50 Ways to Make It Happen Nelli Mikkola, Linda Randall and Annika Hagberg (Eds.)
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Nelli Mikkola, Linda Randall and Annika Hagberg (eds.) GREEN GROWTH IN NORDIC REGIONS 50 ways to make it happen Nelli Mikkola, Linda Randall and Annika Hagberg (eds.) Nordregio – Nordic Centre for Spatial Development Nordregio conducts strategic research in the fields of planning and regional policy. Nordregio is active in research and dissemination and provides policy relevant knowledge, particularly with a Nordic and European comparative per- spective. Nordregio was established in 1997 by the Nordic Council of Ministers, and is built on over 40 years of collaboration. www.nordregio.se GREEN Nordic Working Group for Green Growth – Innovation and Entrepreneurship 2013-2016 The Nordic working group for green growth – innovation and entrepreneurship is one of the four working groups working under the Nordic Council of Minis- ters’ Committee of Senior Officials for Regional Policy (EK-R). During 2013– GROWTH 2016, the working group has contributed to public policy development, with a particular focus on innovation and entrepreneurship. By conducting research, organising events and producing material, the working group has created new knowledge, synchronised existing insights and gathered case study examples about green growth in the Nordic countries. IN NORDIC Nordic cooperation Nordic cooperation is one of the world’s most extensive forms of regional col- laboration, involving Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Far- oe Islands, Greenland, and Åland. Nordic cooperation has firm traditions in politics, the economy, and culture. It plays an important role in European and REGIONS international collaboration, and aims at creating a strong Nordic community in a strong Europe. Nordic cooperation seeks to safeguard Nordic and regional interests and principles in the global community. Common Nordic values help the region solidify its position as one of the world’s most innovative and com- 50 ways to make it happen petitive. The Nordic Council The Nordic Council is a forum for cooperation between the Nordic parliaments and governments. The Council consists of 87 parliamentarians from the Nordic countries. The Nordic Council takes policy initiatives and monitors Nordic co- operation. Founded in 1952. The Nordic Council of Ministers The Nordic Council of Ministers is a forum of cooperation between the Nordic governments. The Nordic Council of Ministers implements Nordic cooperation. The Prime Ministers have the overall responsibility. Its activities are co-ordinat- ed by the Nordic Ministers for Cooperation, the Nordic Committee for cooper- ation and portfolio ministers. Founded in 1971. NORDIC GREEN GROWTH 3 Foreword by Kaisu Annala, Chairperson of the Nordic Working Group for Green Growth - Innovation and Entrepreneurship 2013-2016 This collection of regional green growth practices be- Nordic green business cases. This collection of cases ap- longs to a series of publications, which the Nordic Work- proaches the topic from a different angle by exploring ing Group for Green Growth - Innovation and Entrepre- the potential that green growth practices provide for neurship, under the auspices of the Nordic Council of regional development. Ministers, has been developing since 2013. The aim of This compilation of cases provides insight into policy the working group is to contribute to public policy de- instruments and good practices across Nordic regions. velopment in the Nordic countries, with a particular fo- Further, the factors enabling and hindering green cus on potentials for green growth in a regional context. growth in the regions have been explored. The publi- The working group has already commissioned two cation aims to highlight the different solutions that are major in-depth studies exploring the potential of the making greener regions a reality, as well as profile some bioeconomy and industrial symbiosis activities to con- of the accomplishments that have been brought about by tribute to regional growth and value creation in the Nor- green actions and thinking. dic regions. A third in-depth study will present the state- When the Nordic Working Group for Green Growth of-play with respect to green growth, with a particular - Innovation and Entrepreneurship was formed, we did focus on scrutinising the concept of ´green growth’, the not exactly know where our efforts would lead. The way it is perceived in the Nordic regions and how the past years have seen major developments in the Nordic subnational level works to endorse a greener economy. green growth picture and especially in regional and na- The working group’s final activity for 2016 will be a syn- tional policies around concepts such as bioeconomy and thesis report that aims to draw final conclusions based circular economy. on the research undertaken and recommendations Still, the world is not yet ready. One of the core aspira- made during 2013-2016. Year 2016 will also be the year tions of the working group has been to help the regional of dissemination for the working group, and besides achievements to attain the publicity they deserve and publications and policy briefs, a series of stakeholder to make the good practices visible and available on the workshops will be arranged across the Nordic regions greater Nordic scale. Green growth in Nordic regions – 50 ways to make it happen to disseminate our findings and to engage into a discus- As the term of the Nordic Working Group for Green ISBN: 978-91-87295-40-9 sion with the Nordic green growth practitioners and to Growth - Innovation and Entrepreneurship 2013-2016 is © Nordregio 2016 receive important feedback and future ideas from the soon coming to an end, I would like to take the oppor- Nordregio regional and local actors. tunity to thank Nordregio for coordinating and dissemi- P.O. Box 1658 SE-111 86 Stockholm, This publication on Nordic Green Growth is another nating our work. I also want to thank the members of the Sweden outcome of the working group’s commissioned research working group for their engagement with the projects [email protected] projects. Throughout the working group’s undertakings and the important contributions that they have made. www.nordregio.se www.norden.org in 2013-2016, a wide range of interesting regional green The working group is grateful to all our partners and Selection of 50 cases: Jukka Teräs and Nelli Mikkola growth practices has been uncovered. Too often these in- other stakeholders in the Nordic regions who have pro- spiring cases and valuable examples remain in the regions vided invaluable help and input to our work. Analyses and text: Anna Berlina, Alberto Giacometti, Annika Hagberg (Independent Sustainability Consultant), Leneisja Jungsberg, Nelli instead of being communicated and analysed further. This Finally, thanks to you, the reader, for your interest! We Mikkola, Linda Randall, Rasmus Ole Rasmussen, Jukka Teräs collection is an attempt to capture and promote 50 of the hope you find this and our other publications useful to Special contributors from Turku University of Applied Sciences: Eric numerous and versatile Nordic green growth cases. green your region. We would also love to hear your com- Harrison, Laura Laitinen, Eeva Salmi, Kenneth Sundberg Nordic examples of green growth have received ments for developing the next steps, so please contact us Case map: Julien Grunfelder worldwide attention and there are many Nordic com- if you have ideas, comments or good examples to share. Layout: Anna Mattsson, Suomi Design Oy panies at the global forefront of cleantech, sustainable Looking forward to the greener world! Cover photo: Magnus Fröderberg/norden.org innovations and bioeconomy. In recent years, many publications have been issued to study and disseminate Kaisu Annala 4 NORDIC GREEN GROWTH NORDIC GREEN GROWTH 5 Table of contents INTRODUCTION ......................6 27 Biotech North makes Tromsø “the hot spot for cold biotech” ...................68 28 Unlocking the potential of the sea at CASES AlgeCenter Danmark ...........................70 29 Sybimar Ltd.’s closed circulation CIRCULAR ECONOMY .................10 concept for aquaculture ........................72 1 Reykjanes Geothermal Resource Park ..........12 30 A circular approach to blue 2 The water circulation system growth from Nofir ..............................74 in Southwest Finland ...........................14 3 Kalundborg Industrial Symbiosis ...............16 CLEANTECH AND 4 Dalarna Network for RENEWABLE ENERGY ....................76 sustainable consumption .......................18 31 The future of energy 5 An ambitious approach to textile production in Greenland ........................78 recycling in Southern Finland ...................20 32 Lillestrøm – big things happen 6 Locally sourced fodder supports in small societies ..............................80 south Greenland’s sheep-farming sector ..........22 33 Kymijärvi II: the world’s first SRF 7 Sotenäs Industrial Symbiosis . 24 gasification power plant ........................82 8 An ecosystem of Arctic industries 34 Green Highway linking in Kemi–Tornio ................................26 Östersund and Trondheim ......................84 9 Sustainable sportswear ......................28 35 Generating biodiesel 10 Starting from scrap in Øra region . 30 from fish waste in Åland ........................86 11 Händelö Industrial Symbiosis Network .........32 36 Local buy-in fuels low-carbon 12 Eyde Cluster ...............................34 economy in Samsø. 88 13 Kirkkokallio Industrial Park ...................36 37 Ampere, the world’s