In order to mitigate climate change, the Nordic countries have committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net zero by or before 2050. This process is commonly referred to as the ‘green transition’. Ambitious climate policies are needed to achieve these goals, with potentially profound impacts on economies and societies across the Nordic Region.
The Nordic countries are also committed to ensuring that the green transition does not disproportionately burden certain groups or regions. Achieving this requires carefully designed policies that take social and regional impacts into account, support vulnerable groups and promote broad participation in policy making processes.
Between 2021 and 2025, Nordregio conducted two major research projects on behalf of the Nordic Council of Ministers:
Ensuring Inclusive Economic Growth in the Transition to a Green Economy (EnIGG) and
Not (Just) a Green Transition (NJUST).
Drawing on cross-Nordic analysis, country- and sector-specific examples, economic modelling, survey data, and focus group discussions, these projects analyse how the green transition can be achieved in a just and fair way. This policy brief summarises ten key insights from this research, focusing on the social and economic impacts of the green transition and how to ensure that no one is left behind.
In sum, Nordregio’s research shows that people in the Nordic Region are concerned about climate change, with many citizens supporting ambitious climate policies in principle. Nevertheless, support for specific measures depends on how these are perceived to affect people’s daily lives, households and communities. While research results suggest that the macroeconomic impacts on growth, jobs and wages are likely to be limited, the distributional effects – i.e. how the impacts are spread across different regions and social groups – may vary. To address these challenges, Nordregio has developed a toolbox that offers practical tools and examples of how to enable more socially and spatially fair policies in support of the green transition.