Sustainable Work Environment — Nordic Labour Journal

Is the green transition going too fast?

(Mar 25, 2022) All the Nordic countries agree that a green transition is needed in order to stop a climate catastrophe. But should the transition also do more than reduce CO2 emissions?

Danish government green flights plan causes turbulence

(Mar 25, 2022) The Danish government has promised that the first carbon neutral domestic flights will operate from 2025 and that all domestic flights will be carbon neutral from 2030. Industry giants will start large-scale production of green aviation fuel even sooner. All good but not enough, says environment think-tank.

Finnish EU Green Capital kept the transition going

(Mar 25, 2022) Many cities are fighting for the honour of becoming the European Green Capital. In Lahti, which held the title in 2021, the environmental work and green projects continue apace.

A fish beer, anyone? The Finnish brewery that went green

(Mar 25, 2022) Beer and the environment might not be obvious bedfellows. But the little brewery Ant Brew in Lahti uses waste products that would normally have been thrown out in order to create new and exciting beers.

Reindeer herders want Norwegian wind farm demolished

(Mar 25, 2022) Europe’s largest onshore wind power plant, built near Trondheim in Norway by Fosen Vind, could face dismantling after a supreme court win by indigenous reindeer herders.

Renewed drive to fight work-related crime in the Nordics

(Mar 25, 2022) All of the Nordics have intensified the fight against work-related crime. Norway’s new government has launched what it calls a spring clean of the Nordic labour market. Sweden’s deputy Minister for Employment Johan Danielsson has been tasked with coordinating the policy, and recently visited Oslo where he met his Norwegian colleague Marte Mjøs Persen.

10 year Swedish research programme into the future of working life

(Jan 28, 2022) Green change, globalisation and artificial intelligence are among the changes facing the labour market today and in the future. In 2017, a ten-year-long research programme was launched in Sweden, aimed to better understand and tackle the future challenges facing working life.

Varða in Iceland: a bridge between trade unions and academics

(Jan 28, 2022) Iceland's labour market research institute Varða was set up in February 2020 by The Icelandic Confederation of Labour ASÍ and the Confederation of State and Municipal Employees BSRB. The purpose was to strengthen social and economic labour market research and bridge the gap between academics and the labour market.

Sweden: most casual jobs and lowest work protection

(Jan 28, 2022) Sweden has the highest unemployment levels among the Nordics, and also more casual jobs and lower employment protection levels for those on temporary contracts. An award-winning dissertation shows the consequences deregulation has had for people without permanent employment.

Call for joint Nordic sanctions against countries behind cyber attacks

(Jun 29, 2021) Nordic countries’ cybersecurity skills are improving, but what happens when an attacking country is identified? On 30 June, the Nordic Council will debate proposed joint Nordic sanctions in the case of cyberattacks. The proposal already has support among Norwegian researchers.

The social pillar strengthened after EU Porto summit

(May 10, 2021) The EU’s informal summit in Porto, Portugal, on 7 - 8 May ended in a declaration which strengthens the social pillar’s importance in the Union. To the relief of Nordic member states, the introduction of statutory minimum wages was not mentioned in the final document.

Passionate about seaweed: healthy, tasty and plentiful

(Apr 29, 2021) Seaweed has been rediscovered as a resource with a range of uses point out ecopreneurs and researchers. But it is also under threat from human activities.

The Nordics – a family in need of therapy?

(Mar 24, 2021) The pandemic has challenged both the Nordic cooperation and trust between Nordic citizens. But many of the challenges ahead call for joint action on climate, welfare and sustainable development. The Nordic cooperation is deadly necessary, underlines Finland, which holds the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2021.

Norway: women engineers on the rise

(Mar 22, 2021) Ingvild Wang (24) has a master of technology from Norway’s University of Science and Technology, NTNU. She believes role models and equal education opportunities have led to a good proportion of women among young engineers.

Sweden’s century-long relationship with the ILO

(Dec 10, 2020) Sweden has had a relationship with the ILO for 100 years. Yet the country never ratified the labour organisation’s first convention. There have been tensions behind the scenes from time to time – like when the conventions have clashed with the Swedish model for collective agreements.

Iceland starting to miss "overtourism"

(Nov 11, 2020) Few countries have seen a more rapid tourism growth than Iceland. For many years, the number of tourists rose by 20 to 25% every year. This led to a debate over whether Iceland was a victim of “overtourism” like Barcelona and Venice.

Money can't buy you happiness in Iceland

(Oct 18, 2019) Families need decent wages in order to afford all the essentials. But high wages do not necessarily make families happy. There is no direct correlation between money and happiness, unless the family has real economic problems. The key to happiness is mainly spending time with family and friends.

ILO Convention on Violence and Harassment - an issue of Decent Work?

(Oct 07, 2019) In an op-ed the Council of Nordic Trade Unions and the leaders of the Baltic Trade Union Confederations urge the eight Nordic and Baltic countries to quickly ratify the latest ILO-convention, often called the Metoo-convention.

Peter Hummelgaard: aims to secure early retirement for tired workers

(Sep 12, 2019) The Danish labour market is facing major changes if Minister for Employment Peter Hummelgaard manages to get support for his plans. He wants to fight for fairer conditions for people with lower levels of education and for those in low-paid jobs.

How to change the world

(Jun 29, 2019) In this edition of the Nordic Labour Journal, we write about the ILO, the Treaty of Versailles and tourism. In a funny way, they are all linked.