WANO - Lessons so far

The WANO project continues until the end of the year 2024. The lessons of WANO learned so far could be summarized as follows.  

The WANO project continues until the end of the year 2024. The lessons of WANO learned so far could be summarized as follows.  

Firstly, waste management in Norway has already taken important steps to promote innovation and cooperation. Initiatives such as the North Norway Waste Management Cluster gather actors to join their forces and invest in joint learning. Moreover, the Rå Biopark initiative in Skibotn is a recent initiative in developing joint concepts in the field of circular economy and waste management in north Norway. 

Secondly, there is a demand for additional knowledge-based expertise among the waste management actors in north Norway. As Murat Mirata puts in our interview:  while the actual transformation of reforming industrial systems and value chains must be done by industry actors, academic and research institutions often play a key part in guiding decision makers to knowledge-based action.  

Thirdly, cross-border initiatives are welcomed in north Norway by the actors. The big hindrance seems to be “know-who”: the Norwegian actors need more information about the actors across the border in north Finland and north Sweden.  

Finally, cross-border innovation needs success stories and concrete examples to move forward.  The cross-border cooperation between Remiks and the Finnish research institute VTT is a good example of this.

The WANO project builds on these lessons to further promote waste management collaboration across the high north.

Hauru facility.
Photo: Helge Flick, NORCE