How the Nordic Countries are Pioneering Sustainable Living
Photo by Raul Koženevski on Pexels
Climate change is a rising issue that has drastically altered the state of today’s world by escalating temperatures. The consequences of a heated world are clear—rising sea levels, more severe storms, and hotter temperatures all contribute to a dangerous planet. In December 2015, the Paris Agreement was ratified by 196 parties during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, France. The Paris Agreement’s primary goal is to keep “a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius and “pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.” One way to observe countries in climate action is through Yale University’s 2024 Environmental Performance Index (EPI). The EPI provides a data-driven sustainability summary worldwide, ranking 180 countries on their environmental policies and efforts. Surprisingly, four Nordic countries, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, all placed among the top ten. Clearly, there are some strategies they use that other countries could learn from to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Ranking 7th in the EPI, Norway is committed to the green transition primarily through its efforts in renewable energy and electric vehicles (EVs). In fact, 96% of Norway’s energy comes from hydroelectric power.
Hydroelectricity is generated by capturing the kinetic energy of flowing water, typically from rivers, and converting it into electricity. This energy is renewable and environmentally friendly, having a low carbon footprint. In addition to hydroelectric power, Norway invests heavily in wind power. From less than one gigawatt at the beginning of the century, Norway reached 14.8 terawatt hours of wind energy in 2022. The depths of Norway’s coasts make it suitable for offshore wind power. Offshore wind farms are more efficient than onshore farms due to faster wind speeds in the sea and less interference from land objects. Thanks to government incentives, Norway became the first country to have more EVs than gas-powered cars. These incentives include exempting electric vehicles from certain emission taxes, lowering parking fees and tolls, and access to driving in bus lanes. 26.3% of cars in Norway are electric, which just edges out gas vehicles at 26.2%. Diesel remains the most common vehicle type, but Norway intends to end diesel and gas vehicle sales in the upcoming years.
Just above Norway in 6th place is Sweden, a world initiator in environmental policy, regulation, and sustainability. Similar to Norway, the country is determined to go fossil fuel-free by 2045. Sustainability in Sweden started before most countries. In 1967, Sweden was the first country to establish an environmental protection agency called Naturvardsverket. In 1995, Sweden became one of the first countries to introduce a carbon tax, discouraging fossil fuel use. Today, Sweden strives to create climate-smart cities incorporating waste management, green infrastructure, and efficient energy. Stockholm Royal Seaport is a great example of this. One of Europe’s largest urban developments, it aims to transform the area into a greener, more sustainable part of Stockholm while building over 12,000 new homes and workplaces. The Stockholm Royal Seaport demonstrated its care for waste management through the Pop-Up Reuse project, a station where residents can leave their unwanted clothes, furniture, and possessions for reuse or repair.
Furthermore, the Stockholm County Administrative Board funded the Grey Becomes Blue project to promote wastewater treatment plants, providing drinkable drinking water to homes and businesses. In the future, Sweden will explore the possibility of using treated greywater to replace drinking water.
No more than 200 meters separate the parks in the Stockholm Royal Seaport. Greenery is everywhere, from trees to plants to roofs and courtyards. Biodiversity thrives in this environment, as 20 species of plants and 40 bird boxes have been planted. Green infrastructure is further seen in residential courtyards and roofs, encouraging vegetation, ecological habitats, and stormwater management. In terms of renewables, hydropower and bioenergy are at the top. Like Norway, Sweden takes advantage of the surrounding waters by building hydroelectric dams. Hydroelectric power makes up 45% of Sweden’s electricity. The largest source of biomass in Sweden is forests, which constitute 69% of the total land. Forests are burned to create energy in the form of heat. Bioenergy is a carbon-neutral energy source because it releases the carbon dioxide that plants absorb in their lifetime. This is different from fossil fuels, which emit greenhouse gasses but do not absorb any.
Meanwhile, Denmark’s cycling culture, renewable energy, and carbon tax grant them 10th place on the Environmental Performance Index. In alignment with Norway and Sweden, Denmark aims to cut 70% of its emissions from 1990 by 2030. Denmark’s capital city, Copenhagen, has had more bikes than cars since 2016. Cycling is ingrained into Danish culture, as over 80% of adults own a bike. The municipality has invested heavily in cycling infrastructure. Copenhagen is developing cycling superhighways across urban areas to serve the large number of cyclists. These superhighways ensure a safe and smooth ride for commuters through comforting footrests, air pumps, and traffic lights corresponding to the average cycling speed. By attracting more bicyclists, Denmark is lowering CO2 emissions and averting from gas-powered cars, decreasing traffic congestion, and improving the health of residents through physical exercise. To mitigate the effects of climate change, Denmark also proposed a carbon tax on farmers for the greenhouse gas emissions from their livestock, specifically targeting methane. Methane accounts for far less emissions than carbon dioxide, but it is 28 times more potent at trapping atmospheric heat. Statistically speaking, a Danish cow produces around 6.6 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent a year. The Danish government estimates that the new levy will reduce emissions by at least 1.8 million tons of CO2 equivalent in 2030. The carbon tax will amount to 300 Danish kroner per ton of carbon dioxide equivalent and increase to 750 kroner by 2035.
In 4th place, the highest of the Nordic countries, Finland stresses conservation, forestry, and nuclear power.
Finland is aware of important vulnerable environments and is working to protect those damaged by humans. For instance, the northernmost region of Finland, Lapland, is susceptible to logging and overgrazing from reindeer. Thankfully, conservation efforts such as land protection and reindeer reduction have transformed Lapland into an unspoiled tourist spot. With 70% of its area being forest, Finland is a leader in wood-based fuels, specifically bioenergy. Like Sweden, biofuels are the most abundant source of renewable energy, accounting for 29% of Finland’s total energy consumption. The Finnish heat sector is moving towards biomass-based combined heat and power (CHP), an efficient system where heat and electricity are produced simultaneously from one source. Replacing fossil fuels, nuclear energy has emerged as one of Finland’s biggest energy suppliers. Specifically, small and modular reactors (SMRs) are a new technology that is developing in Finland. Per its name, the benefits of SMRs come from their physical size. SMRs take less time to build than large conventional reactors and come at an affordable cost. A high position on the EPI entails successful sustainability companies. Finland has many, including Woodly and Durat. Woodly has designed a new type of plastic based on softwood cellulose, a raw material from forests. Due to its bio-based content, this sustainable plastic is looking to replace fossil-sourced materials.
Similarly, Durat aims to produce a 100% recyclable composite plastic material that will be used for furniture design. The highly durable material has received an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certificate for its environmental performance and impact in its lifetime.
Although the Nordic countries are fulfilling their climate goals and exceeding expectations, the whole world is still at risk. Every country must improve climate initiatives if the world wants to mitigate climate change by 2050. To achieve the goals addressed in the Paris Agreement, the world should look to the Nordic countries as the optimal blueprint for a climate-friendly society.
