up a substantial part of the overall strategy. Here, again, networking across sectors is key. The concept of networking is built into bioeconomy thinking, but a lot of the networks needed simply do not exist at the moment. This is where mobilisation of bodies like the Nordic Council of Ministers is crucial, if only in terms of raising awareness and making the proper connections, adds another EU expert, Thomas Dodd, Policy Coordinator for Bioeconomy at the Directorate for Research and Innovation. A new paradigm The backdrop for all of this is of course the fact that the world is running out of resources and we need to do more with less. According to figures from the EU Commission the demand for e.g. feed grain and meat will more than double from 2015 to Likewise, energy demand is set to increase by upwards of 50 % while oil and gas production is expected to decline. This means that there is a need to establish a more circular resource economy, with less waste and more reuse. It also entails establishing new value chains in the process from growing things to manufacturing products. A number of the projects in the pipeline as a result of the meetings so far held by the NCM are about just that. Whether it is a question of growing more protein in new and innovative ways locally to avoid importing thousands of tons of soy from South America, or efforts to better reuse and recycle phosphorus from land and sea in the region, the aim is the same: to create sustainable growth. For the NCM there is also an added agenda: to foster local and regional development in less populated areas. Connecting the dots The method chosen by the NCM to focus attention on this task is described above, namely to catalyse new partnerships by initiating and facilitating networks and knowledge formation. Regarding work on bioeconomy under the EUSBSR umbrella, this is mainly undertaken 11 Continues next page

12 REEN GROWTH through the NCM offices in the Baltic countries and Russia. I think the Nordic Council of Ministers has a unique competence in terms of creating contacts between the Baltic region and Northwest Russia and the rest of Europe in a number of areas. We have the contacts and can create the networks needed when decision-makers seek to put policies into action, says Head of the NCM office in Estonia, Berth Sundström. The next steps in this process will be two meetings to be held in the South Baltic area. A new NCM networking conference is scheduled in Warsaw in September to be followed by a meeting in Berlin in November. The main focus areas here will be finding ways to navigate the financing involved in shaping the new bioeconomy of the Baltic Sea region and, even more importantly, to involve the business sector. There will also be a continued matchmaking effort and the NCM wants to further explore new ways to go from research and innovation to new business developments. You can read more at 12 Continues next page

13 Note Nordic publications available with Open Access The Nordic Council of Ministers is launching a new open platform with free access to all of its research results and reports developed under the umbrella of the official Nordic co-operation. The platform currently contains about 3000 publications. Via its projects and institutions, the Nordic Council of Ministers is strongly committed to knowledge development across a broad front. Open Access allows us to make this breadth of generated knowledge openly accessible and strengthens the foundation for further innovation, both within and outside of the framework of Nordic co-operation, says Dagfinn Høybråten, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers. The platform contains publications published by the Nordic Council of Ministers, NordForsk, Nordic Innovation, Nordic Energy Research, Nordicom, Nordic School of Public Health, Nordregio, and the Nordic Centre for Welfare and Social Issues. norden.diva-portal.org 13

14 Note Nordic Fashion Biennale in Frankfurt Saturday March 22, the exhibition The Weather Diaries opened at Museum Angewandte Kunst in Frankfurt. The Nordic Fashion Biennale is a dynamic platform to promote West Nordic fashion design with a strong focus on sustainability. This year s Biennale offers an inspiring and aesthetic exhibit, uniting the works of many of the most talented designers from the Nordic islands. It is an arena that brings together designers, artists, academics, business entrepreneurs and specialists in the field of fashion. The exhibition shows 11 one of a kind installations from the selected designers, alongside large scale photographic art works by Cooper & Gorfer. Nordic Fashion Biennale is a project of the Icelandic chairmanship of the Nordic Council of Ministers, supported by The Nordic Institute in Greenland, Nordic Culture Point and Nordic Culture Fund. The exhibition in Frankfurt is open till June 22. Later this year, the Biennale will open in Copenhagen. 14

15 Note New report highlights challenges for Nordic exports The report Nordic Exports of Goods and Exporting Enterprises analyses the exports of goods from the Nordic countries and the exporting enterprises in the period 2008 to The report addresses issues such as: What are the strongholds of the Nordic countries, both in terms of the type of goods that are exported and in terms of geographical markets? How are the Nordic countries performing on the main emerging markets are they gaining ground compared to other exporters? How important are the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) compared to the larger enterprises in the export of goods of each of the Nordic countries? And how have SMEs and large enterprises coped with the crisis, both in terms of domestic employment and in terms of export market performance? A new database consisting of business and international trade data linked at enterprise level was constructed in each of the Nordic countries specifically for this analysis. The project was carried out by the five Nordic national statistical institutes in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and coordinated by Statistics Denmark. 15

16 Note Winners and losers in the Nordic region A new report, State of the Nordic Region 2013 gives a comprehensive status of the latest development in the Nordic region, with a specific focus at both regional and municipal levels. Norway and the largest urban regions in the Nordic region are the winners, while rural areas and small and medium-sized cities are the losers. This is the main conclusion from the report. There are, however, significant differences throughout the Nordic region and Norrbotten in Sweden, Pohjanmaa in Finland and the Western part of Midtjylland in Denmark are examples of peripheral regions with high employment and relatively strong economic growth. The State of the Nordic Region 2013 divides the Nordic countries into 1221 municipalities and 78 regions. In order to set the development status and trends in a wider perspective, comparisons with Nordic and European averages are presented when relevant. The report incorporates the latest available statistics with analyses on population structure, migration, labour market trends as well as different economic aspects. Read and download State of the Nordic Regions 2013 at the website of Nordregio, in institution under the Nordic Council of Ministers. 16

17 Note Nordic countries agreed on efforts to influence the UN Development Goals Nordic Development Ministers agreed on a closer mutual Nordic Development Ministers agreed on a closer mutual cooperation in a meeting hosted by the Finnish Minister for International Development, Pekka Haavisto, held in Helsinki on March 14th. The Ministers aim at including the shared Nordic themes as part of the post-2015 global development goals. Equal rights of women and girls, high-quality education, sustainable management and use of natural resources, and reducing inequality are key issues for development - this is a fact reflected also in the history of the Nordic Countries. We want to ensure that these matters will also be given sufficient emphasis in the future UN development goals, notes Finland s Minister for International Development, Pekka Haavisto. The Joint Statement of Nordic Development Ministers underscores the importance of human rights, democracy, and rule of law. The starting point must be inclusive development partnerships, and the accountability of countries for their own development. The Nordic Countries agree that climate change and the issues related to peace and security must be given a more visible role in the future. The next meeting between the Development Ministers will be held in connection with the Nordic Council annual summit in late October. Joint Statement by the Development Ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden on Nordic cooperation. 17

18 New Open Access platform - more than 3000 publications from the Nordic Council of Ministers available free of charge org) REEN GROWTH Subscribe to Green Growth the Nordic Way list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=2ae7555a63b425efb432b715d&id=44b86e3d13 FOLLOW US f y NORDEN.ORG REPORTS CONFERENCES Nordic Exports of Goods and Exporting Enterprises publikationer/ Environmental economic research as a tool in the protection of the Baltic Sea costs and benefits of reducing eutrophication publikationer/ State of the Nordic Region Publications-2014/State-of-the-Nordic-Region-2013/ Energy Efficiency in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises publikationer/ New Nordic Nutrition Recommendations: e-book + e-chapters now online Two approaches to pricing pollution publikationer/ Read also: New EU report on Green Growth: GREECO - Territorial Potential for a Greener Economy AppliedResearch/greeco.html Report from the Green Economy Coalition: Green Economy Barometer support-green-economy-surges-crucial-gaps-remainsays-new-report-gec-and-iied Editor: Michael Funch, Nordic Council of Ministers, mifu@norden.org Feature articles: Páll Tómas Finnsson, Finnsson & Co, palltomas@finnsson.dk Layout and design: Gitte Wejnold, LimeLab, gw@limelab.dk Web: Genau.dk, info@genau.dk Shaping the future of Nordic education, Reykjavik, May 19, Nordic Built National workshops, All Nordic capitals throughout April built-20-national-workshops/?utm_source=apsis-anp- 3&utm_medium= &utm_content=unspecified&utm_ campaign=unspecified) See also: World Green Economy Summit, April 15-16, Dubai NEWS FLASHES Nordic Crowdfunding Alliance launched: The Nordic Crowdfunding Alliance is one of 10 projects funded through the Nordic High Growth Entrepreneurship Initiative crowdfunding-alliance-launches/?utm_source=apsis-anp- 3&utm_medium= &utm_content=unspecified&utm_ campaign=unspecified High hopes for new and more sustainable Nordic whitefish processing machine: Big potential to increase local processing and decrease transport needs ( The Valley - a gateway for Nordic startups: The Nordic Innovation House project in Silicon Valley is aiming to create a Nordic community for startups targeting global expansion ( Gender Equality in the Nordic Mining Industry: The mining industry has long been characterised by a macho rough-and-tough jargon. However, change is underway 18