SNS and NKJ got the mission from the Nordic Council of Ministers to start the work towards growth and green transition in Nordic and Baltic rural areas, with bioeconomy as the driver. We will run the Bioeconomy program the coming years.
In the light of the large global challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and unsustainable food systems, there is a need to facilitate the development of the bioeconomy and accelerate the green transition.
The rural regions of the Nordic and Baltic possess a great bioeconomy potential. However, there is an increasing imbalance between urban and rural areas regarding access to services, infrastructure and education, labour markets, population changes and opportunities for economic development. Therefore, it is important to secure the development of the bioeconomy in Nordic and Baltic rural areas inclusive economic growth, for the transition to more sustainable production industries and hence sustainable rural development.
The main objectives are to:
- Strengthen sustainable use of available bioresources in Nordic/Baltic rural areas
- Increase economic growth and social sustainability in rural areas in the Nordic and Baltic
- Strengthen Nordic/Baltic industry competitiveness in bioeconomy sectors in rural areas
Publications:
• This report maps nature-based health interventions (NBHIs) status in the Nordic-Baltic region as well as identifies challenges and provides policy recommendations. Complementing this report is a practitioner-oriented booklet detailing business models, profiles, and practical insights. The booklet provides concrete examples and inspiration for implementing diverse NBHIs. Together, the report and booklet form a comprehensive resource material to encourage the development and adoption of NBHIs across the region.
• This policy brief presents initiatives and challenges related to young rural entrepreneurs in the Nordic and Baltic region and aims to improve policymakers’ understanding of farm diversification when designing policies to attract and incentivise young people to live and work on the countryside.
• This report follows up on the recommendations developed in the Bioenergy scoping paper 2023. Four seminars were organized, aiming at capturing the main points of view and give feedback from four key groups: researchers, bioenergy organisations, practitioners and policymakers. The findings from the scoping paper were discussed, and the recommendations were further refined and classified in order of priority.
The four policy recommendations that are the focal point of this project aim to address the challenges facing bioenergy at large in the Nordic-Baltic region.
• In this policy brief, the status and challenges of industrial green protein initiatives in the Nordic-Baltic region is investigated, to facilitate a discussion on policies aimed at accelerating the development.
• In the report ”The state of green proteins in the Nordic and the Baltic region” (2023), a slow adoption of green proteins and a potential to reach higher degrees of consumer acceptance, was identified. Against this backdrop, NKJ wanted to pursue a literature review of consumer behaviour and attitudes towards both traditional and new plant-based proteins within the Nordic and Baltic countries.
• This policy brief examines plant nutrition supply in the Nordic and Baltic countries, with a particular focus on the extent to which possible shortages could cause challenges for these countries.
• Leveraging bioenergy solutions emerges as a key strategy to meet emission goals. This scoping paper delves into the intricate landscape of bioenergy innovations within the Nordic-Baltic region.