Publications

Indicators and policies for bridging the urban-rural digital divide Past studies have identified a weak business case for 5G in the Nordic-Baltic region, often attributing this to the persistent challenges of the urban-rural digital divide and the region’s relatively low population density. Gaining a deeper understanding of the on-the-ground effects of enhanced digital connectivity, particularly 5G, on local businesses and overall quality of life can yield valuable insights and incentives. These insights in turn can facilitate a more inclusive rollout of emerging digital solutions, aligned with local needs. The present literature review has identified both the most prevalent and the currently understudied indicators in this context. That review identified a set of indicators aimed at addressing remaining gaps in the scholarly and policy debate on the best practices and lessons learned from smart rural communities in the Nordic-Baltic region. Key insights from the report, which the proposed set of indicators aims to address, include:

One particular feature distinguishing the Nordic countries from the rest of the industrialised world is the wage-setting system. The Nordic model has traditionally involved strong trade unions and strong employers’ associations. Despite its recent decline, union density is still higher in the Nordic countries than anywhere else in the world. Membership of employers’ associations is also high. As a result, contracts negotiated between the labour market parties cover the vast majority of the workforce. This issue of the Nordic Economic Policy Review examines the contemporary issues of Nordic labour markets in five articles. Lars Calmfors: The article provides a comprehensive review of how these systems operate in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland, examining their theoretical underpinnings, practical implementation, and economic impacts. Antti Kauhanen: The article analyses the impacts of extending collective bargaining agreements in Nordic labour markets. Mette Ejrnæs and Astrid Würtz Rasmussen: The article provides a comprehensive analysis of public sector wage-setting in the Nordic countries, with a particular focus on Denmark. Anders Kjellberg: This article provides a detailed analysis of union density in Nordic countries. Harald Dale-Olsen: The article examines the multifaceted impacts of labour unions on workers, firms, and the broader economy, with a particular focus on comparing evidence from Norway and the United States.

In recent decades, Nordic cities have witnessed a general trend towards increased urban segregation, which has led to a wide range of policy and planning interventions addressing these issues across the Nordic countries. Against this background, this report examines how Nordic governments and cities address challenges of urban segregation through various policies, strategies, and plans that seek to foster greater social inclusion. The report also explores how the state and municipalities interact, as well as how public sector organisations and other actors work together to tackle segregation and foster social inclusion. The study focuses on four main themes: The study relies on a multi-case study approach, investigating 13 city cases across the five Nordic countries.

Is it feasible for offshore renewable energy and marine food production to coexist sustainably in Nordic Seas? What drives and hinders actors in these sectors from collaborating? How are public processes supporting or hindering collaboration between these domains? Dive into this interactive storymap to explore the intricate complexities of coexistence through case studies across Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Scotland. As offshore renewable energy expands, it increasingly overlaps with marine food production, raising critical questions about trade-offs, governance and collaboration. This publication presents six case studies illustrating challenges and opportunities for collaborative management within marine and maritime spatial planning frameworks. Through in-depth stakeholder interviews, it explores how conflicts are managed, synergies identified, and cooperation fostered. This storymap highlights the importance of inclusive and consistent stakeholder engagement in planning and offshore wind development process, from area designation to operation. It shows that sustainable coexistence relies on effective cooperation rather than mere sharing of marine space, emphasising the crucial role of national governments and key authorities in fostering proactive, collaborative, and inclusive governance. Produced as part of the “Green energy meets blue food – Sustainable coexistence in Nordic Seas” project, this interactive storymap seeks to equip policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders with improved knowledge to foster governance mechanisms that support sustainable coexistence and a resilient ocean economy in the Nordic region and beyond.

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. This guide has also been published in Swedish, access it here.

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. Through interviews and field visits, the research team explores how tourism policies are being implemented on the ground. What emerges is a mixed picture: community engagement and sustainability are frequently cited in strategies, yet implementation is often uneven. The report identifies governance structures, seasonality, and local participation as crucial to making tourism a tool for social sustainability. Key insights from the Nordic case studies Cross-cutting recommendations for policymakers

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. The policy brief outlines seven policy actions to support smart adaptation to population shrinkage in the Nordic region. Based on insights from a series of workshops with planners, policymakers, and experts, these recommendations highlight key pathways for managing demographic change effectively: The policy brief is also available in: This policy brief is part of the Smart Adaptation to Rural Realities: approaches and practices in Nordic municipalities and regions (2023–2025) project, which explores governance strategies for managing demographic decline in the Nordic region. The findings draw on a review of Nordic and European research, an analysis of regional and rural development policies, and a series of workshops with municipal, regional, and national representatives from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, and Denmark. The project aims to facilitate knowledge exchange and identify adaptive strategies that support long-term resilience in shrinking communities.

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. The findings indicate that while political discontent has not uniformly increased across the Nordic Region, rural areas consistently show lower voter turnout, while intermediate areas have higher support for populist parties. Socio-economic factors such as unemployment, lower education levels, and income stagnation correlate with higher populist voting, while areas with traditional, polluting industries show lower levels of discontent – suggesting the economic stability of these industries plays a role in maintaining trust. Based on these insights, the synthesis outlines key policy recommendations for addressing regional inequalities and fostering inclusive development: These publications is part of the “Ensuring inclusive economic growth in the transition to a green economy (EnIGG)” project. The project analyses how the Nordic countries can accelerate the green transition towards a climate-neutral economy. The policy brief is part of a working package that looks into the distributive effects of climate policies and analyses how gaps between richer and poorer population groups and regions have developed since the last economic crisis.

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. By comparing municipalities and regions, the visual guide highlights rural-urban differences and identifies statistically significant patterns at the Nordic level. It categorises municipalities based on Nordregio’s rural-urban typology, offering insights into how urban, intermediate, and rural areas differ in terms of population composition, income levels, green jobs, and greenhouse gas emissions. These publications are part of the “Ensuring inclusive economic growth in the transition to a green economy (EnIGG)” project. EnIGG analyses how the Nordic countries can accelerate the green transition towards a climate-neutral economy. The publications are part of a working package that looks into the distributive effects of climate policies and analyses how gaps between richer and poorer population groups and regions have developed since the last economic crisis.

This report aims to illustrate how ‘Industrial Symbiosis’ (IS) can be a useful concept and model to accelerate the transition towards the green and circular economy. As a 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 the 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. Commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania, this report contributes to the implementation of the EUSBSR PA Bioeconomy. External project consultant – Maija Kāle, Research Consultant at Nordregio, Research Fellow at the Baltic International Centre for Economic Policy Studie (BICEPS)

Det är dags att ställa om till en mer hållbar energiframtid, vilket öppnar upp för nya möjligheter för att äga energi lokalt, tillsammans. Uppsala universitet och Nordregio har tillsammans tagit fram denna guide, som riktar sig till de som är intresserad av att skapa projekt för lokalt ägd energi, samt till dig som är beslutsfattare eller finansiär och vill förstå hur du kan underlätta för medborgare att förverkliga dessa projekt.  Det finns stor potential i att gemensamt skapa och äga energi på lokal nivå: lägre kostnader för invånarna, resilienta lokalsamhällen och robusta energisystem. Intresset för lokalägda energiprojekt växer stadigt, men frågetecknen är fortfarande många, och processen svårnavigerad. Denna praktiska guide erbjuder tre steg för att hjälpa lokalsamhällen att gå från idé till genomförande, med praktiska lärdomar från fallstudier, och hänvisningar till resurser. Trots en uttalad politisk vilja att stödja denna omställning, både på EU-nivå och nationellt, saknas tydliga strukturer och politiskt stöd. Guiden avslutas därför med sex rekommendationerna till finansiärer samt beslutsfattare på lokal, regional och nationell nivå, för att hjälpa lokala energiprojekt att blomstra.

Gotland’s innovative biogas project turns organic waste into fuel for cars and buses, combating climate change and fostering a cleaner, sustainable society. With farmers, industries, households, and even the municipality contributing to biogas production, the initiative builds a collaborative spirit on the island. The sustainable initiative brings multiple benefits to the local community. While EU regulations restrict food crops for biofuel production, and a market skewed towards electric vehicles, local entrepreneurs address this by promoting biogas car sales and conversion of regular cars to biogas systems, demonstrating how local initiatives can address global sustainability challenges. Next up: biogas-fuelled ferries? Local ownership and collaboration are vital in renewable energy projects. Read more about how Biogas Gotland realised its plans and the lessons learned from successful local ownership of sustainable energy.

The food systems and dietary patterns in Greenland and the Faroe Islands are shaped by their unique geographical, climatic, and cultural contexts, setting them apart from other Nordic countries. This policy brief explores the characteristics of these food systems and dietary patterns. It examines both the challenges and opportunities, as well as the ongoing policy initiatives aimed at promoting healthy and sustainable food consumption practices. In essence, this policy brief examines the interplay between the environmental, economic, and cultural determinants that shape food systems in Greenland and the Faroe Islands. By analysing food survey data, the brief provides insights into recent dietary trends and examines policy initiatives aimed at fostering healthier and more sustainable diets. It underscores the need for integrated approaches that enhance food self-sufficiency and sustainability, while preserving cultural traditions and enhancing social well-being. The brief concludes with key recommendations designed to promote healthy and sustainable diets in Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

The expansion of stable digital connectivity in rural Nordic regions has fuelled innovation across various sectors. In the health and social care sector, distance spanning solutions offer a novel opportunity to provide better, more accessible, efficient, and sustainable services, particularly to people in underserved areas.   The project “Integrated Healthcare and Care through Distance Spanning Solutions” (iHAC) has been looking into the different aspects surrounding the provision of remote care services, ranging from questions on sustainability over regional development to governance. This discussion paper aims to unearth some of the factors that need to be taken into consideration to ensure an inclusive rollout of distance spanning health solutions in the Nordic countries. It further aims to provide directions for future investigations into the inclusion dimension of digital health and care services.  This paper focuses on four of the five Nordic model regions identified in the iHAC publication “Integrated Healthcare and Care through distance spanning solutions – for increased service accessibility”: Päijät-Häme, Finland, Fjallabyggð, Iceland, Agder, Norway and Norrtälje, Sweden.  

This policy brief aims to shed some light on the mission’s approach, specifically within innovation policy, and how it is interpreted and implemented at different territorial levels. Mission-oriented innovation policies (MOIP) have gained traction in academia and policy in recent years as a possible means to set the directionality of collective efforts and accelerate transformative change around some of today’s grand societal challenges. This policy brief presents the academic debate around the territorial dimensions of MOIPs, followed by a brief discussion of how MOIPs have been adopted so far at the supra-national, national and sub-national levels. More specifically, a snapshot of the innovation policy landscape and the degree of penetration of mission and transformative approaches in Denmark, Finland and Sweden is presented. Furthermore, the interpretation and adoption of missions at the regional level are discussed based on the results of three Nordic case studies, including Northern Jutland (DK), Ostrobothnia (FI) and Västerbotten (SE). The final section discusses the implications of adopting MOIPs and provides a list of recommendations for Nordic regions.

This report offers 12 key policy messages designed to drive urban transformation at the local level. Drawing on lessons learned within the seven Urban Living Labs (ULLs) in the TANGO-W project, these recommendations equip policymakers with actionable strategies to tackle contemporary challenges facing European cities. The policy messages in this report are organised according to the three key areas of urban sustainability transitions approach: structures, practices, and relationships.  Policy messages concerning STRUCTURES focus on how public organisations can be configured to foster innovation and effectively address contemporary challenges. These recommendations are connected to system awareness and memory, collaboration across various agency levels, and coordination between political and administrative . The goal of these structural policy messages is to empower local entities to lead and drive change.  Policy messages on PRACTICES shed light on how public organisations can develop, implement and sustain the necessary skills, resources, capabilities, and routines to effectively tackle contemporary challenges. Practices encompass UTC components such as learning and reflexivity, transformative leadership, sustainability foresight, and the integration of innovative practices into everyday routines. They focus on innovative working methods that facilitate the translation of broad environmental and societal goals into actionable local practices and projects. Moreover, these practices support the assessment and reflection on the progress of initiatives, fostering the generation of new knowledge.  Policy messages concerning RELATIONSHIPS focus on collaborative connections with external stakeholders that are facilitated by innovative structures and practices. These relationships are key to fostering inclusive and multifaceted urban governance, empowering communities of practice, and experimenting with disruptive solutions. Such capacities highlight the importance of inclusive and adaptive governance, engaging a diverse range of stakeholders from various sectors in the decision-making process.  Find more reports from the TANGO-W project here.

On the popular holiday island of Gotland, off Sweden’s southeast coast, community-driven initiative Austerland Energi is building a solar energy park, enabling local energy generation, storage, sharing, and use. The sparsely populated Östergarnslandet has 3,700 households, but only one-third are occupied by permanent residents, and the rest belong to second home owners. Austerland Energi is a community-driven energy project that just established its solar energy park as a local manifestation of the Paris Agreement. The initiative builds on previous successful local projects, such as a water and sewage system, a fibre network, and a community centre conversion. Learn how engaged residents are shaping their community’s future through this local energy transition, beginning with their community-owned solar park.

In an evolving risk landscape characterised by extreme weather events, natural disasters, as well as geopolitical turmoil and hybrid threats, it is essential to build and maintain robust and resilient societies capable of withstanding and managing both environmental disasters and human-made crises. This policy brief analyses how regional policy can contribute to civil preparedness and robustness in Nordic rural areas. This policy brief examines how regional policy can enhance civil preparedness and resilience by strengthening cooperation, ensuring access to critical resources, and supporting sustainable transitions. Key aspects include crisis prevention, emergency services, food and energy security, and access to essential public services. The findings highlight the role of strategic regional planning in building more resilient and adaptable Nordic communities. The policy brief has been drafted as a part of the ‘Robust Regional Preparedness‘ project. You can also download the policy brief in Swedish.

This policy paper provides key recommendations outlining ways to proactively engage citizens in EU cohesion policy processes. The recommendations are designed to support EU, national, and regional level policymakers to achieve the priority goal for the 2021-2027 EU cohesion policy programme period of bringing ‘Europe closer to citizens’. European Union (EU) Cohesion Policy is the one area of EU policy competence with the highest potential for directly engaging citizens in EU policymaking processes. While the European Commission has introduced many cohesion policy instruments that bring policymaking closer to regional and local levels, direct citizen involvement in this policy sphere remains negligible. A citizen focused approach needs to be embedded within existing cohesion policy structures to maximize the potential of cohesion policy for strengthening the connection between the EU and citizens. The main questions addressed in this policy brief are: