THE NORDICS – a sustainable and integrated region? Baseline report for Our Vision 2030

Published on February 4, 2022

Our Vision 2030 seeks to make the Nordic Region the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030. When pursuing such an ambitious goal, it is important to monitor progress closely and regularly. The Nordic Council of Ministers commissioned Rambøll Management Consulting to draw up a baseline measurement for Our Vision and paint a picture of where the Nordic Region stands now. While the report shows that the foundations for the work are solid and progress generally good, it also identifies a number of challenges and points out where there is room for improvement, especially in terms of the green transition.

The Nordic countries are some of the leading nations in sustainable development. Yet, they still have many challenges, specifically in unsustainable production and consumption and ecological sustainable development. This report addresses the current status of the Nordic countries in order to set a baseline and framework for achieving the goals in the 2030 Agenda. On the whole, the report details how the Nordic region is making good progress towards becoming the most sustainable and integrated region in the world. However, the survey also reveals challenges and room for improvement, especially regarding sustainable development goal 12: responsible consumption and production.

One area of consumption addressed that needs large alterations in the Nordic region is energy consumption. While the consumption patterns are shifting away from fossil fuels, at the current rate, the pace is not fast enough. The rate of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions do not meet the goals of the 2030 agenda, so a larger change is needed. The shift for a more sustainable rate of energy consumption needs to be done in association with protecting natural resources and biodiversity.

Another area where the Nordic region needs to focus on their consumption is material consumption. Due to the economic status of the Nordic countries, the material consumption patterns are moving in an unsustainable direction. However, the report outlines how ecolabelling is an area of improvement that could positively improve the consumption rates.