This Nordic study plan provides a framework for professionals working with individuals with deafblindness. Developed through a collaborative process involving experts from across the Nordic countries, the plan supports the planning and implementation of national educational programmes.

Denne rapporten beskriver arrangementer og tiltak innen det nordiske samarbeidet på funksjonshinderområdet i 2024. I rapporten presenteres det konkrete arbeidet som er gjennomført i løpet av året for å bringe Norden nærmere målet om å gjøre regionen mer tilgjengelig og skape like muligheter for alle.

Funksjonshindersamarbeidet har bred tverrsektoriell forankring i Nordisk ministerråd, og ble ytterligere styrket gjennom utformingen av nye samarbeidsprogrammer på tvers av politikkområder i 2024.  

Årsrapporten for 2024 dokumenterer et aktivt og resultatorientert samarbeid som fremmer både politikkutvikling og kunnskapsdeling. Samarbeidet bidrar til å realisere de nordiske visjonene, styrke velferdstjenestene og bygge et mer inkluderende nordisk fellesskap.  

Årsrapporten gir en helhetlig beskrivelse av arbeidet med gjennomføring av Nordisk program for samarbeid om funksjonshinderspørsmål 2023–2027.

The report presents results from two research projects, focusing on nitrogen deposition to terrestrial nature areas in the Nordic countries.

Nordic Nature & Nitrogen aimed to update the regional air pollution models used in Denmark, Norway and Sweden with a more comprehensive description of ammonia deposition, and investigate the consequences of this update for nitrogen deposition to sensitive nature areas and the impact on biodiversity.

Benefit Nature aimed to establish the research base for development of an economic valuation system for air pollution (EVA-Nature) to assess socio-economic benefits from reduction of nitrogen deposition to sensitive terrestrial nature areas.

An important outcome of the projects are recommendations for Nordic research priorities and policy development for air pollution, especially with respect to emissions of ammonia.

This edition delves into the unique aspects of the Nordic wage-setting system model, highlighting its historical and contemporary features. Through a series of articles, it provides a comprehensive analysis of wage-setting, public sector wage determination, collective bargaining agreements, union density, and the broader economic impacts of labour unions in the Nordic countries. The report also addresses the challenges faced by the Nordic model, such as declining union density and the evolving economic landscape, and explores potential reforms to maintain its effectiveness.

Mediebarometern är en årlig undersökning av den svenska befolkningens tillgång till, och användning av, olika typer av medier. Undersökningen har genomförts sedan 1979 och det gör Mediebarometern till den äldsta oavbrutna studien i sitt slag i världen. Resultaten i 2024 års undersökning bygger på svar från omkring 6 000 slumpmässigt utvalda personer i åldern 9 till 85 år. 

2024 var ett år präglat av omfattande globala utmaningar och stora händelser såväl internationellt som i Sverige. Den fortsatta konflikten Israel – Palestina stod i fokus för det internationella nyhetsflödet under stora delar av året. Samtidigt fortsatte världen att hantera effekterna av kriget i Ukraina. I Sveriges satte inträdet i NATO säkerhetspolitiska frågor högt på agendan. 2024 var dessutom ett år av viktiga politiska val, som Europaparlamentsvalet i Sverige och det avgörande presidentvalet i USA. Internationella sportevenemang som fotbolls-EM och sommar-OS i Paris fångade också en stor publik och bidrog till ett stort medieintresse.

Allt detta påverkade den svenska befolkningens medieanvändning – för information och nyheter, men också för förströelse. Den här rapporten visar att den samlade mediekonsumtionen i Sverige under 2024 låg kvar på samma höga nivåer som noterats under senare år.

Mediebarometern genomförs av Nordicom vid Göteborgs universitet i samverkan med Bonnier News, Göteborgs-Posten, Mediemyndigheten, Sveriges Radio, Sveriges Television och Sveriges Utbildningsradio. Datainsamlingen till Mediebarometern 2024 har genomförts av undersökningsföretaget Indikator – Institutet för kvalitetsindikatorer. 

Living conditions for LGBTI people are influenced not only by societal norms surrounding sexual orientation or gender identity but also by other social norms such as those pertaining to gender, ethnicity, skin colour, religious affiliation and socio-economic status. Little is known about the role of these factors, and marginalised subgroups among sexual minorities are often overlooked. A number of projects funded by the Nordic Gender Equality Fund and the Nordic LGBTI Fund aim to change this, focusing on issues that specifically affect LGBTI people who belong to multiple minority groups.  

 This publication provides an insight into these Nordic co-operation projects: the problems and challenges the projects have identified, how they have been addressed and the concrete results that have been achieved. In interviews, project participants reflect on the benefits of Nordic co-operation and what is needed to improve conditions for LGBTI people who belong to multiple minority groups.

 Lgbti-personers levnadsvillkor påverkas inte bara av samhällets normer om sexuell läggning eller könsidentitet, utan även av normer gällande andra sociala kategorier som till exempel kön, etnicitet, hudfärg, religiös tillhörighet och socioekonomisk status. Vilken roll som dessa faktorer spelar finns det begränsad kunskap om och marginaliserade undergrupper inom sexuella minoriteter förbises ofta. Flera projekt finansierade av Nordisk jämställdhetsfond och Nordisk lgbti-fond vill förändra det och fokuserar på frågor som rör just lgbti-personer som tillhör flera minoriteter.

 I denna publikation ges en inblick i de nordiska samarbetsprojekten: vilka problem och utmaningar projekten har identifierat, hur de mött dem och vilka konkreta resultat de kunnat se.

This report examines the impact of air pollution from residential wood combustion on health in the Nordic countries.Residential wood combustion is a major contributor to premature deaths and health issues. The number of premature deaths is expected to decrease from 1,600 in 2019 to 1,200 by 2030, with health costs dropping from EUR 3.2 bn. to EUR 2.5 bn. This improvement is due to fewer and newer, less polluting appliances, and better energy efficiency in homes.

Two additional scenarios for 2030 reflecting national differences were evaluated.

Technology Scenario: Faster replacement of old appliances, reducing premature deaths by 190 and health costs by EUR 390 mil.

Zone-Based Scenario: Bans in densely populated areas, reducing premature deaths by 240 and health costs by EUR 510 mil.

Mitigation in densely populated areas offers greater health benefits than national-level efforts.

With awareness of the pressing challenges facing our food system, 65 key actors from across the Nordic region gathered in Malmö on 3–4 December 2024 for a two-day innovation summit. The aim? To develop new partnerships and concrete solutions for a resilient, healthy, and sustainable food system. By the end of the summit, five shared ambitions for Nordic collaboration were formulated, and 10 concrete initiatives were suggested. This report summarises the work done by the 65 summit participants.

In recent decades, Nordic cities have witnessed a general trend towards increased urban segregation, which has led to a wide range of policy and planning interventions addressing these issues across the Nordic countries. Against this background, this report examines how Nordic governments and cities address challenges of urban segregation through various policies, strategies, and plans that seek to foster greater social inclusion. The report also explores how the state and municipalities interact, as well as how public sector organisations and other actors work together to tackle segregation and foster social inclusion.

Í þessu stefnuyfirliti eru kynntar niðurstöður verkefnisins „Smart adaptation to Rural Realities: Approaches and Practices in Nordic Municipalities and Regions“. Hún byggist yfirferð á norrænum og evrópskum heimildum um fólksfækkun, bakgrunnsrannsókn á byggða- og dreifbýlisþróun og viðtölum við sérfræðinga. Í verkefninu voru haldnar vinnustofur með fulltrúum sveitarfélaga, svæða og ríkisins frá Svíþjóð, Finnlandi, Noregi, Íslandi og Danmörku. Stefnuyfirlitið fjallar um snjallar aðlögun til að takast á við lýðfræðilegar breytingar, með áherslu á endurmat á auðlindanýtingu, aðlögun þjónustu og eflingu nýskapandi lausna fyrir svæði sem glíma við fólksfækkun. Settar eru fram tillögur fyrir stefnumótendur á sveitarstjórnarstigi, landshlutastjórnarstigi og landsvísu á Norðurlöndum um þau tækifæri sem felast í beitingu aðlögunaraðgerða til að mæta lýðfræðilegum breytingum.

Tässä raportissa esitellään Smart adaptation to Rural Realities: Approaches and Practices in Nordic Municipalities and Regions -hankkeen keskeisiä havaintoja. Havainnot perustuvat pohjoismaiseen ja eurooppalaiseen väestön vähenemistä koskevaan kirjallisuuteen, aluekehitys- ja maaseudun kehittämispolitiikkojen tutkimukseen sekä asiantuntijoiden haastatteluihin. Hankkeen puitteissa järjestettiin työpajoja, joihin osallistui edustajia kuntien, alueiden ja kansallisen tason edustajia Ruotsista, Suomesta, Norjasta, Islannista ja Tanskasta. Raportissa tarkastellaan älykästä sopeutumista demografisiin muutoksiin. Keskeisiä sopeutumisstrategioita ovat resurssien tehokkaampi kohdentaminen, palvelutarjonnan mukauttaminen ja innovatiivisten ratkaisujen kehittäminen vähenevän väestön tarpeisiin. Se tarjoaa Pohjoismaiden paikallisille, alueellisille ja kansallisille päättäjille näkökulmia päätöksenteon tueksi kuvaamalla, miten demografisiin muutoksiin voidaan vastata sopeutumisstrategioiden avulla.

I dette policy-notatet presenteres hovedfunnene fra prosjektet «Smart adaptation to Rural Realities: Approaches and Practices in Nordic Municipalities and Regions». Innholdet bygger på nordisk og europeisk litteratur om befolkningsnedgang, forskning på regional utvikling og distriktspolitikk, samt intervjuer med eksperter. Som en del av prosjektet ble det arrangert workshops med deltakere fra kommuner, regioner og nasjonale myndigheter i Sverige, Finland, Norge, Island og Danmark. Publikasjonen utforsker hvordan smart tilpasning kan benyttes for å møte demografiske endringer. Sentrale strategier inkluderer mer effektiv ressursallokering, tilpasning av tjenestetilbudet og utvikling av innovative løsninger som svarer på behovene i kommuner med synkende befolkning. Notatet presenterer perspektiver rettet mot lokale, regionale og nasjonale beslutningstakere i Norden om hvordan demografiske endringer kan håndteres gjennom målrettede tilpasningsstrategier.

Denne policy brief fremlægger resultater fra projektet “Smart adaptation to Rural Realities: Approaches and Practices in Nordic Municipalities and Regions”. Den er baseret på en gennemgang af nordisk og europæisk litteratur om befolkningsnedgang, en baggrundsundersøgelse om politikker vedrørende udvikling i regioner og landdistrikter samt interviews med eksperter. Projektet omfattede workshops med deltagelse af kommunale, regionale og nationale repræsentanter fra Sverige, Finland, Norge, Island og Danmark. Policy briefen udforsker strategier til smart tilpasning for at imødegå demografiske ændringer, med fokus på revurdering af allokeringen af ressourcer, justering af leveringen af ydelser og fremme af innovative løsninger for befolkninger, der oplever nedgang. Den inkluderer politiske overvejelser for lokale, regionale og nationale politiske beslutningstagere i Norden vedrørende potentialet ved at bruge adaptive strategier til at håndtere demografiske forandringer.

I denna policy brief presenteras de centrala resultaten från projektet "Smart adaptation to Rural Realities: Approaches and Practices in Nordic Municipalities and Regions". Detta baseras på nordisk och europeisk litteratur om befolkningsminskning, forskning om regional utveckling och landsbygdspolitik samt intervjuer med experter. Inom ramen för projektet anordnades workshops med deltagare från kommuner, regioner och nationella nivåer från Sverige, Finland, Norge, Island och Danmark. Publikationen undersöker smart anpassning till demografiska förändringar. Centrala anpassningsstrategier inkluderar effektivare resursallokering, anpassning av servicetillhandahållande och utveckling av innovativa lösningar för att möta behoven hos en minskande befolkning. Den policy briefen erbjuder perspektiv för lokala, regionala och nationella beslutsfattare i Norden genom att belysa hur demografiska förändringar kan hanteras med hjälp av anpassningsstrategier.

Since the advent of digital tools, health authorities in the Nordic countries have embraced, and taken an active role in supporting the development and implementation of information systems to enhance their healthcare systems. 

The Nordic eHealth Research Network (NeRN) is a forum for policy makers and researchers to jointly work towards measurable policy goals and data that can be exploited to steer decision making. 

In this NeRN report, we show that the Nordic countries have begun to leverage their installed base of health-related information systems by putting them front and center in their healthcare reforms. The policies put greater emphasis on engaging, empowering and activating the patient. The policies now encompass research and innovation workflows and show a greater concern for the work-life of health professionals. This has implications for indicator development. 

This publication demonstrates how data donation can be scaled to national population level to understand trends in digital media usage and potential challenges for digital democracies. We describe and discuss the results of our novel methodological setup combining data donation and surveys about the Danish population’s use of YouTube as an illustrative case. 

Through three consecutive survey steps, the study collected trace data from participants using quotas for gender, age, and education to approximate a sample representative of the adult Danish population of YouTube users, resulting in a final donated data sample of n = 1,063. This sample size is much larger than other similar data donation studies conducted. In a fourth step, these data were linked with a comprehensive post-survey including questions about YouTube use, social media use, news use, mental health, personality traits, conspiracy mentality, political views, political interest, political efficacy, and more. 

The publication documents the data collection procedure and analyses response rates, screening out and drop-off at different steps of the data collection, and how well the final sample matches the adult Danish population of YouTube users (as estimated in a prior representative survey study). Furthermore, we provide a descriptive statistical overview of the donated data and discuss ethical considerations and clearance of the study. The methodological design was developed by the research team. The Danish survey institute Epinion was responsible for conducting the data collection and technical implementation

How do powers of attorney (PoAs) function in the Nordic and Baltic countries? Are they fully digital? Can they work across borders? How do they align with EU initiatives like the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDIW)?

This report, commissioned by the Nordic Council of Ministers, explores the current state and future potential of cross-border digital PoAs in the region. It examines interoperability, legal and governance barriers, and the role of EU initiatives such as the EUDIW and the Single Digital Gateway (SDG).

The report highlights differences in digital PoA maturity and provides recommendations for aligning national systems with EU regulations, increasing digital adoption, enabling cross-border use, and improving identity matching for foreign users. As digital transformation progresses, seamless and secure PoA recognition will be key for individuals and businesses alike.

 Today, women in the Nordics are among the most active labour market participants in the world, but the goal of equal conditions in the labour market is far from being achieved. One of the clearest indicators of this are pay differentials between women and men. To help reduce the pay differentials the Nordic Council of Ministers has initiated a project on pay equity, which, among other things, has resulted in this publication.

 This publication discusses various explanations for the undervaluation of women’s work in a gender-segregated labour market, based on a survey of social partners and other key stakeholders in the Nordic countries. A background review of various statistics of gender pay gaps is provided with the aim of illustrating the underlying factors. Various aspects of the survey highlighted by the respondents are also discussed, drawing on relevant research.

Idag är kvinnor i Norden bland de mest yrkesverksamma i världen, men målet om lika villkor i arbetslivet är långt ifrån uppnått. En av de tydligaste indikatorerna på det är löneskillnaderna mellan kvinnor och män som kvarstår. För att bidra till att minska löneskillnaderna har Nordiska ministerrådet tagit initiativ till ett projekt om lika lön för likvärdigt arbete i Norden, som resulterat i denna publikation. 

 I publikationen diskuteras olika förklaringar till undervärderingen av kvinnors arbete på en könssegregerad arbetsmarknad, med utgångspunkt i en enkät till arbetsmarknadens parter och andra nyckelaktörer i de nordiska länderna. Som bakgrund finns en genomgång av olika mått för löneskillnader, med syfte att åskådliggöra bakomliggande faktorer. Enkäten diskuteras även utifrån de olika aspekter som lyfts fram av respondenterna, med hjälp av relevant forskning.

This conference report is based on the first joint Nordic network seminar on deafblindness, held in Malmö in November 2024, and summarises key outcomes with a particular focus on video analysis as a method for strengthening professional understanding across disciplines.

Today, women in the Nordics are among the most active labour market participants in the world, but the goal of equal conditions in the labour market is far from being achieved. One of the clearest indicators of this are pay differentials between women and men. To help reduce the pay differentials the Nordic Council of Ministers has initiated a project on pay equity. This report presents a pilot study that investigated how available official statistics can be used to analyse pay differences between women and men in work of equal value at the national level in the Nordic countries. In particular, statistics from Finland, Norway and Sweden were analysed. The pilot study examined how statistics can be applied in the case of occupations that have already been assessed as being of equal value, i.e. as if the occupations were equal. The report concludes with recommendations from the study. 

Idag är kvinnor i Norden bland de mest yrkesverksamma i världen, men målet om lika villkor i arbetslivet är långt ifrån uppnått. En av de tydligaste indikatorerna på det är löneskillnaderna mellan kvinnor och män,som kvarstår. För att bidra till att minska dem har Nordiska ministerrådet tagit initiativ till ett projekt om lika lön för likvärdigt arbete. 

I denna publikation redovisas en pilotstudie som undersökte hur tillgänglig offentlig statistik kan användas för att analysera löneskillnader mellan kvinnor och män i likvärdigt arbete på nationell nivå i de nordiska länderna, med fokus på Finland, Norge och Sverige. Pilotstudien undersökte hur statistik kan användas utifrån premissen att det redan gjorts en bedömning av vad som är att betrakta som likvärdigt arbete vid jämförelse av olika yrken, det vill säga som om yrkena vore likvärdiga. Publikationen avslutas med rekommendationer.

This report examines the circular economy of fishing gear in Nordic fisheries, focusing on Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and Norway. It explores how end-of-life fishing gear (EOLFG) is managed, from production and use to collection, recycling, and reuse. The findings highlight key national differences, shared challenges, and innovative practices. While progress has been made, gaps remain in gear traceability, loss prevention, and recycling infrastructure. The report offers concrete, step-by-step recommendations for improving gear marking, retrieval systems, fisher participation, and regional collaboration, supporting a more sustainable and resource-efficient fishing sector.

The NMTT-ICES Nordic Climate Change Forum for Fisheries and Aquaculture serves as a platform for industry stakeholders and governments to collaborate and advance our understanding in addressing the pressing challenges of climate change in fisheries and aquaculture. There are numerous aspects at the intersection of climate change and fisheries and aquaculture as outlined in the First ICES-NMTT Forum meeting in 2021. Food systems are responsible for a third of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) according to Crippa et al. (2021). Therefore, reducing emissions across food value chains is crucial. Consumers play a pivotal role in this process by shifting their food demand toward products with lower GHG emissions and minimizing food waste. Given that seafood generally has lower GHG emissions compared to other foods , the fisheries and aquaculture sectors have an important role to play. 

Many methods and models used in the risk assessment of plant protection products (PPP) were developed more than 20 years ago, describing the environmental, climatic, and agricultural conditions at that time or prior. However, several of these methods and models contain parameters that are related to the climate and therefore may need to be revised or updated to account for a changing climate. As a response to a changing climate, the Nordic zone will have to re-validate and possibly adapt the current risk assessment to be fit for purpose in the coming decades. This report is not a research paper aiming at exhaustively cover the impact of climate change on the registration procedure of PPP. It rather aims at evaluating the status of available research and to provide recommendations for further tasks on the road to updating the registration procedure in the light of climate change.

The Nordic Carbon Neutral Bauhaus (NCNB) was launched in response to the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative, emphasizing carbon neutrality, social inclusion, and new aesthetics in the built environment. The Nordic interpretation of NEB has aimed to integrate sustainable building culture with carbon neutrality, hence aligning with broader Nordic policies on sustainable construction. The project has highlighted the critical role of cultural change connecting nature, design and policy in shaping a greener built environment. By embedding NEB values into Nordic architectural policies, the initiative lays the groundwork for future sustainability efforts. The NCNB project demonstrates the Nordic commitment to climate-conscious architecture, emphasizing that sustainable transformation requires broad participation, cultural awareness, and long-term policy integration.

The Critical Raw Materials Act contains regulations aimed at increased waste prevention and re-use of discarded products and materials as a part of a broader strategy to reduce supply risks for critical raw materials (CRM). Through waste prevention and re-use, consumption of a product or material is either avoided or prolonged thereby reducing the need for critical raw materials necessary for additional production. From a set of 90 possible measures to increase waste prevention or reuse for CRM-intensive products and materials, a set of 13 measures are given an extended analysis in this report.

The Nordic Genetic Resource Centre (NordGen) is the Nordic countries’ gene bank and knowledge center for genetic resources. NordGen is an organisation under the Nordic Council of Minister and works with the mission of conserving and facilitating the sustainable use of genetic resources linked to food, agriculture and forestry. 

NordGen Annual Review 2024 provides a review of NordGen's work done in the past year.

This report provides a review of studies that have been performed to date using non-target screening (NTS) and suspect screening (SS) to identify substances in articles, chemical products, and recycled materials. Comprehensive data on the occurrence and hazard properties of chemicals in different products and articles represent a cornerstone of a sound chemicals management system. In the absence of reliable supply-chain information novel analytical methods involving NTS and SS could facilitate identification and prioritization of (groups of) chemicals for regulatory risk management measures under e.g. the REACH and CLP regulations. In summary, NTS and SS display a high potential for identifying regulatory-relevant substances although standardized workflows, enhanced quality assurance measures, and collaborative trials to improve comparability and reliability of findings. 

The world's natural resources are under significant pressure – without strategies to reduce the amount of material being used and products being consumed, the UN has warned of ‘total societal collapse. The circulareconomy offers a solution by using 70% of current materials, redefining waste as a resource, and providing environmental and financial benefits, including unlocking up to $140 billion in the Nordics alone by 2030.

To realize this potential, businesses need a deeper understanding of their value chains. This requires collaborative data efforts, as no single company can see the entire lifecycle of materials and products. While companies can optimize their operations individually, only systemic data sharing can scale circular solutions and realize their full value. 

Businesses across value chains – from Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to large corporations – face major roadblocks in sharing circular data. Companies struggle with unclear business incentives, complex, overlapping legislations, unclear compliance requirements, and inconsistent data standards. SMEs, in particular, lack the resources to meet new sustainability reporting demands, while global value chains require harmonization across regulations.

To overcome the barriers, the consulted companies and strategic advisors of the Nordic Circular Accelerator Program propose policy makers to address three strategic objectives – each with a subsets of concrete interventions that incentivize and enable circular data sharing, harmonize and scale the efforts, and support and strengthen businesses throughout. 

This report summarizes key insights from the conference “How can the Nordic countries better promote labor market integration among migrant mothers and fathers?” held in Stockholm on 11-12 December 2024. Hosted by the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Swedish Ministry of Employment, the event focused on enhancing labour market integration for migrant parents in the Nordic countries. 

The conference highlighted the importance of learning from each other’s successes and challenges to replicate effective integration strategies. Discussions covered both policy and practical approaches to better integrate migrant parents into the labour market. While identifying areas for improvement, the conference also emphasized that integration generally works well for the majority. The event brought together 120 experts from the Nordic countries and beyond.

Hydrogen is increasingly recognized as a zero-emission energy carrier with notable advantages over battery-based systems, particularly in terms of weight and refuelling efficiency, making it highly competitive for long-range and heavy load transportation. Its rapid refuelling capability compared to battery electricsolutions allows for greater operational efficiency and flexibility, potentiallyenabling the transport of more goods over longer distances in shorter times.

An evaluation of the flow of goods in Nordic countries has been conducted to determine the optimal ports and routes for initial hydrogen infrastructure development. The goal is to prioritise ports and specific roads for hydrogen bunkering and refuelling stations for zero emission tradelines between countries.

An analysis of barriers was conducted through the course of the project, with barriers such as high costs and lack of infrastructure mentioned as important ones, and suggesting mitigating measures through standardisation, piloting, collaboration, and economic incentives.