This paper reviews how Nordic countries are working to improving cycling via policy and planning. It takes a national-level approach to review cycling objectives in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, reviews a range of mechanisms to achieve these objectives, and identifies the key actors responsible for carrying out the work. In the discussion section, the paper identifies several findings from the review work with regards to how the Nordic countries are currently addressing cycling at the policy level: 

• Cycling is primarily discussed as a means for contributing to environmental goals, such as GHG emission reductions, but is occasionally discussed as a means for improving health and well-being. Much less policy discourse focuses on economic or other social benefits of cycling. 
• The primary method for reducing GHG emissions in the transportation sector focuses on replacing fossil fuel cars with electric-powered vehicles rather than on cycling infrastructure or spatial forms that decrease overall mobility requirements. 
• The Nordic countries have some distinctions with regards to how spatial planning is operationalised, which influences how cycling is prioritised and managed.
• Beyond a dedicated cycling strategy, cycling objectives are often baked into other key plans and documents at the national level.
• Achieving national cycling objectives requires clear communication among local, regional, and national actors and across ministries, agencies, and departments, which is often a challenge. 
• Political turnover can be a hindrance to gaining support for long-term cycling projects. 
• There are many different indicators and ways to measure success for cycling objectives in the Nordic countries. 

The paper also highlights some of the developments taking place at the UN and EU levels, making cycling and its potential for improving cities and regions more visible across international policy. 

Mental ill-health is a significant social and public health problem in the Nordic countries. Studies also show that mental health problems have increased in the Nordic countries in recent years, particularly among young people. According to the studies included in this research overview, there are gender differences when it comes to mental ill-health. It is apparent that gender, sexuality and masculinity norms play an important role in how young men manage and experience their mental health. This overview focuses on knowledge about young men’s mental health in relation to current conditions and challenges in education and the workplace in the Nordic countries. The study also highlights knowledge about the impacts of the pandemic on young men’s mental health, where increased unemployment, distance teaching and isolation have risked reinforcing negative spirals in mental well-being. 

The Nordic Drone Initiative has worked on the development of sustainable drone-based transport services in the Nordic region. 

The objectives of the project has been to: 

 - To identify and evaluate how drones can be used in the transport sector to provide the greatest benefit to society, business and the environment.   

- Map the Nordic ecosystem for drones and the opportunities that this technology provides. 

- Contribute to the development of drone technology for Nordic weather conditions. 

- Propose the development of rule changes that enable drone transport at large-scale operations with vertical tale-off and landing. 

- Create a platform for continued research and innovation and developed international collaboration.  

There has never been a more urgent time to document how climate change is affecting our communities and our planet – and what we can do to adapt. Around the world, young people have been at the forefront of climate action, highlighting the effects of rising greenhouse gas emissions and demanding more from politicians and corporations. It was with these two notions in mind that the Nordic-Canadian Fellowship in Environmental Journalism was born: a chance for emerging journalists under 25 from the two regions to report on some of the biggest threats and opportunities related to the climate crisis. 

‌This anthology features the work of the thirteen Nordic-Canadian fellows. They collectively represent seven countries and come from a range of professional and personal backgrounds, but all share a passion for the environment and evidence-based storytelling. 

The book was originally published in December 2022 on the occasion of the exhibition Dispatches: Stories of Hope, Resilience and Change from the Nordic-Canadian Fellowship in Environmental Journalism. The exhibition at Harbourfront Centre was curated by Marlee Choo, Luigi Discenza, Alexandra Harvey and Laura McLeod. The Fellowship and the exhibition were part of Nordic Bridges 2022 - a year-long exchange of art, culture and ideas between Nordic and Canadian artists initiated by the Nordic Council of Ministers for Culture.

This policy brief delves into the importance of understanding and supporting the priorities of young people in Nordic rural regions to ensure these communities thrive. It highlights the importance of addressing challenges that keep youth from staying in rural areas and engaging with those unsure about their future there. Serving as a comprehensive guide for policymakers, the policy brief contextualises the report from the Nordic rural youth panel “ From Fields to Futures: 40 action points for rural revitalisation”. 

The brief examines academic discussions, prevalent narratives, and youth engagement efforts, emphasising the Nordic Rural Youth Panel's 40 proposed actions to revitalise rural areas. The paper investigates what young people need and want, their aspirations and ideas, and the solutions they propose to policymakers that could attract them back to rural areas. It also explores ways to create and enhance opportunities for rural youth to realise their potential and contribute significantly to their communities, thereby changing the existing narratives about young people in rural areas. 

Lastly, the policy brief stresses the importance of considering diverse youth perspectives in policymaking to promote inclusive and sustainable rural development.

The Nordic region's commitment to innovation and sustainability is poised to redefine the future of mobility and transport.

This report offers an overview of the current landscape, the challenges faced, and the potential pathways forward, ensuring that the region remains at the forefront of sustainable mobility. 

One of the core components of the report is the set of strategic recommendations provided. These insights, derived from research and industry interviews, are designed to guide stakeholders in the region. Whether it is policy makers or industry leaders, the recommendations offer a roadmap to ensure that initiatives in the mobility sector are aligned, impactful, sustainable and in line with the broader vision of the Nordic region. 

Situationen för LGBTI-personer i de nordiska länderna har förändrats radikalt de senaste årtiondena. Detta har medfört ökad tillgång till rättigheter på det sociala och juridiska området, förstärkt skydd mot diskriminering, ökad synlighet och fler möjligheter till gemenskap. Trots detta framgår det i studier att en könsidentitet eller sexuell läggning som inte följer den konventionella normen fortfarandesignifikant ökar risken för ohälsa. Hur påverkar dessa villkor förutsättningar för äldre LGBTI-personers möjligheter i åldrandet och vad som sker i kontakten med vård och omsorg? Nordiska ministerrådet har tagit initiativ till ett projekt som ska bidra till ökad kunskap om äldre LGBTI-personers levnadsvillkor och livskvalitet, särskilt i mötet med hälso- och omsorgsvård. Rapporten baseras på 38 publikationer som utgörs av kvantitativa såväl som kvalitativa studier.

The Nordic Network for Electric Aviation (NEA) stands as a pioneering industry-led project that unites Nordic stakeholders to accelerate the integration of electric aviation in the Nordic countries. Through cross border collaboration and coordination, NEA has paved the way for the emergence of a dynamic Nordic aviation sector, primed for innovation and sustainability. 

This report presents the findings from the NEA project and the key insights in the work on four challenges: 

- New business models for regional point-to-point connectivity and new business models for new direct routes between the Nordic countries.

- Charging infrastructure for electric aviation by consolidating national efforts into into a unified standard.

- Weather proofing and ice protection for electric planes in Nordic weather conditions. This objective involved assessing and developing technologies for battery thermal management and de-icing. 

- The fourth challenge was to create a platform for Nordic, European, and global collaboration. The climate challenges and new technical solutions need collaboration to speed up knowledge sharing. 

A Nordic Survey to Monitor Citizens' Use and Experience with eHealth:

The Nordic eHealth Research Network (NeRN) conducted a comprehensive survey study across Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden to gauge Nordic citizens' experiences, usage patterns, and attitudes regarding digital healthcare systems. Employing a cross-sectional design, the study aims to furnish policymakers and decision-makers with quantitative data that can inform evidence-based policies in the realm of digital healthcare. Consequently, the study's outcomes enable cross-country comparisons, facilitating targeted interventions and policies. Various stakeholders, including patient associations, professional bodies, interest groups, healthcare practitioners, and citizens, can leverage these research-driven insights.

In the period 2021–2022, the NVL Digital – Working Life network has had a focus on digitalisation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and an interest in how new digital competences come to emerge in the manufacturing industries, with a focus on the skilled and unskilled employee. With this report's findings and recommendations for policy and practice, the network contributes to improving Nordic companies' participation in digital transformation. The project explores the ways in which digitalisation is unfolding and organising working life, and how new learning practices can meet new opportunities and challenges.

The project is conducted as design-based research. This means that the project has generated a knowledge contribution in the form of recommendations and that the project has designed a solution in the form of a mock-up for a dialogue tool described in the report. Furthermore, design-based research implies that the project is collaborative and that stakeholders related to SMEs in the manufacturing industry – i.e. employees, managers, and representatives of organisations through networks and reference groups – have been involved in and contributed to the different phases of the project. Finally, design-based research involves developing and testing a design proposal to contribute to solutions for – in this case – the development of digital competences related to digital transformation.

The main finding of the research project is that any digital transformation process shapes and is shaped by the concrete organisational practices of which it is a part.This means that the transformation is influenced by many factors that unfold empirically. In the present project, this unfolds in the form of identified paradoxes, particular narratives and changing understandings of hierarchy, among other things. Furthermore, another of the research project's findings is that digital technologies are just one of several actors helping to reorganise work and change the role and thus the professional identity of individual employees. Therefore, learning initiatives cannot only prioritise digital upskilling in digital competence development but must also involve professional experiences and insights possessed by the individual employee as a resource in the transformation. In this way, the project also contributes to pushing the boundaries of what it means to develop competences in digital transformation. Thus, competence development is also about how to get employees more involved in development and about the implications on, for example, professional identity, forms of collaboration, etc.

The dialogue tool developed by the project team will therefore contribute enabling enterprises to better understand some of these local implications of digital transformation and, on this basis, develop strategies for ongoing development of digital competences. This potentially creates a breeding ground for more innovation and growth, as well as creating more opportunities for participation that can have a beneficial impact on employee well-being.

Below are five recommendations that are the result of the research and developed through collaboration and dialogue with the NVL Digital – Working Life network during 2022. The five recommendations are presented in an order that addresses a policy and/or practice level, respectively. The first two recommendations address a policy and practice level pointing to the framework for companies' digital transformation. The remaining three recommendations point to concrete actions that can be taken in practice

De nordiska länderna vill att Norden ska vara den mest hållbara och integrerade regionen i världen år 2030. En naturlig del av denna ambitiösa vision är en integrerad nordisk arbetsmarknad för företag och medborgare. Här spelar det nordiska skatteavtalet och dess administration en avgörande roll. 

Covid-19-pandemin visade dock att det finns uppenbara utmaningar med tillämpningen av det nordiska skatteavtalet samt andra bilaterala avtal och nationell lagstiftning. Under pandemin riskerade medarbetare med arbetsplats på den andra sidan av en nordisk gräns att få skatteproblem om de följde rekommendationerna om att arbeta hemma. Utmaningarna lyftes fram av Gränshinderrådet, som vid flera tillfällen uppmanade de nordiska regeringarna att införa undantag för dem som ofrivilligt arbetade hemifrån under pandemin. Pandemin är över, men önskan om hybridarbete eller att arbeta på distans är här för gott. 

Det är dock inte bara beskattningen av löneutbetalningar i samband med distansarbete som medarbetare och företag upplever problem med. Till exempel visar undersökningar att det kan uppstå osäkerhet, högre beskattning och extra administration i samband med in- och utbetalning av pension samt i fall då en och samma arbetsgivare ska registrera och följa beskattningsregler, beskattningstidpunkter och löneadministration i flera länder. 

Om Norden ska utvecklas till en tillväxtregion med en integrerad arbetsmarknad med rörlighet för medborgare och företag, kräver det att just medborgare och företag i högre grad är i centrum så att lagstiftning och administration stöttar deras möjligheter. 

Därför har Nordiska ministerrådet och Gränshinderrådet, i samarbete med Nordiska rådet, 2022 startat ett projekt som ska identifiera de centrala problemställningarna och rekommendera möjliga lösningar. Syftet med denna rapport är således att ge bästa möjliga grund för fortsatt politiskt arbete för att eliminera de nuvarande nordiska skatteproblemen relaterade till hybrid- och distansarbete. 

Den psykiska ohälsan utgör ett betydande samhälls- och folkhälsoproblem i de nordiska länderna. Flera studier visar dessutom att den psykiska ohälsan i Norden har ökat de senaste åren, särskilt bland unga. Enligt studierna i denna forskningsöversikt finns det könsskillnader i psykisk ohälsa. Det blir tydligt att normer om kön, sexualitet och maskulinitet spelar en viktig roll i hur unga män hanterar och upplever sin psykiska hälsa. Översikten fokuserar särskilt på kunskap om unga mäns psykiska hälsa i relation till dagens villkor och utmaningar inom utbildning och arbetsliv i Norden. Studien lyfter även kunskap om vilka konsekvenser pandemin har fått för unga mäns psykiska hälsa, då ökad arbetslöshet, distansundervisning och isolering har riskerat att förstärka en negativ utveckling av det psykiska måendet. 

This report is the third in a research project examining how to increase labour market participation among vulnerable groups in the Nordic countries. The purpose of this report is partly to deepen our understanding of the prevalence of employment barriers among vulnerable groups and partly to group these individuals according to the employment barriers they face.

In the report we show that:

1. Individuals with no or weak labour market attachment typically face a complex set of employment barriers.

2. It is possible to group the vulnerable individuals in the Nordic countries into 8 distinct data-driven target groups that share similar employment barriers.

3. Traditional demographic target groups (i.e., young people, seniors, etc.) share common barriers, which challenge their distinct categorisation. 

These empirical findings demonstrate that future employment policies may derive greater benefits by focusing on the specific employment barriers faced by individuals rather than relying on broad demographic categories as a shorthand for the unique challenges experienced by individuals.

The Handbook of cross-border data exchange is part of the project ‘World’s smoothest cross-border mobility and daily life through digitalisation’, with a broader objective of streamlining the daily life and mobility of citizens and companies across borders by facilitating the exchange of data between authorities in the Nordic and Baltic countries. The handbook is collects the lessons learned in cross-border data exchange in the fields of studying and using healthservices in another Nordic and Baltic country, and in the use of Nordic and Baltic legal databases. The aim is to provide the reader with insights and ideas for future development by pinpointing identified networks, interesting initiatives, and potential funding mechanisms, as well as highlighting case examples that could be utilised in the development of cross-border collaboration.

The Nordic Rural Youth Panel has synthesized a report outlining 40 actionable recommendations for making rural areas in the Nordic region more attractive for young people. The recommendations address the ongoing trend of young people moving to cities, highlighting the need for better public transportation, various housing options, and education that connects to local job markets in rural areas. The panel wants to change the common view that success and a good life can only be found in cities, and highlight the potential and vibrancy of rural areas.

The report expands on several key areas:

- Transportation: Young people in rural areas need easy and affordable access to public transit and various local travel options to support a fair transition to green transport.

- Housing: There's a need for affordable and diverse housing, ensuring young people have good options for renting and buying that meet their needs.

- Education and employment: Young people need access to education at all levels in rural areas, with clear paths from education to local jobs, including options for remote work.

- Health and recreation: There should be safe spaces for discussions about mental and physical health, as well as access to places for sports and other activities.

- Community and social life: Funding is needed for public spaces and activities that bring people together, helping to create strong community ties.

- Inclusion: Policies and discussions need to be accessible and relevant to young people, using their language and platforms to ensure they can actively participate and feel valued.

 Developed with input from 25 young people across the whole Nordic region, the panel’s recommendations serve as a guide for creating appealing, dynamic, and sustainable rural communities, ensuring young people are at the centre of these efforts.

Green jobs are key to realising our climate goals, but only one in three green workers in the Nordic region is a woman. This think piece – a collaboration between the Nordic Council of Ministers and the International Labour Organization – discusses Nordic gender barriers and opportunities in the green transition. It looks into current definitions of green jobs, who’s ahead and who is falling behind in the green jobs race and which green and sustainable skills that are needed for a sustainable and gender-equal Nordic future. As the Nordic Council of Ministers aims to become the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030, this think-piece provides case studies and consolidates some suggestions and lessons learned from the Nordic countries and other parts of the world – for the road ahead. 

This publication includes Iceland’s Presidency Programme for the Nordic Council in 2024 in English, Danish, Icelandic and Finnish. 

The words “Peace and Security" in the title Iceland’s Presidency Programme for the Nordic Council in 2024 refer to the need to ensure the safety of the Nordic countries and their allied nations in the Arctic, the necessity of de-escalation in the region and placing greater emphasis on peaceful solutions. A new future vision for security in the Arctic region is needed. However, the word "security" also refers to other aspects related to the well-being and future of the Nordic countries, especially the inhabitants of the Arctic. 

The Green Roadmap for Cultural Institutions in the Nordic Region aims to enable cultural institutions and artists to act now – whether they are already engaged in green transition or taking their first steps. 

The Nordic Green Roadmap for Cultural Institutions is the outcome of the project: Sustainable Cultural Experiences in the Nordic Region, which is led by The Nordic House in the Faroe Islands as part of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Sustainable Living programme (2021–24). Sustainable Living aims to encourage individuals, communities, and businesses to make sustainable choices in their daily lives and to make it easier to live sustainably in the Nordic Region. 

https://nordregioprojects.org/sustainable-living/

Visio Pohjolasta maailman integroituneimpana ja kestävimpänä alueena vuonna 2030 ohjaa Ruotsin puheenjohtajakautta Pohjoismaiden ministerineuvostossa vuonna 2024. Ruotsi jatkaa työtä sen puolesta, että Pohjola on edelleen puhtaan siirtymän kärkipaikalla sekä globaalisti kilpailukykyinen ja sosiaalisesti kestävä alue. Kilpailukyvyn ja kasvun kannalta on ratkaisevaa edelleen helpottaa yritysten ja ihmisten toimintaa maiden rajojen yli. Tästä syystä Ruotsi keskittyy puheenjohtajamaana erityisesti Pohjoismaiden integraation ja rajat ylittävää liikkuvuutta helpottavien toimien edistämiseen.

Framtíðarsýnin um að Norðurlönd verði samþættasta og sjálfbærasta svæði í heimi árið 2030 er leiðarstef fyrir sænsku formennskuna í Norrænu ráðherranefndinni. Við munum halda áfram vinnunni við að Norðurlönd skuli verð leiðandi í hinum grænu umskiptum og vera alþjóðlega samkeppnishæft og félagslega sjálfbært svæði. Það er grundvallaratriði fyrir samkeppnishæfni okkar og hagvöxt að við höldum áfram að létta undir með fyrirtækjum og fólki að geta starfað þvert á landamæri. Því verður undir formennsku Svía kastljósinu beint að samþættingu á Norðurlöndum og aðgerðum sem auðvelda flutning yfir landamæri.

The vision of the Nordic Region as the most integrated and sustainable region in the world by 2030 guides the work of the Swedish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2024. Sweden will continue efforts to ensure that the Nordic Region is a leader in the green transition, globally competitive and socially sustainable. Making it easier for companies and people to operate across borders is crucial for competitiveness and growth. The Presidency will continue to prioritise work on Nordic integration and measures to facilitate cross-border mobility.

Visionen om att Norden ska vara världens mest integrerade och hållbara region 2030 är vägledande för det svenska ordförandeskapet i Nordiska ministerrådet 2024. Sverige kommer att fortsätta arbetet för att Norden ska vara ledande i den gröna omställningen och en globalt konkurrenskraftig och socialt hållbar region. Att fortsätta underlätta för företag och människor att verka över gränserna är helt avgörande för vår konkurrenskraft och tillväxt. Därför kommer ordförandeskapet att särskilt fokusera på nordisk integration och åtgärder för att underlätta rörlighet över gränserna.

Overview of results and effects from 10 years of research on societal security.

The UNFCCC Global Stocktake will be conducted during COP28 in December 2023. The Nordic Stocktake report is intended as a regional tool to support the Global Stocktake process and spur to further climate action, both within the Nordics and beyond. The Nordic region needs to increase the pace of the green transition if we are to lead by example. The report is a stocktake of GHG emissions in the Nordic countries, and a description and assessment of the different national pathways towards climate neutrality in the Nordic region. Many of the challenges on the path towards climate neutrality are not unique to the Nordic countries and solving these in the Nordic region – in countries well-positioned to do so – would prove valuable for global climate action. The report highlights common challenges across the Nordic countries and proposes opportunities for further cross-Nordic collaboration. 

This policy brief highlights the main takeaways from the project “Nordic Stocktake and Visions – Pathways to climate neutrality”. The project has resulted in two main reports: Nordic Stocktake – Pathways to Climate Neutrality & Nordic Visions of Climate Neutrality. 

The Nordic Stocktake concludes that the Nordics need to accelerate the green transition, especially within transport, industry and agriculture. Countries that have the tools, know-how and institutional and financial capacity can demonstrate mitigation options in all sectors. The project's visions of a climate neutral Nordic society is not just only about emission reductions and technology. The net zero transformation creates opportunities, jobs and spurs investments and innovation. Nordic climate neutral societies are in social and environmental balance. A smarter society with inclusive democracy and long-term policies. 

Visions are powerful tools in spurring action and creating support for the green transition. In the light of this, climate change policies need to be aligned with visions. The report shows that the Nordic countries share many of the same visions. Importantly, visions of a climate neutral Nordic society are not just about emission reductions and technologies. Instead, visions are about issues such as physical and mental health, spare time, and strong communities. This report is meant as a starting point for further dialogue about positive visions of climate neu-trality. From citizens to politicians, we all need to start thinking about what “a good life” is in a climate neutral world. The report presents a range of different visions derived from interviews with Nordic experts and thought leaders and from discussions at the Nordic Pavilion at COP27.