5 Conclusions

This report has identified and showcased 13 Nordic climate action initiatives across a wide range of sectors, as well as how these climate action initiatives are aligned with paragraph 28 of the Global Stocktake decision, adopted at COP28 in 2023. These 13 case studies include both technical and non-technical solutions across the Nordic countries and offer valuable insights into the diverse and innovative approaches needed to tackle climate change effectively.

The chosen climate initiatives illustrate that ambitious climate policies can be combined without negative economic impacts. While challenges remain, especially in scaling solutions globally, the Nordic region's experience highlights the importance of policy mixes that are robust over time with active stakeholder- and local engagement, as well as developing strong collaborations and public private partnerships. This is key for achieving long-term success with these climate initiatives. The transformation to a low-carbon pathway involves changes across multiple sectors, dimensions, and scales. The report presents numerous examples of ‘scaling out’, where innovations have been expanded to reach a wider audience, such as district heating. Several examples of ‘scaling up’ has also been highlighted such as the cross-Nordic example on carbon pricing and how wind energy- and electrical vehicle technologies have been integrated into legislation and policy frameworks. Additionally, several cases illustrate ‘scaling deep’ by fostering behavioural and attitudinal shifts that drive long-term success. Key insights are structured around three key learnings and three identified critical enablers, for building the path towards a net-zero future.

Key learnings

Possible to achieve climate objectives without compromising development objectives through the implementation of well-balanced policy mixes: Many of the climate initiatives in the report provide compelling evidence that ambitious climate policies can be combined with sustained economic development. Since the 1990s, the Nordics have implemented carbon taxes, spurring renewable energy adoption and GHG reductions, especially in heating. Policies such as building standards, green certificates, and car subsidies have also led to energy and cost savings.

Renewables are a favorable business investment and beneficial for building resilience in the face of growing geopolitical tensions: Renewable energy initiatives in the Nordic region demonstrate that transitioning to low-carbon energy sources can be developed into a sound business case, while simultaneously supporting energy security. Several examples of successful renewables and enabling technologies such as district heating, wind energy, sand batteries and biowaste management systems implemented in the Nordics can provide scalable and replicable solutions globally.
Nature-based solutions offer significant potential for rapid, deep and sustained mitigation: Experiences from the Nordics effectively showcase how nature-based solution have significantly contributed to climate change mitigation. Nature-based solution initiatives can sequester carbon, enhance biodiversity, and increase climate resilience without compromising livelihoods. However, barriers remain, particularly concerning the financial incentives for landowners to engage in these solutions.

Key enablers

Policy mixes, robust over time, are needed for supporting successful implementation of deep, rapid and sustained climate action: The Nordic climate action initiatives studied have shown that a combination of policies is essential for successful climate action. The implementation of a robust policy mix, which includes early-stage innovation support, carbon pricing, subsidies for green technologies, and strong regulatory frameworks, has proven to be effective.
Stakeholder engagement is crucial for building support: Inclusive stakeholder engagement has been a key factor in the success of Nordic climate initiatives. Public participation in policy development, such as Denmark's wind energy projects has helped build widespread support for ambitious climate policies. Engaging local communities, businesses, and other stakeholders ensures that climate initiatives are not only accepted but also actively supported.
Fostering strong collaboration is key to success: Both cross-sectoral and cross-national collaborations have been instrumental in advancing Nordic climate action throughout the years. By building strong partnerships between public, and private partners, it has ensured that financial resources, innovation and policy support are aligned to drive long-term success.

Barriers for upscaling climate mitigation solutions: The report has discussed numerous barriers for scalability, replicability and transferability of each initiative to other countries. The identified barriers include the difficulty of aligning national policies with global climate goals, especially in countries with varying economic conditions, challenges in introducing similar policies in countries with weaker political support or limited infrastructure, as well as high costs, regulatory gaps, and public opposition.

By addressing the barriers outlined, utilizing the key learnings and leveraging key enablers, we hope that the Nordic climate action examples can inspire global action and accelerate the transition of low-carbon initiatives, thus accelerating global efforts to limit the temperature to 1.5 °C.