Nordic Talks

Already marginalized communities are often the ones who bear the brunt of today's climate crisis, but still their perspectives are frequently ignored or overlooked by the decision-makers behind the green transition. In this episode we ask how communities can be empowered to fight for climate justice. How do we all ensure that their views are taken into account by politicians and the climate movement? And what role does legal action have to play? This episode comes from a Nordic Talks online event, arranged by the non-profit organization Diversify.

Are young people today interested in politics? Surveys show that the answer is yes. Eighty-five percent of Europeans under 30 say that they discuss politics with friends and relatives. Yet on election day, less than half of them turn out to vote – be it in local, national, or European elections. In this episode we ask three young voices from the political world how we can increase Generation Z's participation in politics. What role does social media play? What is the right voting age? And how do we get more young people to enter politics? This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event hosted by the Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Lithuania.

How do we manufacture our products? What energy sources do we use? How do we transport goods and how do we package them? All these questions need to be answered as we try to decarbonize the world's manufacturing industries and reach the Paris Agreement goals for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. In this episode we dive into the challenges facing sectors such as the motor vehicle and textile industries, as well as the packaging industry and manufacturing in general. We take the temperature on new EU regulations and their potential effect on industry inside and outside Europe. And we look at the new ideas and solutions coming from the Nordics and Türkiye – a country with a major manufacturing sector. This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event in Istanbul, arranged by the Nordic missions in Türkiye together with Business Finland and Business Sweden as part of the Türkiye Circular Economy Week.

Internet, smartphones, and now artificial intelligence - the digital revolution has made us more connected, given us better access to information and led to greater transparency. Digital tools are used to promote international peace, security, and democracy, but at the same time, authoritarian regimes are becoming increasingly good at navigating the digital world - spreading propaganda, disinformation and exercising control. In this episode, we ask how we can use digital tools to advocate for peace and democracy. What kinds of challenges and opportunities does the digital media landscape present for democratic societies? And what is the future of democracy worldwide in the era of digitalization? This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event held at the University of Creativity in Tokyo, arranged by the Nordic Embassies in Japan.

The entrepreneur Ada Osakwe is the founder of the fastest-growing sustainable fast-food chain in Nigeria. She is also advising politicians and other decisionmakers on how to improve the infrastructure for food production in the Global South. Listen as Ada sits down with the Estonian Climate Youth Delegate, Anna Celine Kraus, to talk about the complexities of sustainable food systems, and how we can reimagine them worldwide. This Nordic Talks episode is the last of five special podcast episodes, recorded at COP28 in Dubai.

Founder and CEO of Springs of ASAL, Mana Omar, has first-hand experience with gender inequality in climate vulnerable communities. In a sit-down with the Norwegian Youth Delegate, Amalie Holmefjord, she tells her story of growing up in a pastoralist community in Kenya and the challenges that came with it. Listen as Mana and Amalie talk about Mana's role as a youth leader of the UN Women's Action Coalition and her organization's work on climate resilient and gender equal societies, as well as how the Nordic countries can take lead in securing a gender just transition for all. This Nordic Talks episode is the fourth of five special podcast episodes, recorded at COP28 in Dubai.

Benjamin Van Bunderen Robberechts lost his friend Rosa in the floods in Belgium in 2021. After this tragedy, he founded the initiative "Climate Justice for Rosa", which has sparked worldwide attention and contributed to an EU Day for the Victims of the Global Climate Crisis. Listen as the 17-year-old Belgian sits down with Danish Youth Delegates, Lise Coermann Nygaard and Marcus Taulborg, to talk about his personal story, as well as having a conversation about climate anxiety and intergenerational justice. This Nordic Talks episode is the third of five special podcast episodes, recorded at COP28 in Dubai.

As a child, Rose Kobusinge from Uganda experienced how longer and longer periods of drought affected her local community and their livelihoods. But it wasn't until she started university that she realized the severity of the climate crisis. Today she's a climate activist, pushing for the integration of the multiple planetary crisis into the curriculum of all education. Listen as Rose sits down with Swedish Youth Delegate Alice Gimbro Frisk to talk about how we can tackle the triple planetary crisis of biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution. This Nordic Talks episode is the second of five special podcast episodes, recorded at COP28 in Dubai.

Last year Agustín Ocaña from Ecuador quit his job to become a full-time advocator for the education of the world's youth as a way of fighting for the climate. Today, Agustín is head of the Global Youth Coalition – facilitating the collaboration between thousands of young people in the global North and South, teaching them to be changemakers. Listen as Agustín sits down with Icelandic Youth Delegates, Finnur Ricart Andrason and Unnur Þórdís Kristinsdóttir, to talk about North-South collaboration on climate justice and how youth should use technology and storytelling to combat climate change. This Nordic Talks episode is the first of five special podcast episodes, recorded at COP28 in Dubai.

Can lava from volcanoes be transformed into house walls? And can we use fungi to clean areas in our cities from toxic waste? The answer to both questions is yes – at least at some point in the future. These are just a few of the innovative ideas coming from the growing number of architects looking for alternative ways to build and design our cities – for the sake of both people and the planet. In this episode, we examine some of the solutions offered by new types of architecture in the fight against climate change and look at how they can help bring nature back into our cities. This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event held in Reykjavik during the yearly DesignTalks, arranged by Iceland Design and Architecture.

A global shift to a more sustainable diet is needed to reduce the major impact that food production has on our planet. Right now the global food system is responsible for 30 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, while at the same time a third of all the food produced is wasted. Can we rethink what we eat and where it comes from? Can technology offer new solutions? And can the latest Nordic Nutrition Recommendations, which combine dietary advice with environmental considerations, contribute to this? In this episode, food industry innovators and experts try to predict what responsible food consumption and production might look like in the future. And what we need to do to get there now. This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event held at the University of Creativity in Tokyo, arranged by the Nordic Innovation House and the Nordic embassies in Japan.

Clothing production has doubled worldwide over the last 15 years and has today a huge negative environmental and social footprint. The global fashion industry is not only the third most polluting industry, responsible for 8-10 percent of the world’s carbon emissions, but it’s also notorious for low wages and poor working conditions. Without a significant shift in how we produce and consume clothing, the planet and people will continue to pay the price for our love for fast fashion. What can we do to achieve a more Earth-friendly clothing industry? In this episode, we hear from forward thinkers working to find sustainable fashion solutions and advocating for more action. This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event arranged by the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto as part of the Canadian Circular Fashion Festival.

Imagine a picture-perfect future where clean energy projects have replaced damaging non-renewable energy sources. With many of the new green projects being built all over the world, we are slowly approaching this goal. However, while massive wind farms and solar panel parks are being built, there is a pressing issue to be addressed. What about the Indigenous people living in often remote areas where these projects take place? Too often, they are not considered or even asked for their opinion. In this episode, we explore the crucial role of Indigenous communities in the green transition. From the Arctics to Australia, we examine how Indigenous voices must be heard to strike a balance between the pursuit of the "green gold rush" and the preservation of cultural heritage and human rights. Join us as we delve into the complexities of this critical issue and learn how we can all play a part in a just and sustainable energy transition. This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event arranged by The Nordic Policy Centre at The Australia Institute in Canberra, Australia.

Despite progress towards gender equality, women's voices remain underrepresented in the mainstream media, where male domination has been the norm for decades. But the tide is turning, and in this episode, we explore why fair gender representation in the media is vital for a more equitable society. We'll look at inspiring examples of how countries are addressing the imbalance and discuss how diverse newsrooms can enhance reporting and coverage of social issues. Join us as we examine the challenges, opportunities, and potential impact of achieving true gender parity in the media. This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event at the University of Creativity in Tokyo, hosted by the Nordic Innovation House and the Nordic embassies in Japan.

Do you sometimes wonder if the world is making progress on reaching the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? Are we succeeding in securing a better and more sustainable future for the planet and future generations? Now is a good time for a status update - the goals were agreed in 2015, so we are already halfway to the deadline of 2030. In this episode, we take a closer look at the goals chosen by the United Nations' 193 member states. How far have we come? Are we on track to transform the world in the next few years? And what does the future hold beyond 2030? This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event in Toronto, organized by the Harbourfront Centre, a not-for-profit cultural organization.

The war in Ukraine and the resulting energy crisis shocked Europe into realizing the risks of relying on imported gas and oil. As a result, many countries, including the Nordics, are asking themselves how they can become more self-sufficient and speed up the transition to locally produced renewable energy. In this episode, we take a closer look at how to increase energy security. How can the Nordics and other countries build on their existing renewable energy resources? How can a country like Japan, with no tradition of using green energy, get started? And how can countries work together to wean their economies off imported fossil fuels and make their energy consumption more sustainable? This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event held at the University of Creativity in Tokyo, arranged by the Nordic Innovation House and the Nordic embassies in Japan.

What happens when a country that has lived in peace for decades needs to defend itself? While governments may be able to obtain military hardware quickly, many forget the equally vital role played by civil defense. In this episode, we examine the importance of involving civil society in resisting threats – whether there is a military threat or threats in the form of natural disasters or pandemics. How do you organize civil defense, and create solidarity and engagement in a society? In short: How do you build a resilient society, one that is prepared to weather any storm? This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event held in Birštonas and arranged by the Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Lithuania together with Embassy of Finland in Vilnius and Embassy of Sweden in Vilnius.

The different neighborhoods, and their unique atmosphere, is what makes cities across the world so interesting. However, there is a pitfall to this uniqueness, as it can end up creating further division between neighborhoods. Especially when residents have less and less contact with others due to the physical infrastructure of the city. In this episode, we look at how we can create common ground in our cities. We look at fresh ideas from the Nordic cities of Aarhus and Malmö, and we ask how city planners and architects can influence the mental state of the inhabitants of our increasingly diverse cities. This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event that took place during the Oslo Architecture Triennale and was arranged by the Helsinki-based organization, Urban Practice.

Reading, writing, and arithmetic. These are the essential skills that children learn in schools around the globe. But the world is changing rapidly and children will need additional skills to help them tackle pressing issues such as inequality and the climate crisis. In this episode, we explore how we best can equip and prepare our children for the future. What skills and knowledge do our children, and their children again, need to become engaged citizens striving for a fair, green, digital, and peaceful future? And what can you and I do to support young people and society on this journey? This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event in Stockholm, organized by the non-profit organization, Reach for Change.

Hurricanes, floods, and drought. These extreme weather events are hitting the world's poorer countries more and more often due to climate change - much of which is caused by richer countries. But in the future, developing countries will receive compensation for this damage. Work is under way to set up a worldwide fund to provide financial assistance. It's called the "loss and damage" fund and was agreed upon at the latest UN climate conference, COP27. In this episode, we look at what it will take to implement this agreement. How can countries such as those in the Nordics ensure the money needed for the fund is raised? And what role will climate activists and civil society play in making it happen? This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event held in Copenhagen and arranged by Oxfam IBIS, the Danish member of Oxfam International.