Available online: https://pub.norden.org/nord2021-024/ This analysis sheds light on the Nordic region's environmental "spillover effect" as a result of our consumption, as well as other social effects.The results indicate that in general consumption-based emissions reveals that the global emissions continue to grow with transport as the biggest source to consumption-based CO2-e emissions from households in the Nordic countries, followed by food and housing. Also, there is a need for better due diligence, transparency and monitoring. Based on reported CO2-e intensities several shifts are suggested to be supported by policy instruments: 1. Shift from beef to other meat consumption. 2. Shift from meat to vegetables. 3. Reduce food waste. 4. Reduce air travel. 5. Shift from private cars to public transportation and soft mobility. 6. Prolong life of goods. 7. Respect human rights. 8. Reduce overall private consumption.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/politiknord2022-724/ In 2019, the Nordic prime ministers adopted a vision for the Nordic Region to be the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by the year 2030. The Nordic Council of Ministers was tasked with steering Nordic co-operation towards delivering this vision. The Nordic Council of Ministers is following a special action plan in its efforts relating to the vision for the period 2021 to 2024. Now, after almost two years, a mid-point evaluation has been produced. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine during the period, the Nordic Council of Ministers has delivered concrete results and made an impact. The activities of the Nordic Council of Ministers are being steered towards supporting the Nordic countries as well as possible in their realisation of the vision. Efforts relating to the green transition have been bolstered by way of DKK 120 million in additional funding thanks to a budget redistribution in the period 2021 to 2024. The mid-point evaluation was approved by the Ministers for Nordic Co-operation in September 2022.

The Nordic countries rank high in international reports of nations' progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Along with other industrialised countries, however, the Nordic countries have been ranked poorly in their progress towards SDG 12, which concerns Sustainable Consumption and Production. This report looks closer at the Nordic countries' main challenges in achieving SDG12 and sets out recommendations for Nordic collaboration to tackle these.

Tourism is an important, growing industry in all the Nordic countries, but until recently, it has not had a particularly strong focus within the Nordic cooperation framework. This is changing rapidly, and the Nordic Council of Ministers has given a strong signal that increased emphasis should be placed on tourism issues within the Nordic framework. This project is a result of that important political prioritisation. The key objective of this project is to create a framework on which a Nordic Tourism Strategy can be established. Thus, the desired outcome of the project is to define future strategies and projects that will underscore common opportunities and challenges within Nordic tourism. The objective of a Nordic Tourism Policy Analysis is to provide valuable input to each country's work within tourism as well as laying a foundation for a common Nordic Tourism Policy.

The working group on Sustainable Consumption and Production, under the Nordic Council of Ministers requested consultants from Gaia to identify and write out best Nordic practice cases of sustainable consumption and production to be shared internationally within the UNEP SCP Clearinghouse. This report is the second part and covers in total 19 examples of two particular themes on: 1) Sustainable Tourism 2) Consumer Information The cases have also been added into the UNEP’s 10 Year Frame-work Program (10YFP) information platform, the SCP Clearinghouse. The objective is to enhance international cooperation in order to accelerate a shift towards sustainable consumption and production in developed and developing countries. The SCP Clearinghouse is a web-based information sharing tool, which can be used by different actors as an inspiration for advancing SCP worldwide.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2021-511/ The project is concerned with sustainability in compulsory education in the Nordic countries and is part of the Iceland Presidency Project for the Nordic Council of Ministers initiated in 2018. The overall focus of the Presidency Project is on young people but this report looks at policy, curricula, teacher education and school practices. The analysis shows both similarities and differences across the Nordic Region. Compulsory education in the Nordic countries share some striking similarities, reflecting a strong emphasis on certain aspects of sustainability such as equality, democracy.Although sustainability education has a clear application in the fields of social and political life and economic activities in all of the Nordic countries, it is still the case that when sustainability education is discussed, an environmental perspective is most often taken.

A Good Life in a Sustainable Nordic Region – Nordic Strategy for Sustainable Development is the overriding and cross-sectoral frame-work for the work of the Nordic Council of Ministers. All work carried out within the Council of Ministers will incorporate a sustainability perspective. The Nordic Council of Ministers will help the Nordic countries successively continue to improve welfare and quality of life for present and future generations, by protecting and using the earth’s ability to sustain life in all its diversity. The strategy provides long-term guidelines as far as 2025 in the following focusareas: the Nordic welfare model, viable ecosystems, changing climate, sustainable use of the earth’s resources, and education, research and innovation. The sectoral ministerial councils within the Nordic Council of Ministers will supplement the strategy with concrete measures.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/nord2023-036/ Green jobs are key to realising our climate goals, but only one in three green workers in the Nordic region is a woman. This think piece – a collaboration between the Nordic Council of Ministers and the International Labour Organization – discusses Nordic gender barriers and opportunities in the green transition. It looks into current definitions of green jobs, who’s ahead and who is falling behind in the green jobs race and which green and sustainable skills that are needed for a sustainable and gender-equal Nordic future. As the Nordic Council of Ministers aims to become the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030, this think-piece provides case studies and consolidates some suggestions and lessons learned from the Nordic countries and other parts of the world – for the road ahead.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/politiknord2021-727/ 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.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2024-521/ This report reviews the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Gender Action Plan (UNFCCC GAP) in the Nordic countries. The UNFCCC GAP aims at advancing knowledge and understanding of gender responsive climate action, and includes activities for gender mainstreaming the implementation of the Paris Agreement. The report finds that the Nordic region demonstrates commitment to integrating gender equality perspectives into climate policies, and summarises best case examples on local and national level. It also suggests that by prioritising capacity building of mainstreaming in climate policies, utilising available sex-disaggregated data for gender analysis, and by enhancing coherence in relevant policy frameworks, the Nordic countries can improve their implementation of the UNFCCC GAP and further pave the way for a just transition to a green economy.