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Digital Inclusion in the Nordic-Baltic Region – The Conference

During two half days, 14-15 May 2024, it is finally time for the “Digital Inclusion in the Nordic-Baltic Region – The Conference” where we will deep dive into the development in the Nordic and Baltic Region! What is the current status of digital inclusion policies, or the rollout of eID and what role does civil society play? This and much more is on the agenda when policymakers, practitioners, civil society, and academia gather in Stockholm.  We will showcase the outcomes of two years of research, highlighting the unique challenges and solutions specific to the Nordic-Baltic Region. As this event aims to foster collaboration, dialogue, and knowledge exchange – we need you in the room with us. During the two days two reports, two studies and two new tools will be launched!  Programme Tuesday, 14th of May  Starting 11:30 with check-in and lunch. The first day of the conference will tackle the question of “What characterises digital inclusion in the Nordic/Baltic region?” and “What can we do to reduce digital exclusion in the Nordic/Baltic region?”. Topics include discussions on the evolution of the political landscape concerning digital inclusion post Covid-19 in the Nordic and Baltic region, the status of digitalisation of the public sector, barriers and solutions of E-id roll out in the Nordic and Baltic region, the pivotal role of civil society actors in ensuring digital participation across all societal groups and, lastly, how can the political level work together with the civil society level.  11.30  Arrival and lunch     12.30  Welcome to the conference!Our moderator Annika Östman, head of communications at Nordregio, opens the conference Rolf Elmér, Director at Nordregio, welcomes you       12.45  Official Opening of ConferenceDan Sjöblom, Director-General of the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Representative for the Swedish presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2024        13.00  Setting the stage: What…

Arctic Frontiers: Gender Equality in the Blue Economy

For most of the Nordic countries, fisheries and aquaculture are important economic sectors. Their labour markets are however male-dominated, and strongly gender-segregated. Project Salmon & Equality, led by Nordregio, gathers knowledge and statistics on gender equality in fisheries and aquaculture across the Nordic countries. At Arctic Frontiers in Tromsö, we will launch the research report on the topic, and have invited renowned speakers to discuss the issue. Join us on Tuesday 30 January 2024! The aim of the event is to raise increased awareness of the need for gender balance in the business and to share knowledge of effective measures. The event will be centered around Arctic Frontier’s overall theme “Action and Reaction,” and will bring together representatives from politics, industry, and research to engage in a dialogue on gender equality within the fishery and aquaculture sector. Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers Karen Ellemann will open the event, followed by expert talks and panel discussions. Welcome to join our side event at the Arctic Frontiers conference in Tromsö, or join the livestream by signing up to the form below! Researcher and project manager Anna Karlsdóttir will present key findings as well as new policy recommendations covering statistics, harassment, innovation uptake, gender, and governance within the sector. Presentations by: Anna Karlsdottir Associate Professor, Nordregio and University of Iceland Key note speaker: Susanne Mortensen FisherMortensen is a fisher and author of the opinion piece that set in motion the fishing industry’s #Metoo movement, spurring a public debate about harassment and equality. Moderator: Gøril Johansen Chief Executive Officer Pro Tromsø Panelists: Sandra Márjá West, member of Sámi Parliament Ms. Karen Ellemann Secretary General, Nordic Council of Ministers Malgorzata Smieszek-Rice Researcher, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø (UiT) Gunnar Davídsson Head of Resource Management Department, Troms County Council Administration Edgar Henriksen…

Fiscal stabilizers in Nordic countries: Nordic Economic Policy Review Conference

The ongoing 21st century has brought with it a series of big global shocks the management of which has posed severe policy challenges, not least for fiscal stabilization and stability of public finances. Nordic countries are no exception to the rule. Have conventional fiscal stabilizers, most notably fiscal multipliers and automatic stabilizers remained stable over time and in the face of these shocks? Furthermore, since macroeconomic uncertainty has arguably increased due to the series of big shocks alluded to above, can we observe new features in the interplay between discretionary fiscal policy decisions and fiscal multipliers and automatic stabilizers? These are some of the issues that will be presented and discussed during this peer-review conference of the upcoming Nordic Economic Policy Review. The conference will take place in Reykjavik and online on the 8th of November. The seminar will address questions like: We invite you to a full day with presentations of recent research by leading Nordic experts, comments by academics and policymakers, and policy discussions. We offer coffee and a light lunch for all onsite participants. Agenda November 8, 2023 8:30 – 9:00:              Coffee and registration 9:00 – 9:05:              Welcome remarks 9:05 – 10:15:            Fiscal stabilizers in Iceland                                     Presentation by Arnaldur Sölvi Kristjánsson, University of Iceland                                   Discussants: Gunnar Haraldsson, Icelandic Fiscal Council Katrín Ólafsdóttir, Reykjavik University 10:15 – 10:30:          Coffee break 10:30 – 11:45:           Fiscal stabilizers in Denmark                           …

Nordregio at Ungdommens Folkemøde NORD

Nordregio and the Youth for Sustainable Living project will be present during Ungdommens Folkemøde NORD in Copenhagen on 21-22 April. Through funding from Sustainable Living, four youth organisations will participate and promote different aspects of sustainability during the event. ReGeneration 2030 You have the power to fight for a better future! We need collective youth power for system change, and ReGeneration 2030 will help you to find a role in the sustainability movement that suits you. Learn more about tangible actions and find out more about different youth sustainability organisations in different regions, and participate in creating an interactive artwork piece in the container to demonstrate your commitment to fighting climate change collectively. Visit their container: Friday at 14-19 and Saturday at 13-19, Sustainability & Future theme area. Listen to their talk: Friday, April 21, at 17-17.30, Sustainability & Future stage. ReGeneration 2030 is a youth movement for sustainability in the Nordic and Baltic Sea region, bringing activists aged 15-30 from across the region together to share knowledge and strategize. ReGeneration 2030 is on a mission to fight climate collapse and build a sustainable future for all. Tænketanken Frej Can we on the one hand be climate heroes who lead the way and on the other hand, be some of those who burden the planet the most? Tænketanken Frej focuses on food consumption and changes in food culture among young people. Is it really up to the individual to make a difference, or is it up to the system and political regulation to change the world? The panel debate on the stage engages several representatives and involves the audience. In their container, you can pop by for legume bingo, taste plant-based drink options and get to know more about their climate footprint. Visit their container: Friday at 14-19 and Saturday…

Opening Conference of the eMSP NBSR project

Nordregio together with partners from around the Baltic Sea and the North Sea regions are inviting to the opening conference of the project eMSP NBSR – Emerging ecosystem-based Maritime Spatial Planning topics in the North and Baltic Sea regions. The conference, taking place on the 22nd of February online, will introduce participants to the project topics, working methods, and will facilitate stakeholder discussions about their involvement in the upcoming project activities. About the project The eMSP NBSR project aims to enable maritime spatial planners, managing authorities and policymakers from the North and Baltic Sea regions to reflect on current MSP practices, to learn effectively from each other, and to collectively identify problems and solutions. In addition, the European Green Deal and other EU policy incentives fostering inclusive transition and climate neutrality will have an impact on the maritime spatial plans are taken into account in the eMSP NBSR project. The project is built around a Community of Practice (CoP) model, which is based on creating forums for policymakers, practitioners and researchers to discuss important MSP developments in key thematic areas – Ocean governance; Ecosystem-based approach; Sustainable blue economy; Monitoring and evaluation; Data sharing, information and communication technology serving MSP. “The CoP methodology is a potentially important tool for improving the effectiveness of transboundary MSP collaboration processes that can help promote cohesion between countries and across sectors in European sea basins,” – says John Moodie, Senior Research Fellow at Nordregio. Nordregio researchers Andrea Morf, John Moodie, Elin Cedergren and Alex Cuadrado, together with the Finnish Environment Institute SYKE are responsible for co-chairing a scientific advisory board, ensuring coherent knowledge exchange across the five thematic learning strands and reflecting on chosen CoP approach. The opening conference Throughout the opening conference of the eMSP NBSR project, participants will have a chance to learn…

COP26: Nordics are joining the COP with several events

5-12 November, Watch all events from the Nordic Pavilions in Glasgow and Helsinki online: https://www.norden.org/en/information/live-broadcasts-cop26 9th November: 9/11 – COP26 from a Swedish perspective Norden i Fokus and The British Embassy in Sweden are organizing events about the climate on Tuesday 9th of November at Kulturhuset, Stockholm. It is a part of all the activities that The Nordic Cooperation organize connected to COP26 in Glasgow. In a joint event with the Nordic COP26 Hub in Helsinki we give you a unique opportunity to ask your questions straight to the people in charge. Research Fellow Mari Woen from Nordregio participates a panel discussion on sustainable food chains. Read more here: https://www.norden.org/en/event/lunch-briefing-cop26-swedish-perspective Rural Policies & Climate Change – a joint OECD and Nordregio event Rural areas are crucial for the green transition. They cover around 80% of OECD countries’ territories and contain natural resources, ecosystem services and people with necessary skills to ensure livelihood. However, climate change makes these areas vulnerable. Nordregio and OECD are inviting you to a COP26 session to discuss the crucial contribution of rural regions in the transition to net-zero economies. The event takes place in the Nordic Pavilion in Glasgow and online. During the session “Rural policies & climate change: Why rural areas are crucial for green transition”, OECD will launch the Rural Agenda for Climate Action. Following the launch presentation, high-level officials from the US, Japan, the UK and the Nordics will discuss how to accelerate the transition to rural net-zero economies in different countries and regions. The second part of the event will be dedicated to sharing best practices from the Nordics, the EU and the US, unveiling rural opportunities through the promotion of bioeconomy and renewable energy use in rural areas. Agenda Master of Ceremony:Michael Funch (Nordic Council of Ministers) 11:15-11:25 Welcome remarks• Lamia…

Covid-19 effects on the economy in the Nordics: Nordic Economic Policy Review 2022

What effects has Covid had on the macroeconomic policies and the labour market? Are they different for men and women? What are the effects of school closings and online teaching? These are some of the issues that will be presented and discussed during the next peer-review conference of the Nordic Economic Policy Review. The conference will take place at the Nordic House in Reykjavik on the 27th of October and we welcome you to join us either in person or online. PROGRAMME 08:55 – 9:00 Opening remarks 09:00 – 10:15 Macroeconomic policies and labour market effects Presentation: Werner Eichhorst, professor, Institute of Labor Economics – IZA, Berlin Discussion: Ragnar Arnason, professor, Department of Economics, University of Iceland Mads Kieler, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance (Denmark) 10:15-10:45 Coffee Break 10:45 – 12:00 Effects of school closings and online teaching Presentation: Caroline Hall, Ph.D., Institute for evaluation of labour market and education policy, IFAU (Sweden) Discussion: Hjördís Hardardottir, Ph.D., Department of Economics, University of Iceland Hanna Virtanen, Chief Research Scientist, ETLA Economic Research (Finland) 12:00 – 13:00 Lunch Break 13:00 – 14:15 Cost-benefit analysis of Covid-19 policies Presentation: Lars Hultkrantz, professor emeritus, Örebro University Discussion: Ulf Persson, professor, The Swedish Institute for Health Economics, Lund University Tuulia Hakola, Research Director, Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority 14:15 – 15:30 Labour market effects for men vs. women Presentation: Kristina Huttunen, research professor, VATT Institute for economic research (Finland) Discussion: Helena Svaleryd, professor, Department of Economics, Uppsala University TBA 15:30 – 16:00 Coffee Break 16:00 – 17:15 Policies and effects on Icelandic tourism Presentation: Gylfi Zoega, professor, Department of Economics, University of Iceland Discussion: Svend E. Hougaard Jensen, professor, Department of Economics, CBS Gylfi Magnússon, professor, Department of Economics, University of Iceland   Time allocation for each paper: presenter 30 minutes, discussants 15 minutes each, and general discussion…

Empowering Youth for Green Entrepreneurship – panel discussion

Join Nordregio and CBSS at the EUSBSR Annual Forum! On 30 September 2021, Nordregio will take part in the EUSBSR Annual Forum, where it will lead one of the sessions together with the Council of Baltic States (CBSS). Moderated by Alberto Giacometti, Nordregio Research Fellow, and Olga Zuin, Council of the Baltic Sea States, the panel under “Empowering Youth for Green Entrepreneurship” will focus on and address the topic of youth involvement in issues of green transition and transformation. The panel will consist of youth entrepreneurs from the BSR area and representatives of financial institutions and programmes. It aims to provide a space for discussions about starting a green business, obstacles and barriers when receiving funding and business models. Programme Welcome and opening Council of the Baltic Sea States, Daria Akhutina Nordregio, Alberto Giacometti How to integrate sustainability in entrepreneurship and support youth Ung företagsamhet in Norrbotten, Linda Strandenhed, Sweden Experiences from young entrepreneurs in the Baltic Sea Region Single Earth, Estonia Plūkt, Latvia Avocadopt, Poland International Consortium St. Petersburg Cleantech Cluster for Urban Environment, Aleksandr Belykh, Russia (tbc) What financial support systems are already available? SEB, Christopher Flensborg, Head of Climate and Sustainable Finance in SEB, Sweden Fundacja MOST, Jan M. Kaczmarek, President of the Board, Poland JSC Development Finance Institution Altum, Latvia To register for the event, access the EUSBSR Annual Forum page. The 12th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region will take place between 27 September and 1 October 2021. Organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, Kaunas and Klaipeda and the Union of the Baltic Cities, the forum gathers almost 40 events under its umbrella, focusing on opportunities EUSBSR to contribute to the green transformation of the region. Another important goal of the Forum is to…

6 July: Nordregio joins Almedalen Week 2021 online

This year, Nordregio joins the biggest political festival in Sweden, Almedalen Week, on 6 July to share the latest on COVID-19 impacts on Nordic Co-operation, integration and how to steer circular economy processes forward. On 6 July, you can tune in online 13-16 CET to the Nordic pavilion, where we discuss: How has Covid-19 affected Nordic Co-operation and integration in the Nordic countries? And how do we steer processes from circular goals and strategies to business? Listen to exciting speeches by Minister Märta Stenevi (MP), Alexander Mørk-Eidem, Theater Director at Dramaten,  Children’s Ombudsman Elisabeth Dahlin, Degmo Daar, spokesperson for the Crisis Committee and Stefan Holmström COO for Cradlenet. Everyone is welcome to join and follow the Nordic discussions on Almedalsveckan Play website (see links below in the programme), Facebook channel and on Youtube! You can use the comment field for comments and discussion. PROGRAMME All three programs will be broadcasted on 6 July between 13 and 16 (CEST)! 13.00 – 13.45 What impact has COVID-19 had on Nordic co-operation? The Nordic countries have a vision of being the most integrated region in the world. Freedom of movement, cultural co-operation, and trade between the Nordic countries has strengthened them. However, the 2015 refugee crisis showed that the borders between the Nordic countries can be closed and during the pandemic it has become common to follow how various restrictions have been introduced at national level. Border closures have affected many of us. What do those living in the Nordic Region expect of co-operation going forwards? And how do politicians respond? Is the Nordic Region equipped to deal with post-COVID-19 life? List of speakers Monica Wirkkala, Vice Director of the Swedish Institute Alexander Mørk-Eidem, Theatre Director for the Swedish Royal Dramatic Theatre Elisabet Dahlin, Ombudsman for Children in Sweden  Krister Nilsson, State Secretary…

BONUS BASMATI: The final seminar

BONUS BASMATI project aimed to develop an innovative decision support system for maritime spatial planning in the Baltic Sea region. The results of a three-year project will be shared in the digital seminar “Supporting Maritime Spatial Planning with Science” on the 9th September 2020. PROGRAMME (in Central European Summer Time, CEST) 10:00 Welcome • Henning Sten Hansen (AAU) & Harri Tolvanen (UTU): BONUS BASMATI – Supporting Maritime Spatial Planning with Science 10:15 Concepts and approaches • Pia Frederiksen (AU): Framework for sustainability impact assessment of plan proposals • Solvita Strake/Kristine Pakalniete (LIAE): Assessment of Ecosystem Services and Values of Marine Protected Areas • Kerstin Schiele/Lotta Maack (IOW): Data harmonisation to facilitate planning across borders and scales • Søren Qvist Eliasen/Andrea Morf (Nordregio): Involving stakeholders – Why, Who, When and How? 11:15 Platforms and tools for MSP • Juha Oksanen & FGI team (NLS): Baltic Explorer – Collaborative GIS approach for new interactive MSP • Miriam von Thenen (IOW): SPACEA – a GIS toolbox to facilitate easy spatial and environmental suitability analysis • Aurelija Armoskaite (LIAE): ESA4MSP – an ecosystem service assessment tool • Henning Sten Hansen (AAU): MYTILUS – a toolset for assessing the impacts of maritime activities • Ida Maria Bonnevie (AAU): SEANERGY – a tool for analysing conflicts and synergies between different marine uses 12.15 End of conference • Lise Schrøder (AAU): Wrap-up • Henning Sten Hansen (AAU): Final remarks REGISTRATION Please register yourself by Monday the 7th of September at the latest. Instructions about how to join the webinar will be sent to you a day before the event. https://konsta.utu.fi/Default.aspx?tabid=88&tap=9759  

ReGeneration 2030 Summit

Regeneration 2030 Summit invites youth from the Nordic and the Baltic regions to exchange ideas on how to promote Sustainable Development Goals locally. Among other participants, Nordregio’s researcher Alberto Giacometti will present the BeUbio platform and stories of young persons across the Baltic Sea Region leading the way to sustainability from different sectors and industries. ReGeneration 2030 is a movement led by teenagers and young adults in the Nordic and Baltic Sea Regions making the United Nations Agenda 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs) become reality. The summit invites to get to know like-minded youth, to hear inspiring speakers and learn about initiatives from all over the region, to get tools and frameworks that will help you identify challenges and come up with solutions, to start taking action in your community. Nordregio is a part of the BeUBio project that aims to promote youth involvement across the Baltic Sea Region for transition to a bio-based economy, and create synergies with other actors and initiatives addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In the BeUBio platform you can find stories of young people whose business ideas, jobs and other activities lead the way towards a different and more sustainable economic path. Some of these young leaders will be participating in the Regeneration 2030 Summit to share their experience, both their achievements and challenges. Panel “Young people leading the way to a sustainable economy” August 20, 16:30-17:30 Juan Medina, Denmark: founded Kaffe Bueno to explore the infinite possible uses coffee grounds, extending its life cycle, reducing environmental degradation, and helping a community of women in his hometown in Colombia. Anastasia Selezneva, St Petersburg, Russia: initiated Green Glass, a studio where to create decorations and art installations from recycled glass. She is also organising events to educate groups on SDGs in St Petersburg. Māra Lieplapa, Latvia:…

Agenda 2030 at the local level: What’s next?

– A knowledge-sharing event for Nordic municipalities and regions Sustainable development is high on the agenda of the UN, country governments, businesses and numerous other actors. However, where a transformational 2030 Agenda is going to make a difference is at the local level, in the work of regions and municipalities all over the world. We therefore invite you to join an event under the auspices of the Nordic Council of Ministers to learn about how Nordic municipalities are working with the 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Get new inspiration and knowledge, meet potential partners and help send a strong message to our governments about what you need to further your work for a sustainable future. Held at one of the most sustainable venues in the Nordics, this knowledge-sharing event will give you an opportunity to either start-up, fine-tune or evaluate your work with sustainable development, whether you represent a municipality, a regional authority, an NGO or another interested party. Presentations from the event are available below. Remember to ask the relevant person if you wish to use any part from a presentation. Plenary session Gladsaxe Sønderborg Åtvidaberg Kristiansund Glokala Sverige How to implement Social Environmental PROGRAMME 8.30 Registration 9.00 Introduction, Paula Lehtomäki, Secretary-General of the Nordic Council of Ministers 9.15 Keynote presentation: Global Goals for Local Priorities, Elin Slätmo, Senior Research Fellow, Nordregio 9.45 Keynote presentation: A territorial approach to SDGs, Stefano Marta, Coordinator, OECD 10.15 Fika and room change 10.45 Parallel sessions (presentations and workshop): How to get started – with Line Vind from Gladsaxe municipality and Yasmine Dernelid from Åtvidaberg municipality How to implement – with Katrin Larsson from Örebro municipality and Ragnhild Marie Hammer from Arendal municipality How to follow up – with Arne Ingebrigtsen from Kristiansund municipality 12.30 Lunch 13.30 Parallel sessions (presentations and…

International Conference “Challenges of Europe”

The 13th edition of the Challenges of Europe Conference organised by the faculty of economics at Split University in Croatia, will take place in Bol, Croatia between the 22nd-24th of May, 2019 Alberto Giacometti and Jukka Teräs from Nordregio are leading a 90min session on regional economic and social resilience. The aim of this session is to broaden the debate about place-based approaches to regional resilience and explore what matters should local communities consider to prepare for exogenous and endogenous shocks. The key questions addressed include: what types of risks are regions threatened to? Which actors and institutions are vulnerable? What factors and measures boost regional resilience?  Recognising the need for place-based approaches to economic and social resilience, this session builds-up on the results of empirical research conducted in the Nordic Countries and the Croatian islands, in three related studies: Comparative overview of regional resilience in a diverse selection of Nordic case-study regions (Nordregio, 2017-2018) Industrial transformation of Oulu, Finland – an in-depth longitudinal analysis from the Resilience perspective (Nordregio, 2017-2018) Regional economic resilience in remote regions – Empirical findings from Croatian islands (University of Split, Faculty of economics, business and tourism, ongoing research) Finally, the session opens the debate to researchers and policy-makers in the field to lift new perspectives and provide a critical angle on the studies presented shedding a light on how resilience research can be enriched in the future. Find out more about the event here. 

Forum on Local Economic Development in Latin America and the Caribbean

The 3rd Forum for the Local Economic Development in Latin America and the Caribbean will take place in Barranquilla Colombia, between the 7th and 9th of May, 2019. This event brings together leaders and practitioners from national and subnational governments, the private sector, academia, civil society and others. The aim is to provide a platform for promoting international dialogue, sharing experiences and for developing new partnerships across countries and local levels. Under invitation from the UNDP, Alberto Giacometti, Research Fellow at Nordregio is holding a presentation on the in-depth study carried out on Regional economic and Social Resilience: An Exploratory In-Depth Study in the Nordic Countries. This session aims at introducing an external perspective to that of Latin America and the Caribbean. First, pointing out different types of ‘risks’ and ‘stress’ that threaten resilience in local communities in the Nordic regions. And secondly, this seminar addresses experiences of these communities in responding to such threats. Far from bringing a recipe ready to ‘copy-and-paste’, the intention is to generate debate about the role of the human factor for structural change. And particularly, how, bottom-up initiatives in accordance with the characteristics and competitive advantages of each territory strengthen the ‘adaptive capacity’ of their local communities. Experts, policy-makers, practitioners and other relevant professionals are cordially invited to share insights from their local perspectives to broaden the debate. To motivate discussion the participants will be asked to reflect on: What risks and long-term challenges can be identified to threaten local communities in Latin America and the Caribbean?  Find out more about the event here. 

Carbon Neutral Social Housing: Challenges Post2020

Countries across Europe will need to increase their rate of building retrofitting by up to 240%, starting next year to get on track to meet EU 2030 energy efficiency goals. The scope of this ambition is amplified by the fact that social housing makes up a substantial portion of the buildings in need of retrofit. To learn how to address these challenges, 150 policy-makers, planners, academics and stakeholders participated in Social Green’s mid-term conference at Casa da Música in Porto, Portugal 26 March 2019.   Ryan Weber, Social Green project coordinator placed specific focus on the need to use EU funding to leverage private investment in building retrofits and to develop the skills and capacities for local actors who are ultimately transforming policy into action. Pedro Móia, CCDR partner, described the regional context for social housing, emphasizing that when it comes to retrofitting social housing across Europe, one size does not fit all. He noted that in Norte, Portugal, improving residents quality of life and the quality of the urban environment must be considered in concert with energy efficiency improvements to social housing. “The dignity of residents is at the core of the transition to energy success.” – Sorcha Edwards, Housing Europe Four experts, shared their insights during keynote presentations. Vasco Freitas, professor at Porto University, highlighted the mismatch between intended building performance and resident experience, proposing a “Passive Comfort Index” to measure resident experience within buildings. Sorcha Edwards, Secretary General of Housing Europe, noted that 4 out of 10 Europeans are overburdened by the cost of housing and that this can lead to an array of negative health outcomes. She emphasized that resident comfort is central to advancing building energy efficiency goals. “Which is more important for Northern Portugal; increasing energy efficiency or minimizing discomfort inside housing?” – Vasco Freitas,…

BioWiseTrans Final Conference: “People and Networks Matter – Enabling Sustainable Bioeconomy Transition”

Nordregio invites you to the final conference of BioWiseTrans project “People and networks matter – enabling sustainable bioeconomy transition”. The event will take place in Karlstad University on 27-28 March. Transforming the current economy into a ‘new’ bioeconomy needs changed institutional frameworks at regional and national level, sensitive to and inclusive of place­based knowledge. The conference seeks to better understand the role of people and networks in this transition. New innovative products and services continue to emerge, which will further increase the demand for biomass. This transition leads to both an increased demand for land­based biomass and its multiple uses. Important questions emerge: How to use the land? How can different interests be combined? One of the parallel workshops “Land-use conflicts, and management solutions to unlock the transition to a biobased economy” will address these questions. The workshop is organised by Nordregio’s Senior Research Fellow Elin Slätmo. At the conference, industry, academia and public organisations will also discuss challenges and opportunities and the role of people and networks in the new bioeconomy era. Nordregio’s Research Director Karen Refsgaard and Senior Research Fellow Michael Kull, who also manage the BioWiseTrans project, will facilitate different discussions and collect input for policy recommendations. Key-note speakers from practice and science fields include: Dr. Gabriel Henrique Lui, Coordinator of Forest Economy Dpt., Federal Ministry of Environment Brazil, and Prof. Pekka Leskinen, Head of Bioeconomy Programme, European Forest Institute; Thea Lyng Thomsen, development consultant at GreenLab Skive in Region Midtjylland, Denmark and Olav Wicken, professor at the Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture at University of Oslo, Norway. Conference fee: 2 300 SEK (exclusive VAT). Programme People and Networks Matter

RSA Annual Conference 2018, Lugano Switzerland

“A World of Flows: Labour Mobility, Capital and Knowledge in an Age of Global Reversal and Regional Revival” The 2018 RSA Annual Conference aimed to address processes of global reversal and regional revival, in a world dominated by flows of capital, labor, and knowledge. Further it sought to understand the political, economic and social factors that initiate change and how these changes are finding new expressions as the world’s political and economic system continues to struggle with low rates of global economic growth, the rise of China as an economic super power, the on-going impacts of recession and austerity, and increasing levels of inequality. To study and debate these and many other questions, over 500 delegates from 51 countried came together in June 2018 in Lugano at the Università della Svizzera Italiana. Nordregio’s participation Iryna Kristensen held a presentation of the paper titled “The evolution of regional inequalities in Europe. Unveiling ”hidden” inequality patterns in Europe: “reality-check” at the lower geographical scale” in the “Housing, Inequality and Social Justice I” session. This paper is one of several outputs of an EU Horizon 2020 research project titled RELOCAL ‘Resituating the local in cohesion and territorial development’ (https://relocal.eu/), specifically linking with one work package which examines and maps patterns of regional inequality and change over time. The paper proposed three major objectives: (1) to respond to the call to move beyond GDP by extending the focus to include the social dimension of regional disparities; (2) to increase the geographic granularity by extending the scope of the database to NUTS3 level; (3) to identify and describe characteristics of European lagging regions (what are the common patterns?).

Baltic Urban Lab’s Final Conference

Baltic Urban Lab Final Conference “Dealing with the past & Planning the future – turning urban brownfield into possibilities” will be held in Riga, Latvia, during 6-7 September 2018. Cities around the Baltic Sea region are invited to join the discussions on how cities can better solve complex challenges related to brownfield redevelopment, and how to utilize brownfields’ full potential to support sustainable urban development. Close cooperation and partnerships between different actors like land-owners, developers, citizens and the city are necessary from the beginning of the redevelopment process. Two crucial topics will be covered around brownfield development – how to deal with the site’s past and possible contamination of soil and at the same time develop visions and plan for the future land-use of the site in cooperation with stakeholders. Nordregio’s Research Fellow Sandra Oliveira e Costa will participate in the session “Towards integrated and partnership based planned of brownfields” during which she will share the lessons learned from the Baltic Urban Lab Project. Sandra will also moderate an interactive session “Planning the future – co-creating visions and land-use plans” which will be held on the second day of the event. The two days will be filled with keynotes, discussions on how the cities could together tackle the challenges surrounding brownfield regeneration in the Baltic Sea Region as well as getting to know the outputs of the project – all four Pilot Sites will be representing their main achievements during the Final Conference. The conference language is English. Participation in the conference is free of charge. Please register here by 22 August 2018! More information about the conference and the agenda can be found here  

Pan Baltic SCOPE Opening Conference

Join the opening conference of the Pan Baltic Scope project on June 20 in Malmö, Sweden. The conference will focus on cross-border maritime spatial planning in the Baltic Sea region. Maritime spatial planning (MSP) has become a hot topic and the need for concrete tools to ensure sustainable development of our seas is growing, both when it comes to the economic, social and the environmental aspects of planning. Pan Baltic Scope is an international collaboration of planning authorities and regional organizations created to strengthen knowledge sharing and enhance cross-border co-operation within MSP in the Baltic Sea region. Topics in focus at the conference will include: Ecosystem-based approaches, green infrastructure, land-sea interaction, cumulative effect assessment and socioeconomic analyses in MSP Nordregio is co-hosting the conference and two of our researchers will contribute to the programme of parallel sessions: Exploring the depths and shallows of Land-Sea Interaction in MSP, an interactive workshop hosted by Andrea Morf Senior Research Fellow at Nordregio and leader of this Work Package in the Pan Baltic Scope Project Impacts on the environment and importance to society – including cumulative effect assessment and socioeconomic analyses in maritime spatial planning. Speakers: Michael Kull, Senior Research Fellow at Nordregio along with Soile Oinonen, Anni Konsap, Maija Holma, Jonne Kotta, Jan Schmidtbauer Crona, Lena Bergström, Stefano Menego (AdriPlan), Marina Markovic (PAP-RAC), Michael Assouline (EEA), Kari Hyytiäinen (BalticApp, University of Helsinki) The organizers invite practitioners and researchers interested in MSP, as well as policy makers and stakeholders involved in marine and coastal activities to get acquainted with Pan Baltic Scope and its plans, as well as diving together into the vast expanse of the maritime spatial planning. Participation in the conference is free of charge. Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation arrangements.

The 7th Nordic Geographers Meeting

The Nordic Geographers Meeting (NGM), an international geography conference, is held every second year in different Nordic countries. This time, the event takes place at Stockholm University on 18-21 June. Over 15 sessions are united under the theme “Geographies of inequalities” which encourages researchers to discuss spatial and social injustices on local and global levels. Nordregio joins the conversation by presenting latest research on Nordic Arctic studies, green growth, immigration and urban planning. Meet Nordregio’s researchers: Nordic light on the suburb – developing a research proposal (Moa Tunström, Senior Research Fellow) Session N5: Nordic light on the suburb as place, discourse and planning project19 June, 9:00-12:00, Room: Kungstenen, Aula Magna * Nordic Arctic sustainable development. Outcome of a foresight study in 12 Nordic towns (Anna Karlsdottir, Senior Research Fellow) Session C9: Resilient or vulnerable? Towns in transition20 June, 9:00-12:00, Room: Y20, House Y * Green transition – knowledge inequalities and perspectives of green growth in Nordic regions and municipalities (Gunnar Lindberg and Jukka Teräs, Senior Research Fellows) Session E3:1 Knowledge inequalities in the transition to sustainability20 June, 13.15-16.30, Room: U28, House U * Urban living labs – precursors of more inclusive and experimental ‘planning cultures’? (Lukas Smas, Senior Research Fellow) Session N13 Urban living labs, between hype and inequalities: how to support sustainability transformations in an everyday geography of collaboration?20 June, 15:15-17:00, Room: Y20, House Y * Detecting and visualizing the territorial inequalities across Europe over time (Timothy Heleniak, Senior Research Fellow, and Shinan Wang, Junior Cartographer/GIS Analyst) Session B4:2 Territorial inequalities and territorial cohesion – European dimension21 June, 10:15-12:00, Room: Y11, House Y * The Geography of Immigrant Diversity in the Nordic Region (Timothy Heleniak, Senior Research Fellow) Unaccompanied minors to the Nordic Region: mapping of the current migration trends among unaccompanied minors seeking refuge in the Nordic countries…

Youth, migration and small communities facing large industries as Nordregio’s topics in ICASS IX

One of the largest scientific Arctic seminars in the Nordic, ICASS, takes place in Umeå 8-12 June, and Nordregio is presenting in several sessions. Nordregio’s highlight lands on Saturday 10 June, when we draw all the recent Arctic studies together and challenge the participants to join the side-event Maps Mingle! Arcum (Arctic Research Centre), Sámi dutkan (Language studies) and Vaartoe (Centre for Sami Research) at Umeå University are hosting the ninth International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences (ICASS IX) organized by the International Arctic Social Sciences Association (IASSA). Theme this year is “People & Place”. 8 June, Newcomers to the North: International Migration into the Arctic (Session: Mobile Working Arrangements in the Arctic and elsewhere 11.30-16.00) Timothy Heleniak, Senior Research Fellow, Nordregio With “globalization”, there has been increased international migration into the Arctic, though there has not been a lot of systematic data and study of these flows. Lack of knowledge of these “new comers” and their impact was cited as one area in need of further research in the recent Arctic Human Development Report. This paper quantifies the number of international migrants and several key characteristics of these “newcomers” such as their role in labor markets and societies. Data will be analyzed on the total number of international migrants, countries of origin, gender, age, level of education, and occupation or sector. The paper begins with a discussion of migration theory and the Arctic economy. This is followed by a discussion of data available for analyzing international migration in the Arctic. Analysis of both stocks and flows in international migration make up the bulk of the paper. >> Read more about migration and labour market study 11 June, Resource Development & Extractive Industries (13.30-15.00) Leneisja Jungsberg, Research Fellow, Nordregio Capacity building and strategic management of resource based industries in the…

“Södertörnskommunerna bygger 72 000 bostäder fram till 2030. Hur bygger vi en stad vi vill bo och leva i?

Funderar du på hur visioner om hållbar och attraktiv stadsutveckling kan bli verklighet? Hur arbetar vi med hållbar utveckling i dagens stadsutveckling? Hur bygger vi den stad vi själva vill bo i? I projektet Södertörnsmodellen har några av Södertörnskommunerna under tre års tid samverkat med akademin och näringslivet för att ta fram nya och innovativa lösningar som bidrar till en hållbar stadsutveckling. Projektet har utvecklat processer, verktyg och metoder för social hållbarhet, medborgardialoger, ekosystemtjänster, mer effektiva planprocesser och en utvecklad samverkan mellan kommun och näringsliv. Under den här dagen får du inblick i projektets resultat och konkreta tips som du kan ta med dig i ditt arbete med hållbar stadsutveckling. På konferensen får du möjlighet att utbyta kunskap och erfarenheter, få nya perspektiv från inbjudna experter och du träffar andra intressanta personer från kommuner, näringsliv och akademi som arbetar med hållbar stadsutveckling. Konferensen är kostnadsfri och du anmäler dig här Har du svårigheter att anmäla dig? tryck då på länken: https://goo.gl/forms/L2DnwnNNwF0ijdc83 Se mer: http://sodertornsmodellen.com/ Plats: Södertörns högskola, Tid: 8 november, kl. 8:30-15:00 Vi ser fram emot en intressant och givande konferens! Vid frågor kontakta: estelle.conraux@white.se

Increasing Income Inequality in the Nordics – How do we handle it?

Recent decades have seen a strong trend towards increasing income inequalities in all advanced economies. Although the Nordic countries have traditionally been characterized by low income dispersion, they have also been exposed to this trend. This conference will focus on widening income differentials in the Nordics and appropriate policies to address the issue. The conference will be chaired by Claus Thustrup Kreiner, University of Copenhagen. Key issues that will be analysed are: How do income inequality in the Nordic countries relate to the international trend? Which similarities and differences in developments of income inequality are there among the Nordic countries? How have policies responded to increasing income differentials? What are the implications of demographic changes, such as an ageing population and migration, for income inequality? How much can – and should – tax and benefit policies do in order to even out income differentials? What can, and should, education policy do? How important is the gender dimension for income distribution developments? At the conference, preliminary versions of papers commissioned for the 2018 issue of the Nordic Economic Policy Review, will be presented and discussed. The issue is edited by professor Lars Calmfors, Stockholm University and professor Jesper Roine, Stockholm School of Economics. The papers are written by leading international and Nordic scholars in the field. They will be commented by both policy makers and academic colleagues. The conference will also include a panel discussion on income distribution policies with participation of policy makers. Signup at www.nepr.eventbrite.com PROGRAMME 9.00 – 9.10 Opening remarks by Simon Emil Ammitzbøll, Danish Minister for Economic Affairs and the Interior 9.10 – 9.55 Jon Parelliusen, Christophe André, Causa Orsetta and Mikkel Hermansen, OECD: The International Trend towards More Income Dispersion and the Nordic Countries. Comments by John Hassler, Stockholm University and Jørgen Elmeskov, Statistics Denmark. 9.55…

Symposium on Planning Nordic city regions: experiences and agendas

Welcome to a symposium on planning Nordic city regions. The symposium is an opportunity to share and exchange experiences of spatial planning at a city regional scale and to discuss the challenges and possibilities for urban political agendas in the Nordic countries with focus on the added value of a Nordic perspective. The aim of the symposium is to be a venue for discussions around the politics, planning and practices of Nordic city regions. To stimulate the discussions Professor Klaus Kunzmann will have a presentation on German experiences with city regions and PhD Moa Tunstöm will reflect on the urban norm in city planning. Furthermore there will be workshops on including social and everyday dimensions in city regional planning, and new technical possibilities of city regional spatial analysis. The symposium is a follow up of five national meetings with Nordic city regions in Copenhagen, Malmö, Oslo, Tampere and Reykjavik in 2014, organised by Nordic Working Group 4 Green Growth: Sustainable urban regions. Invited to the symposium are city representatives and regional authorities working with spatial planning and regional development issues but also national representatives from all Nordic countries will participate. The programme can be downloaded here. The seminar opened up good discussion as the city representatives, regional authorities, consultants and researchers came together in May to share experiences and to come up with solutions. Read the seminar summary here