Today, the Haga Initiative releases the report ”Circular Business Models – Nordic opportunities and challenges in the new geopolitical landscape”. The report identifies opportunities for the Nordic region to take global leadership in the transition to circular economy. The report highlights that leadership requires a joint strategy and increased cooperation within the Nordic region.

The Nordic countries have a long history of being leaders in environmental and climate policy. However, many challenges remain as environmental destruction and climate emissions continue to occur on a large scale. The main reason is the current linear economic model. For a development in line with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5 degree target, a transition to a circular economy is required.

Increased circular economy and closer Nordic cooperation are also important to reduce the negative effects of geopolitical events, for example the global effects of covid-19 and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

– There is a large untapped potential for the Nordic region to take the lead in the global transition to circular economy. Circular economy is also important for decreased dependence on global supply chains that are easily disrupted by geopolitical crises. But to take the lead globally, a common Nordic strategy for circular economy is required, says Nina Ekelund, Executive Director of the Haga Initiative.

The report proposes three areas where circular business models have the greatest potential and can provide multiple benefits for many society sectors: 1) food production, 2) rare earth elements, metals and raw materials, and 3) heat and renewable energy.

– Circular economy is an important part of the Nordic vision for 2030 to ”become the most sustainable and integrated region in the world”. Since many of the circular value chains expand beyond national borders, the circular transition will accelerate if the Nordic countries work together towards a joint strategy, which can facilitate policy collaboration and harmonization of regulatory design and implementation of EU directives, says Nina Ekelund.

The Haga initiative is a network of large companies working together for a profitable business sector without climate impact. The report ”Circular Business Models – Nordic opportunities and challenges in the new geopolitical landscape” has been produced by the Haga Initiative within the Nordic Council of Ministers’ vision project Climate Neutral Nordics. The Climate Neutral Nordics project is run by the Haga initiative (Sweden), Skift Business Climate Leaders (Norway) and the Climate Leadership Coalition (Finland), and is financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Read the report here

Press contact:
Nina Ekelund, Executive Director, Haga Initiative, mobile: +46735 022464

Malin Redmo, Project Leader, Haga Initiative, mobile: +46739 199006