Dagfinn Høybråten Now and again we need to pause for a moment, to remind ourselves why we work on issues like sustainable development and green transition. Why do we work on implementing the Paris agreement, why do we work towards global sustainability goals and Agenda 2030? Why do we raise these issues when we make … Continued
Dagfinn Høybråten It is quite commonplace in international debates for Nordic speakers to claim that “equal rights for women and men boost the economy and improve prosperity”. On some occasions the claim is met with sympathy and interest, on others, it is passed off as utopian or self-righteousness. Right now, there is widespread interest in … Continued
Dagfinn Høybråten A new agreement on health preparedness will ensure better co-operation between the Nordic countries in the event of major incidents or disasters affecting the region’s population. Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean a mere 1,200 kilometres from the North Pole. Longyearbyen is the administrative capital of Svalbard on the island … Continued
Dagfinn Høybråten Being able to move easily across the Nordic Region’s borders to study, to work, or for business is important for the region’s inhabitants. The Valuable Co-operation report identified that 53 percent of those aged 16 to 30 consider freedom of movement to be the most important benefit of Nordic co-operation. Consequently, Nordic solutions that facilitate … Continued
Dagfinn Høybråten The fact that we’re talking about parental leave at the UN high-level week is a good measure of international demand for true Nordic stories. Right now, leaders from around the world are gathered at the UN headquarters for the opening debate of the General Assembly. The debate addresses the main issues that the … Continued
Dagfinn Høybråten The Nordic Region may well be the world leader in green transition in the energy sector at the moment, but resting on our laurels is not an option. Not only do the biggest challenges still lie ahead – but they very much transcend sectors as well. The Paris Agreement and the planned EU … Continued
Dagfinn Høybråten As Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, I have the pleasure of telling people from across the globe about the Nordic Region and Nordic co-operation. The responses that I get have shown me that there is one topic in particular that is always the subject of their fascination – the trust … Continued
Dagfinn Høybråten The Nordic Prime Ministers have an important message to the world: We can achieve the UN 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) if we work together, because “Together We Are Stronger”. This is the motto of the Nordic co-operation, and this mindset is what the world needs to overcome the global challenges of … Continued