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.

The Nordic Council of Ministers’ Communication Strategy is the long-term, overarching framework for raising the profile of Nordic intergovernmental co-operation. Its purpose is to guide the respective sectoral communication strategies and plans of everyone who works for the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Samskiptastefna Norrænu ráðherranefndarinnar er almenn og framsýn og hefur að geyma leiðbeiningar um hvernig við miðlum upplýsingum um samstarf norrænu ríkistjórnanna. Tilgangur samskiptastefnunnar er að móta ramma fyrir alla starfsemi Norrænu ráðherranefndarinnar og vera leiðarvísir fyrir aðrar samskiptastefnur og -áætlanir.

Pohjoismaiden ministerineuvoston viestintästrategia on pohjoismaisen hallitusyhteistyön näkyvyyttä edistävä pitkän aikavälin yleiskehys. Strategian on tarkoitus toimia suuntaviivana Pohjoismaiden ministerineuvoston koko henkilökunnalle sekä johtotähtenä viestintästrategioiden ja-suunnitelmien laatimisessa.

Nordisk Ministerråds kommunikationsstrategi er den overordnede og langsigtede ramme for synliggørelsen af det nordiske regeringssamarbejde. Strategien skal fungere som et rammeværk for alle, der arbejder inden for Nordisk Ministerråd, og en ledestjerne for respektive kommunikationsstrategier og -planer.

The X-Nordic Travel Contest (XNTC) is an initiative by Nordic Innovation, designed to strengthen and enhance the future sustainability and competitiveness of Nordic tourism. 

Tourism innovation doesn’t conclude with a hackathon, a testbed, or even the launch of a promising new product. It’s an ongoing process of iteration, adaptation, and discovery. It’s a journey, not a destination. 

This Guidebook offers a snapshot of that journey, filled with learnings, strategies, and stories from the X-Nordic Travel Contest programme. But, as with innovation itself, there is no big conclusion to this final chapter, much like there is no big final revelation of the XNTC programme.

This report presents the outcomes of a collaborative Nordic-Baltic effort to lay the groundwork for a joint AI Center focused on applied AI adoption.

In 2023, Nordic Innovation brought together a group of 23 experts in the Nordic Ethical AI Expert Group to put forward recommendations on how to overcome main barriers and harness AI’s potential responsibly in the Nordics. One of the recommendations was to establish a ‘Nordic Centre for Responsible AI’ – supporting Nordic businesses in developing and adopting AI responsibly, and creating a Nordic hub for ethical AI innovation.

This proposed center could serve as a catalyst for all five recommendations put forward by the Nordic Ethical AI Expert Group: providing public policy support and supporting and implementing a joint Nordic strategy, building data infrastructure in our own languages, developing AI competencies across society, and enhancing transparency around the sustainability of AI.

Focusing on Skagerrak, the report synthesises existing knowledge on (1) ecological connectivity, (2) fish species and populations with management shortcomings, and (3) evaluates the effectiveness of present marine protection instruments. Further, it reviews the present knowledge on ecosystem impacts of offshore wind parks. 

The project SAMSKAG addressed several of the issues listed in the Joint Statement by the Nordic Prime Ministers on a Sustainable Ocean Economy and the Green Transition (2022). In the project final report, we summarise and discuss the best available local and regional knowledge relevant to the health and resilience of marine ecosystems, thereby providing a sound knowledge base for decision-makers. Management recommendations are also summarised separately in policy briefs.

 Eight environmental charges are examined—two from each country - Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. The analysis dives into the market impact of selected green taxes and charges in the Nordic countries, to understand whether the charge has had the desired effect on market behaviour or not and reasons behind it. The findings show that green charges often fall short of optimal levels needed to fully internalise environmental costs and that the precision of their design often has a greater influence on outcomes than the charge level itself. Many green charges align positively with broader policy goals. However, the analysis clearly shows the importance for the Nordic countries to keep ensuring scientific evaluation of environmental economic instruments, to not fall behind and to dare believe that we can still be a frontrunner in a global context.

It is time to transition to a more sustainable energy future, opening up new opportunities to own energy locally, together. Uppsala University and Nordregio have jointly produced this guide, which is aimed at those interested in creating projects for locally owned energy, as well as decision-makers or financiers who want to understand how you can support citizens in realising these projects.

There is great potential in co-creating and owning energy at the local level: lower costs for residents, resilient communities and robust energy systems. Interest in community-owned energy projects is growing steadily, but there are still many questions and the process is difficult to navigate. This practical guide offers three steps to help communities move from concept to implementation, with practical lessons learnt from case studies, and references to resources.

Despite a clear political will to support this transition, both at the EU and national levels, clear structures and political support are lacking. The guide, therefore, concludes with six recommendations for administration and policymakers at the local, regional, and national levels to help local energy projects flourish.

Nordiske råds årsrapport beskriver virksomheten i løpet av 2024, hvor den politiske diskusjonen har vært preget av diskusjoner om fred og sikkerhet i Arktis. I årsrapporten beskrives arbeidet til utskuddene og komiteene samt Nordiske råds internasjonale virksomhet.

As Nordic countries look to tourism for regional development, especially in rural areas, there is a growing need to ensure that the benefits of tourism are broadly shared—and its social consequences better understood.

This publication is the second in a two-part series on Socially Sustainable Rural Tourism, commissioned by the Nordic Thematic Group for Green, Innovative and Resilient Regions. The first report established a conceptual and policy-based understanding of social sustainability in tourism. This follow-up turns to practice, presenting eight case studies from across the Nordic Region.

We here present a literature-based overview of responses to climate change from a wide range of marine species in Nordic waters, from the Baltic, North, Norwegian and Icelandic seas, to the seas around Greenland and the Barents Sea. We also give a synopsis of input from a small, targeted group of Nordic managers and decision makers who describe which climate change related pressures they consider to be the largest treats to our marine ecosystems. While the pressures often are similar, responses may differ substantially between ecosystems. The Baltic Sea faces a combined threat from rising temperatures and decreasing oxygen levels. Reduced North Sea primary production may propagate through ecosystems causing trouble for fish, birds and mammals. In more northerly areas, the melting of sea ice will totally change the environment, detrimental to some species, perhaps favourable to others.

Many Nordic municipalities are experiencing population decline, ageing, and uneven demographic trends, creating challenges for economic sustainability, service provision, and infrastructure development. While growth has traditionally been the policy focus, these shifts require a different approach. Smart adaptation offers a way to rethink resource allocation, adjust services, and foster innovation to build more resilient communities.

This policy brief explores how policymakers and planners can develop adaptive strategies to manage demographic change effectively. It highlights key principles of smart adaptation and provides practical insights for national, regional, and local decision-makers.

What drives young adults in the Nordic region to stay, move, or return to their place of origin? This working paper explores the migration patterns and settlement preferences of Nordic individuals aged 25-39—a key period for long-term relocation decisions. Grounded in the Competence Mobility II project, the study examines how career opportunities, social ties, and lifestyle aspirations influence mobility choices across the region.

Political discontent has been rising in many Western democracies, often linked to economic insecurities, spatial inequalities, and demographic shifts. While the Nordic countries generally maintain high levels of trust in institutions, growing rural-urban divides may contribute to dissatisfaction, particularly in areas facing economic stagnation or demographic imbalances. This project synthesis examines spatial disparities across the Nordic Region and their association with electoral behaviour, particularly voter turnout and support for populist parties.

In recent years, feelings of being left behind have grown in some regions across Europe and the Western world, linked to economic, social, and demographic disparities. This visual guide provides an overview of spatial variations across the Nordic Region, illustrating key demographic, socio-economic, and environmental indicators through maps and charts.

This report described the approaches against organized crime in Denmark and Sweden. It focused in particular on the impact and effectiveness of selected programs, projects and measures.

 The report was based on research literature, official documents, and notes taken during the study visits to Denmark and Sweden. The data revealed many promising measures against organized crime. However, only a few of them were based on strong research evidence.

 The key target areas in the fight against organized crime were identified. They concerned children and young people, weapons and violence, the criminal economy and the international dimension.

 New strategic programs and measures against organized crime and gang crime in Denmark and Sweden can be considered as good examples for other countries. The information produced has served the updating of the strategy against organized crime in Finland.

We are pleased to introduce the report, "Municipal Waste Statistics Inconsistencies: A Nordic Perspective", a result of a collaborative effort by Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. This report delves into the critical question: Are the variations in municipal waste among Nordic countries a reflection of actual differences or is it a result of inconsistent applications of the common EU methodology across these countries? Through an in-depth examination, the report identifies the significant differences in the application of the common EU method. The findings serve as a knowledge base, underscoring the need for a more accurate and pragmatic approach to ensure consistent waste data across EU member states. Such consistency is pivotal for designing effective policies for waste reduction and recycling, and for a comparable and accurate evaluation of each country's success in reaching municipal waste targets.

Gränshinderrådets främsta uppgift är att vara pådrivare mot de nationella politiska och administrativa systemen så att Norden kan bli en integrerad region där invånare enkelt kan arbeta, flytta, studera och starta företag över gränserna. Under 2024 har elva gränshinder avklarats, varav tre har lösts och åtta har avskrivits som olösbara. Gränshinderrådet har särskilt fokuserat på fyra temaområden: Digitalisering, Folkbokföringssamarbete, Gränsregional statistik och Skatterelaterade gränshinder. Gränshinderrådet har även, när mobilitetshämmande initiativ tagits på nationell nivå, agerat för att värna den grundläggande fria rörligheten mellan de nordiska länderna.

Det svenska medielandskapet utvecklas i ett nära samspel med det omgivande samhället. De sociala, ekonomiska, politiska och teknologiska landskapen formar – och formas av – medielandskapet i en ständigt pågående process. I MedieSverige 2025 får läsaren en bred och aktuell översikt över det svenska medielandskapet. Genom att först belysa utvecklingen på de medieteknologiska och mediepolitiska områdena i Sverige, går rapporten vidare till att redovisa utvecklingen på publik- och reklammarknaderna, för att avslutningsvis beskriva den svenska mediestrukturen.

MedieSverige 2025 bygger på ett rikt datamaterial från en rad olika källor. Rapporten riktar sig till studenter, lärare, forskare, journalister, beslutsfattare och alla andra som vill lära sig mer om det svenska medielandskapet.

Den första utgåvan av rapportserien MedieSverige utkom för 42 år sedan. MedieSverige 2025 utgör den sextonde volymen i serien. Rapporten är skriven av Ulrika Facht och Elisabeth Falk vid Nordicom, Göteborgs universitet.

”Exakt den sammanställning som jag behöver när jag försöker orientera mig i den nya medievärlden” – en läsares återkoppling om MedieSverige 2023.

Minimizing exposure to endocrine disruptors (EDs) is high on the political agenda, both in the EU and in the Nordic region. One tool to speed up these efforts is by regulating groups of substances. This project analysed case examples of groupings of EDs. For each case example, advantages, challenges, uncertainties and regulatory perspectives were discussed and learnings were extracted. On this basis, recommendations for grouping of EDs were developed and incorporated in a simplified workflow, which can guide grouping of EDs. Main findings were that EDs can be grouped like other chemicals, their complex hazard profiles require special attention and groupings should start with the broadest group possible. To facilitate competence building for grouping of EDs in EU regulatory process, the report was presented to chemical authorities across the EU at a webinar in November 2024.

Commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania, this report contributes to the implementation of the EUSBSR PA Bioeconomy. The aim is to illustrate how ‘Industrial Symbiosis’ (IS) can be a useful concept and model to accelerate the transition towards the green and circular economy. As point of departure this report poses the question: ‘why industrial symbiosis’? To answer it, the concept is unwrapped in connection to related concepts such as circular economy, green economy and valorisation. Furthermore, the report presents a snapshot of development of industrial symbiosis in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR), followed by more in-depth case studies in selected regions. The report, then, provides conclusions reflecting on the key factors that play a role in forging symbiotic connections between relevant stakeholders, and ends with a list of recommendations.

Nefco's Biodiversity Pilor Programme was created in 2022 to test and developconcrete biodiversity solutions co-created with small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) in the private sector. The programme is funded by the Nordic Environmental Development Fund (NMF), which currently receives contributionsfrom. Nefco has managed the NMF fund on behalf of its member countries since 1996.

This report presents the key learnings and results of Nefco’s first Biodiversity Pilot Programme from 2022 to 2024.

About Nefco

Nefco, the Nordic Green Bank, is an international financial institution founded in 1990 by the five Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

Our task is to accelerate the green transition. We serve the interests of our owners and finance the initial scale-up of Nordic green solutions on global markets.

We finance green investments, primarily with loans and equity-type financing from our own revolving capital. In addition, we manage trust funds and initiatives on behalf of various donors, including the Nordic governments, the Nordic Council of Ministers and the European Union, to support their sustainability-related goals. 

This report combines Nefco's reporting on it's activities, sustainability and impact with Nefco's financial statements for the year 2024. A separate report on Nefco’s Ethics and Compliance for 2024 is available on: https://www.nefco.int/about/ethics-and-compliance/ 

Nefco's 2024 Annual Report showcases significant progress in accelerating the green transition through our own investments and managed funds. 

About Nefco

Nefco, the Nordic Green Bank, is an international financial institution founded in 1990 by the five Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Our task is to accelerate the green transition. 

We serve the interests of our owners and finance the initial scale-up of Nordic green solutions on global markets. We finance green investments, primarily with loans and equity-type financing from our own revolving capital. In addition, we manage trust funds and initiatives on behalf of various donors, including the Nordic governments, the Nordic Council of Ministers and the European Union, to support their sustainability-related goals.

The report provides new knowledge on the effects of climate change on future environment and marine life in the Nordic sea areas. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provides a lot of high-quality information. However, the IPCC reports are global and there is little room for focusing on the Nordic sea areas and global climate models don’t have sufficient spatial resolution to provide a good basis for decision-making on a Nordic scale. 

The project NorScen and this report aims to fill the gap by producing, presenting and discussing results of new detailed regionally resolved model data on future physical, biogeochemical, and ecological variables for especially the Baltic, North, Norwegian, and Barents seas. Through this the project aims to enhance the foundation for economic and societal adaptation and provide a robust knowledge base for decision-makers.

Nicotine is a toxic and highly addictive substance found in cigarettes and other tobacco products. In recent years, new nicotine products without tobacco, such as e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, have entered the market, appealing particularly to children and young people.

As children and young people are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of nicotine, it is critically important to protect them from becoming addicted to nicotine, regardless of the product. The use of nicotine products pose a threat to both individual health and public health.

The report Use of nicotine products among youth in the Nordic and Baltic countries provides an overview of the trends in nicotine product use among youth, as well as regulatory developments from 2018 to 2024 in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

The findings of the report underline the importance of continued strategic political focus on this topic – both within and between countries. Harmonising regulations across the Nordic and Baltic countries could help secure a more unified and proactive approach in preventing the use of new nicotine products among youth.

The project Transfrontier Collaboration in wildlife management with a special focus on wildlife crime is a collaboration between the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, The County Board of Värmland (Sweden), Natural Resources Institute Finland LUKE and Police Academy in Oslo (Norway). The project is closely working with national and regional authorities and agencies in all three countries throughout the project.

This project, funded by the Nordic Working Group for Biodiversity (NBM) under the Nordic Council of Ministers and supported by partner organizations, successfully strengthened cross-border collaboration in governance, management, and law enforcement related to Fennoscandian large carnivores. By mapping existing structures and assessing networking levels, the project identified key opportunities and challenges in transboundary cooperation. It proposed a structural model to enhance collaboration, laying the foundation for future efforts despite limitations in producing a comprehensive implementation plan.Overall, the project successfully set the stage for deeper and more structured transboundary cooperation in large carnivore management and wildlife crime prevention. By identifying existing gaps, engaging key stakeholders, and proposing concrete models for collaboration, it provided a critical stepping stone towards more coordinated and resilient cross-border governance in the Nordic region.

The interaction between nature and humanity is a critical focus in today's world. As we have distanced ourselves from nature, it's crucial to understand that in the Earth's ecosystem, one cannot take without also giving back. Creating a better balance is imperative, necessitating a holistic approach to living, dwelling, and cultivating for the thriving of all species. Establishing an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is one way to initiate local collaboration to strengthen the interactions with environments that sustainboth nature and people and support the UN Global Biodiversity Framework.

 In this sample collection you will be inpired to take action in your localhood.

From good practice to next practice in the Nordic Biosphere Reserves

The Nordic UNESCO Biosphere Reserves play a vital role in supporting local communities to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). By fostering sustainable, place-based development, they empower communities to strengthen the relationship between nature and culture.

By providing a model for next practices and showcasing examples of initiatives and successful good practices, this guide supports the transformation of these practices into "next practices" that are innovative, adaptable, and tackle global challenges such as biodiversity loss and climate change. 

This publication presents findings from the Nordic Council of Ministers – Nordic Working Group for Biological Diversity-funded project MAB LAB: Man and the Biosphere – Local Actions for the Global Framework for Biodiversity.