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The Nordic countries are among the most digitalised in the world. Yet, this digital advantage does not benefit everyone equally. One group particularly at risk of being left behind is immigrant women—especially those who are newly arrived, have limited local language proficiency, or come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. New research explores this issue, asking: how can the Nordic countries support the digital inclusion of immigrant women, and why does it matter? The publication provides insights and recommendations to enhance digital engagement and integration into society. Exclusion in a digital welfare state In the Nordic welfare model, digital competence is often the gateway to social and economic participation. From applying for jobs and booking healthcare to accessing benefits and public services, basic digital skills are now indispensable. “Factors such as language proficiency, digital literacy, trust, lack of support, systemic barriers, cultural differences, and lack of domain knowledge intersect to create significant challenges,” explains Maja Brynteson, author of the study and Research Fellow at Nordregio. The consequences go far beyond inconvenience. Digital exclusion can deepen social isolation, create new forms of control and limit the ability of immigrant women to fully participate in everyday life. A fragmented policy landscape Across the Nordic countries, policy responses vary. Norway specifically identifies immigrant women as a digitally vulnerable group in national strategies. Other countries adopt a broader approach—focusing on common challenges shared across groups at risk of exclusion. This “common challenges, common solutions” model aims to streamline efforts and improve efficiency. Yet, it is difficult to say if this generalist approach can meet the specific needs of immigrant women (and other groups at risk of digital exclusion), who often face compounded and intersectional barriers to inclusion. “It is too early to say whether targeted or broader approaches are more effective,” says Brynteson. “Both have merits,…

Cities are at the forefront of the global fight against climate change. With seven out of ten people projected to live in urban areas by 2050 (UN, 2018) and cities already accounting for 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the stakes could not be higher. Urban areas are expanding faster than their population growth, posing major risks to climate targets, but also opening a critical window for sustainable innovation. Cities account for over 80% of global GDP (World Bank, 2023), giving them significant potential to drive climate action while maintaining economic growth. Nordregio’s new report, “Nordic cities: pathways towards climate neutrality”, the final product of the Nordic Climate Neutral Cities (NCNC) project, funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, offers insights for both national and local policymakers and planners. It explores how Nordic cities use spatial urban planning to move towards climate neutrality through three specific sectors: land use, transport, and building and construction. Political will and practical barriers Nordic cities are well-positioned for climate neutrality, thanks to strong political will, energy-efficient building traditions, investments in sustainable mobility, and growing citizen participation. Their strong institutional and financial capacity, supported by municipal autonomy and access to renewable energy, offers a solid foundation for climate action. Yet, our research also shows the challenges slowing the transition. Multilevel governance challenges, coordination gaps within municipalities, fragmented land use planning, and inconsistent building regulations slow progress. Financing for building retrofits is often inadequate, increasing the risk of energy poverty. Public preferences for traditional housing forms may also conflict with climate goals. Limiting cars in urban areas is still a politically sensitive issue in several Nordic municipalities. As the report states, “Nordic cities have many of the right ingredients for climate neutrality, but overcoming ingrained systemic barriers will require new forms of collaboration and more targeted…

How can the Nordic-Baltic region enhance digital security during times of geopolitical instability? In the first of Nordregio’s NB-Connect event series, experts gathered to discuss strategies for strengthening digital resilience and safeguarding connectivity infrastructure in the Nordic-Baltic region. Photo: Krzysztof Kowalik / Unsplash.com The physical threat to a digital world In the face of a changing geopolitical climate, European countries are raising their guards and shining the torch on vulnerable critical infrastructure. The Nordic and Baltic states are currently scrutinising their vulnerabilities to hybrid attacks, particularly following recent incidents involving communication cables in the Baltic Sea. These attacks have highlighted the need to monitor and protect communications systems, reminding us that digital security is highly reliant on physical infrastructure. But security challenges span further than human induced incidents, where remote regions, such as Greenland, face challenges in securing essential communication infrastructure due to harsh arctic environments and a lack of private investment incentives. To address the pressing issue of secure digital infrastructure, Nordregio recently gathered experts from the NB-Connect expert group, as well as associated national representatives and members of the research community. This online event marked the first in a series within the NB-Connect project, funded by the Nordic-Baltic Ministers for Digitalisation in their commitment to making the Nordic-Baltic region the most digitally integrated in the world by 2030. The research project focuses on sharing digital connectivity data across the Nordic-Baltic region, and the first event on 18 March particularly covered security threats to communication systems, how these threats differ between regions, and the complexities of covering hybrid threats under international law. Cecilia Leveaux from the Nordic Council of Ministers emphasised the importance of both access to, and the security and resilience of, the digital infrastructure: “It impacts everything and is a hot topic in the ministerial councils and…

As the Nordic Region faces new and complex geopolitical shifts, Nordic policymakers have deemed increased cross-border transport critical. At the recent Platform North conference, Anna Lundgren, Senior Research Fellow at Nordregio, shared research insights from the NORDINFRA project and the critical elements required for effective cross-border transport infrastructure planning. Funded by the Swedish National Transport Administration and carried out between 2021 and 2023, the NORDINFRA project, a collaborative effort between Nordregio and Umeå University, aimed to identify the barriers and drivers of successful cross-border collaboration. The project focused on three connections (all at an early planning stage): the Helsingborg-Helsingør connection, the Stockholm-Oslo railway, and a multimodal line from Mo I Rana in Norway through Umeå in Sweden to Vasa in Finland. Insights to enhance Nordic cross-border transport First, a top-down approach is key. National-level political collaboration and support are essential for paving the way. The Nordic ministers on transport infrastructure have issued a declaration on cooperation and mandated the national transport administrations to deepen their cooperation, which are important steps in the right direction. Secondly, a systems perspective is fundamental. Cross-border infrastructure planning transcends national boundaries, and considering the different modes of transport in that system is essential. To date, the Nordic Region lacks a comprehensive overview of the Nordic transport infrastructure system of transport flows, and the national transport plans. Thirdly, it’s a question of costs and benefits. Economic figures and risk analyses are the foundation of sound decision-making. The results highlighted the need for joint analyses and models to estimate transport flows, evaluate risks and calculate costs and benefits. Roadmap to a Nordic transport model Anna Lundgren outlined best practices for policymakers and planners engaged in transport infrastructure planning: Acknowledge and navigate the complexities introduced by national borders and multiple governance levels; Ensure that national-level governments and relevant…

This policy brief emphasises the role of the bicycle in addressing challenges in planning sustainable cities and transport, and debunks eight common misconceptions.

How can urban, rural, and regional policies contribute to the Vision 2030 of making the Nordic Region the most sustainable and integrated region in the world? Starting from January 2025, we will give you a closer look through a series of events. Our research insight series offers an opportunity to explore how urban, rural, and regional policies can work in synergy to address shared challenges and create sustainable solutions. We will share selected highlights from research and projects carried out by Nordic thematic working groups in 2021-2024. Each event will focus on a different topic. Through different perspectives, they highlight the unique benefits of Nordic cooperation, showcasing how Nordic countries, regions, cities and municipalities are working together to address shared challenges and opportunities through tailored and locally adapted solutions. You can already sign up for: Upcoming sessions later in the new year will address remote work, social inclusion, smart adaptation in rural areas, and climate-neutral cities. Stay tuned for more details! This series provides a platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration among policymakers, researchers and academics, as well as practitioners in the Nordic Region. Join us to learn, share, and draw inspiration for the future of regional policy and practice. Get insights into how Nordic collaboration translates research into policy inspiration and strategies that benefit the entire region.