Sustainable Living Summit: How you can act for change

How big is the problem with consumption-based emissions in the Nordic countries? Which policies could not only be acceptable but also accelerate a just green transition? What’s the role of EU targets and monitoring, and is wellbeing economy a way forward?

We kick off the day by bringing together Nordic experts to discuss their latest research results and policy recommendations.

Speakers and panelists:

• Markus Larsson, PhD, Royal Institute of Technology
• Eva Heiskanen, Professor, University of Helsinki
• Nora Sánchez Gassen, Senior Research Fellow, Nordregio
• Katarina Axelsson, Senior Policy Fellow, Stockholm Environment Institute
• Charlotte L Jensen, Senior Advisor, Concito
• Åsa Sandberg, event moderator

The Nordic Swan Ecolabel has influenced and helped companies and consumers for 35 years and is one of the world’s toughest ecolabels.

But how does the Nordic Swan Ecolabel work as a tool for the green transition? How can it counteract greenwashing? How can you communicate sustainable consumption in a simple and clear way? What effect does the Nordic Swan Ecolabel really have on the environment, the climate – and the economy?

Meet representatives of business and Nordic Ecolabelling in exciting conversations about sustainable consumption and production, now and in the future.

Part I: Introduction and keynotes:

Strength of the Nordic Region – 27 million people who can collectively drive change

• Anna Linusson, CEO, Ecolabelling Sweden

Holistic + Lifecycle + Official = The mix that makes the difference. Nordic Swan Ecolabel as a tool for politicians, companies and consumers

• Karen Dahl Jensen, Manager Product Development, Nordic Ecolabelling
• Anna Linusson, CEO, Ecolabelling Sweden

The Nordic Swan Ecolabel and sustainability communication: Insights from a new Nordic consumer survey

• Christian Quarles van Ufford, Marketing and Communications Manager Ecolabelling Sweden
• Anne-Grethe Henriksen, Marketing and Communications Manager, Ecolabelling Norway
• Anna Linusson, CEO, Ecolabelling Sweden

Part II: Case inspiration for green product development – conversations with licensees:

Reducing our environmental impact and strengthening our brand

• Isabelle Blomqvist, Head of Strategy & Sustainability, Scandic Hotels Group
• Anna Linusson, CEO, Ecolabelling Sweden

The Nordic Swan Ecolabel as a climate tool: Climate case for e-commerce logistics

• Sara Bergman, Criteria Manager, Ecolabelling Sweden
• Anna Linusson, CEO, Ecolabelling Sweden

First licensee: Business impact and why we ecolabelled our e-commerce logistics services

• Peter Gisel Ekdahl, CEO, PostNord Sweden
• Anna Linusson, CEO, Ecolabelling Sweden

Why is food critical for both our health and the health of the planet? How can we enable sustainable and healthy consumption while ensuring food security during times of crisis?

This session will highlight linkages between food, climate, and health to showcase the central role of food for sustainable societies. It will open discussions about the policy changes needed for healthy and sustainable eating. Join us for an interactive cook-along session right before lunch, that will leave you hungry for more.

Speakers and panelists

• Sara Begner, Nutritional therapist, cookbook author and food creator, Coop Sweden
• Sebastian Hielm, Director of Food Safety, Finland’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
• Madeleine Linins Mörner, Programme Director, Future Food, Axfoundation
• Åsa Sandberg, event moderator

Come enjoy a lunch filled with great conversations and connections! Dive into the Inner Development Goals as we engage in interactive dialogue games that spark creativity and inspire sustainable practices. Let’s share ideas and support each other in a warm and welcoming environment!

What could a Nordic climate-neutral society look like? This session will give you a short briefing on the report Nordic visions of climate neutral society, followed by a transformative guided meditation as we embrace a hopeful future vision for a good green life.

Speakers:

Amanda Hagerman, Project Co-ordinator, Nordic Council of Ministers/Swedish EPA

Anna Taws, Regenerative designer, Transformative Coach,  Permaculture practitioner

Culture and art are essential for the green transition, but change can be hard. Culture agents across the Nordics have a lot to learn from each other while speeding up the process.

This session will help cultural institutions and artists to act now, whether they are already engaged or taking their first few steps. We’ll present a new roadmap for sustainable culture and discuss the barriers and potential for change in the culture sector.

Speakers:

Green peptalk for everyone involved in art and culture

• Louise Lindén, social entrepreneur and activist, founder of LiveGreen and CEO of Great Fkn Ideas

Transforming the culture sector: The Nordic Green Roadmap and how to use it

• Linnéa E. Vågen Svensson, Project Manager and co-author of the roadmap/report

Integrating sustainability into cultural policy and practice

• Solveig Korum, PhD, Kulturtanken, Norway
• Frida Karlsson, Climate Coordinator, Riksteatern, Sweden

This session explores how school and online tools can empower students to learn, act, and become changemakers. We will hear from students themselves and discover best practices and new Nordic educational models. The panel will discuss the role of education in fostering sustainability and how we can leverage online tools to create engaging and effective sustainability learning experiences for all students.

Speakers and panelists:

Messages from students – on ways to learn and become change agents

• Margrét Unnur Ólafsdóttir, student
• Aníta Ýrr Taylor, student

New Nordic educational models for sustainable lifestyles

• Henrika Nordin, Nordic Network for Adult Learning (NVL)

Video: Results from the Nordic Teacher Survey 2024 and work in the Sustainability Education expert group. Dr. Ólafur Páll Jónsson, University of Iceland, represented on screen

Panel: The role of school and online tools for teaching and learning sustainability?

• Robin Smith, Vice Chairman, Swedish Teachers’ Union
• Susanne Hagström Larsson, Nordplus Junior, The Swedish Council for Higher Education
• Christer Holmlund, Secretary General, Nordic Teachers’ Council
• Henrika Nordin, Nordic Network for Adult Learning (NVL)
• Åsa Sandberg, event moderator

Meet Anna Scaramellini, The Norden Association in Sweden and their school programme

How can youth lead the change? Do they want to? This session continues the theme of youth empowerment, with school being just one influential arena next to others. Who and what impacts young people’s lifestyle choices? Is sustainability in or out among Nordic youth? And what do gender and other social norms have to do with it? 

Two presentations will set the scene with key data on trends and patterns for young people’s engagement and sentiment toward sustainable lifestyles. A panel will discuss how to address challenges and inspire youth in the transition. What barriers and needs do youth organisations see? What’s the role of social media and lifestyle influencers? How can slow fashion attract and maintain youth in an era of high-speed trend cycles?

Speakers and panelists:

• Johanna Göransson, Expert Lifestyle and Consumer behavior, Ungdomsbarometern
• Jimmy Sand, Analyst, Nordic information on gender (NIKK)
• Mari Nordén, Co-founder, Fæbrik
• Gurgîn Bakircioglu, Climate justice and sustainable lifestyle advocate
• Vsevolod Lukashenok, Program Officer & Youth, Peace and Security coordinator YWCA-YMCA of Sweden
• Ari Sígurdarson, Repr. for youth participation and sustainable development, UN Student Association of Norway
• Amelie Do, Student and SDG-Youth ambassador, UNA Sweden 
• Åsa Sandberg, event moderator

Change is already happening, but significant roadblocks persist. What is holding us back? This panel discussion delves into the practical challenges and opportunities for driving transformative change – throughout value chains and across sectors. We’ll turn to questions such as:

• Is there a need for a new green vision?
• What roles do key actors (politics, municipalities, business, civil society, media, etc.) play in enabling systems change?
• How can we achieve an attractive transition, with equal access and affordable options?

Speakers and panelists:

• Caroline Samson, PhD, Copenhagen Municipality, How urban planning can support or hinder climate-friendly practices
• Krista Mikkonen, Member of Parliament, Green Party, Finland
• Helena Storckenfeldt, Member of Parliament, Moderate Party, Sweden             
• Peter Fellman, Editor-in-chief, Dagens Industri
• Eliina Brinkberg, Environmental Manager, Nudie Jeans
• Beatrice Rindevall, Chair, Naturskyddsföreningen
• Åsa Hildestrand, moderator and Senior Project Manager for Sustainable Living/Agenda 2030, Nordregio

Talk show hosted by Marcus Johansson, comedian and founder of Oslipat comedy club in Malmö

• Lisa Pelling, PhD, head of the progressive Stockholm-based think tank Arena Idé and co-author (with Marika Palmér Rivera) of The life we live here: Conversations about climate change and the green transition (Atlas, 2024) A summary in English can be accessed here
• Mattias Goldmann, Climate leadership consultant, founder of the 2030-secretariat, author of Klimatsynda! Så räddar vi planeten med lust, lättja, girighet, vrede, avund, högmod & frosseri
• Waxiu Shehu, Award winning designer and tailor, Studio234+
• Mari Nordén, Co-founder, Fæbrik

Re:design fashion show + Craft-and-care corner + DJ

• RE: part 2, “Fire on the Mountain”, by Waxiu Shehu, Studio234+
• Fæbrik, Norweigan business and creative community for textile reuse
• Act of Caring, Care bar to help you “Make Things Last”