Robust regional civil preparedness in the Nordic Region

Extreme weather and geobiophysical disturbances, such as volcanic eruptions, snowstorms, flooding, and landslides, cause destruction of infrastructure such as power lines and roads, environmental damage and interruptions in deliveries within supply chains. Political turbulence risks creating blockades of energy, gas and trade flows, as well as creating uncertainties by cyber-attacks towards public and civic networks. There are also tensions within the Nordic region, for example when political goals of a green transition and increased self-sufficiency can lead to conflicts over land, water and other resources. In the new risk-landscape there is a need to continuously build and foster a robust society.  

Regardless of the type of risks and crises at hand a robust society has the capacity to resist and manage environmental disasters and human-caused crises. Such robustness, the capacity to withhold a crisis, as well as resilience to return after a shock or a crisis, is created through collaboration. Cooperation between individuals, colleagues, sectors in a municipality, between municipalities, between sectors in the region, between regions, within the state, as well as between states is essential.

Against this background, Nordregio has been commissioned by the Nordic body of cooperation for the regional sector under the year of the Swedish Chairmanship of the Nordic Council of Ministers, in 2024, to contribute to increasing knowledge about how robust regional civil preparedness comes into play in the Nordic Region. As a part of this assignment, Nordregio showcases a selection of 24 examples of civil preparedness and crisis response in the Nordics. The examples are chosen to illustrate the broad range of regional civil preparedness in the Nordic Region. They reflect the diversity of contributions from public authorities at the level of the state, regions and municipalities, as well as private businesses and civil society organisations.

The examples presented do not fully cover all the activities and initiatives regarding civil preparedness and crisis response in the Nordics. They are, however, chosen by the Nordregio research team to illustrate that civil preparedness entails aspects of creating safety, but also to ensure societal functions such as the availability of food, energy, transport, raw materials, and other services for residents, such as health care, and education, both in times of peace and in periods of crisis.

The examples presented in this storymap are not to be seen as necessarily better than other on-going initiatives. Based on desk-based studies between March and October 2024, these examples have been selected with the intention to be used as inspiration within the Nordics and beyond. They are also used to identify how to further enhance regional civil preparedness and crisis response within the regional and rural policy sphere in the Nordics. The lessons learned from these examples will, together with a policy analysis on regional policy, and interviews with key Nordic actors, be presented in the policy brief created in this study. If you are interested in learning more about preparedness in Nordic regional policy, please have a look at  the country-based fact sheets in Swedish . You can also find more information on   the Robust Regional Preparedness project page. 

A Danish coastal city of Vejle has been pointed out by the Danish Coast Authority as one of the 14 areas in Denmark to be at risk of serious flooding due to rising sea levels. In response, a new civil preparedness project Membrane has been initiated in Vejle municipality. The project aims to build a natural storm surge protection system on the coast of Vejle city (Picture 1). This is expected to reduce the risk of floods coming from the nearby fjord. The construction phase of the protection system started in the beginning of 2024 and is expected to be completed by 2027. The work with storm surge protection is a part of the flagship project “Fjordbyen” (Fjord’s city) of Vejle Municipality’s Resilience Strategy. 

The key idea of the Membrane project is to create an aquatic terrain on the coast of the city, a sort of a natural membrane, where plants, sediments and other materials from the fjord can accumulate over time. The initiative began with Vejle municipality involving its residents and actors in a dialogue about storm surge strategies. This idea-sharing was done through pop-up exhibitions on the harbour and an open idea contest Kanten (The Edge) for architects, landscape architects and artists to generate nature-based, innovative and recreational solutions to the ongoing risk of flooding in Vejle. The goal was to find a solution which could adapt and grow with the ongoing development of the city, instead of building a wall (Pictures 2 and 3).

The results were published in Vejle’s storm surge protection strategy and solution catalogue. The Membrane project was inspired by the winner of the open idea contest. Vejle municipality’s partner Realdania, an association focusing on solving various architectural and planning challenges, donated 25 million DKK for the first phase of the Membrane project in 2022, which was then continued by the City Council in 2024.   

With such a process in progress, the storm surge protection system will slowly and naturally grow as the water level rises and the city requires a stronger protection system. The Membrane will be constructed with natural and organic materials for biodiversity to thrive both under the water and above it. One of the project's goals is to bridge the gap between land and water, seamlessly integrating the natural fjord surroundings with the urban landscape and nearby nature, thereby creating a harmonious environment. The security line will consist of a membrane that will function as a flood barrier. The latter will open and close depending on the impact (flood, cloudburst or drought). The system is expected to offer protection against storm surges and rising water levels up to 2.5-3 meters.

Besides the protective purpose, the Membrane has a recreational function, with biking lanes, walking trails and natural environments alongside the water areas (Picture 4). The dual-purpose project has been designed to become a destination for visiting and relaxing. Since the Membrane will be a growing environment, the area's design is not predetermined and depends on the active participation of the community, the decisions of next generations and the growing process of the membrane itself. 

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 _{Contact information   Vejle Municipality:  post@vejle.dk    Realdania:  realdania@realdania.dk}  

 _{Sources and further reading    https://vkintra.vejle.dk/media/l4hbiucj/flyers_%C3%B8vrige-interessenter.pdf      https://www.vejle.dk/om-kommunen/projekter-i-vejle/243425      https://realdania.dk/publikationer/faglige-publikationer/dommerbetaenkning     https://realdania.dk/publikationer/faglige-publikationer/     https://realdania.dk/-/media/realdaniadk/projekter/     https://realdania.dk/-/media/realdaniadk/publikationer/}  

Gladsaxe municipality, which is located besides the Danish capital of Copenhagen, teamed up with Beredskabsforbundet (Emergency Response Association) to offer a course in civil preparedness in case of unforeseen events. The residents of the municipality were invited to register for the course, which was held at the beginning of June in 2024.  

The civil preparedness course in Gladsaxe municipality was delivered by volunteers and covered scenarios such as when the residents are left without running water or electricity for longer periods of time. The course focused on providing key information about how to survive by oneself for three or more days. The participants learned how to behave and what actions to take while public services are down or unavailable. When a crisis breaks out, the emergency services will first ensure that the country’s critical infrastructure, such as hospitals, are operating well, before turning to assist the wider population. It is therefore crucial to know how to behave in this critical timeframe, in order to avoid making matters worse for oneself, family and neighbours (Picture 5).

The idea for the municipality to offer an informative course in collaboration with the Emergency Response Association was proposed by a member of the Gladsaxe City Council. The course was initiated partially due to high demand from the residents. Another reason was due to the overall organizational structure of crisis preparedness. When a crisis emerges in Denmark, the Danish Emergency Management Agency, under the Ministry of Defence, takes action to respond to emergencies. On the other hand, municipalities in Denmark have primarily day-to-day emergency response procedures. However, when it comes to larger crises, such municipal emergency services are thought to be under-equipped to be fully resilient. In this context, the larger the share of the society that knows how to behave in critical situations, the easier it will be to overcome a crisis.  

Gladsaxe Municipality is one example of how such courses are organized. The Emergency Response Association offers similar courses for free for groups of a minimum of 20 people. These courses can be booked by households, organizations, building societies, etc. An online course option is also available. 

The course to enhance the residents civil preparedness for prolonged outages of critical services exemplifies how municipalities can effectively collaborate with organizations to educate and prepare the community for unforeseen events. 

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 _{Contact information   Beredskabsforbundet:  bf@beredskab.dk}  

 _{Sources and further reading    https://www.brs.dk/da/       https://beredskab.dk/borgerberedskabet/}  

In 2023, the Danish government presented their outlook for the national climate adaptation plan, called Klimatilpasningsplan 1. The outlook highlights several actions and areas that require attention in climate adaptation strategies. In 2021, before the development phase of the adaptation plan, the five Danish regions came together to propose seven recommendations, named “Vandet kommer” (The Water is Coming). The report underlines the regions' view of what needs to be included in the national climate adaptation plan (Picture 6). 

The regions’ initiative to provide joint recommendations stemmed from their understanding that water-related problems do not follow municipal borders and need to be addressed holistically. The solutions to these challenges must also be cross-cutting and have a long-term outlook.  

There are numerous benefits for regions to intervene in climate adaptation policies. Firstly, the regions and the municipalities within the administrative borders know very well what kind of issues they face the most. Furthermore, regional coordination can ensure the involvement of the necessary actors and bring added value for the communities. The regional authorities can function as a knowledge and experience hub, since climate adaptation requires high degree of expertise across municipal borders. 

The regional authorities in Denmark have vast experience in coordinating projects and networks in climate adaptation across municipalities. Examples include C2C CC, DK2020, and NEPTUN, among others. 

Seven joint recommendations:

• regional climate adaptation plans require synergies
• inputs must follow the geographical features of the water
• a Coast and Water Council needs to be established
• regional climate adaptation plans need to take advantage of a national fund to support the initiatives
• more common coastal protection projects need to be carried out
• nature-based solutions need to be favoured
• regions need to promote cross-cutting innovation and knowledge-sharing. 

Such bottom-up vertical involvement in the creation of a national climate adaptation plan can be beneficial for addressing key issues and to ensure a successful adaptation process in the future. 

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 _{Contact information   Danske regioner:  regioner@regioner.dk}  

 _{Sources and further reading    https://www.regioner.dk/regional-udvikling/klima-og-baeredygtighed/     https://edit.mst.dk/media/1phlz0ue/bilag-3-faktaark.pdf      https://concito.dk/nyheder/ny-klimatilpasningsplan-adresserer-centrale     https://www.regeringen.dk/nyheder/2023/     https://mim.dk/kampagner/klimatilpasning      https://www.e-pages.dk/regioner/203/      https://www.regioner.dk/services/publikationer/regional-udvikling/}  

Just outside the Danish town of Harboøre, near the area of Høfde 42 (Breakwater 42), there used to be a chemical deposit site near the coast. The chemical waste was left there by a company called Cheminova and the government itself from various agricultural activities.

The decontamination of Høfde 42 is now underway. What started as a highly contaminated area on the coast of Denmark, ended with a successful strategy to encapsulate the toxic chemicals in Høfde 42 and efforts to completely clean the area. 

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 _{Contact information   Halfdan R. Sckerl, soil contamination case officer:  Halfdan.Sckerl@ru.rm.dk    Region Midtjylland:  regional-udvikling@ru.rm.dk}  

 _{Sources and further reading    https://www.ru.rm.dk/om-os/presse-og-nyheder/nyheder/     https://www.ru.rm.dk/siteassets/01-klima-og-miljo/jordforurening/     https://www.rm.dk/om-os/aktuelt/nyheder/nyheder-2021/     https://www.ru.rm.dk/klima-og-miljo/jordforurening/}  

Martha is a Swedish-speaking association in Finland, offering a wide range of services, concerning everyday knowledge. The goal of the Association is to provide sufficient knowledge and resources for households across Finland to promote sustainable economic, ecological and social development. Such a form of civil preparedness aids in overcoming everyday challenges, rather than extraordinary situations. 

Martha Association was established in 1899 in Finland. The initial aim of the organization was to spread public education to all women, guard national identity and counteract russification. Nowadays, Martha underlines strong shared Finnish-Swedish community attitudes and has approximately 9 000 members. The Association is an umbrella organization that brings various Martha groups around the country together. Martha is financed mainly by members’ fees, public contributions, foundations, as well as funds. 

One of the principal goals of Martha is that everyone, regardless of their age, social status or financial situation should be able to achieve a sustainable and well-balanced lifestyle. To achieve this, the organization offers counselling services to its members. The specialised advisers of Martha share their everyday knowledge, teach new skills and offer support. The knowledge transfer process is being carried out through offered courses, lectures and individual advice. The counselling activities are usually carried out in close collaboration with various Martha Association’s projects (Picture 10). 

There are three key areas in which counselling services are offered:

• Firstly, household-related advice is related to conscious and sustainable food consumption, where the counselors are teaching how to cook food, what are the various nutritional recommendations and how to work with food education.
• The counselling also focuses on financial advice through discussions about personal finances. A large part of these activities involves learning how to manage personal finances and plan one’s budget. The key goal is to teach sustainable consumption, taking the environment into consideration.
• Finally, ecological counselling strives to increase awareness of environmental aspects in everyday lifestyle. Through various courses, the members learn about natural cosmetics, how to reduce chemical usage, DIY recommendations as well as reusing or repurposing different materials to avoid unnecessary purchases.

The Martha association works closely with other organizations, youth-oriented workshops, schools, etc. to bring their values closer to people. The Martha Association exemplifies how to prepare people for a sustainable, future-oriented lifestyle by uniting local communities. Through a diverse range of activities, the organization enhances civil preparedness for a future where sustainable living is essential. 

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 _{Contact information    Martha: kansliet@martha.fi}  

 _{Sources and further reading    https://www.martha.fi/      https://www.martha.fi/om-oss/projekt      https://www.martha.fi/uploads/Verksamhetsplan-2023.pdf}   

In 2023, a Swedish company Mine Storage and the Korsnäs Municipality, located in Ostrobothnia, Western Finland, went into an agreement to develop an energy storage facility in the Korsnäs mines, referred to as a mine storage. The project aims to transform the mine into an energy storage system to store excess electricity from renewable sources. Such crisis preparedness enterprise would aid the Finnish electricity transmission grid, allowing for more flexibility in a sustainable future. The company has a couple of similar projects in Dalarna and Skåne in Sweden. 

The electricity grid cannot store energy on its own. The energy needs to be consumed immediately. This presents a significant challenge for relying entirely on renewable energy, which is highly dependent on weather conditions. Currently, only 3% of generated power is stored. Mine storage facilities could offer a solution by storing excess energy and releasing it when demand is high and renewable generation is low due to adverse weather. This approach could help balance energy supply and demand as well as enable the energy transition. 

The Korsnäs mine was initially opened in 1958. It was closed in 1973 and it is now owned by the municipality and filled with water. A transformation of the mine into an energy storage facility could greatly improve the region’s capability to rely on green energy and thereby boost the green transition. A mine storage can vary in size, from 15 to 200 MW with a discharge time ranging from 2 to 12 hours. For reference, a 100 MW storage system can provide energy for 12 hours in a city of 250 000 families, and therefore has a storage capacity of 1200 MWh (Picture 11).

The storage system itself has a very low environmental impact during its use and in the implementation phase, since it makes use of existing buildings and areas for a new purpose. In principle, the system utilises water and Earth’s gravity to store energy.

There are two reservoirs in the mine, located at different heights, through which the water is circulating:

• When there is excess generation of electricity coming from the grid, the energy can be stored by pumping the water from the bottom reservoir (inside the mine) into the top one (on ground level).
• When the demand of electricity becomes high, the water is released from the top reservoir back into the mine through hydroelectric turbines. The created electricity is then fed back out into the grid for consumers to use.

The efficiency of such system ranges from 70% to 85%, depending on the configuration and size of the storage system (Picture 12). 

As mentioned before, the company has several other ongoing projects in Sweden, while also looking into some more opportunities in Finland. Such energy storage system could prepare the region for a sustainable transition and help ensure the reliability of green electricity for the next generations.

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 _{Contact information    Mine Storage:   info@minestorage.com}  

 _{Sources and further reading    https://www.minestorage.com/mine-storage-and-korsnas-municipality     https://www.minestorage.com/energy-solution/      https://www.energinyheter.se/20230615/}  

Humans are continually advancing their abilities to explore the vast unknowns of space. Simultaneously, society is growing increasingly dependent on space-related technologies and satellite communications. As more celestial objects orbit the Earth, the risk of congestion and collisions rises. In response to these challenges, Finland has announced the creation of the Finnish Space Situational Awareness Centre (FSSAC) in 2026. This initiative is part of a crisis preparedness strategy aimed at monitoring and mitigating dangers in orbit and beyond (Picture 13). 

The FSSAC will build on Finland's existing space capabilities, which already include a significant degree of expertise in space situational awareness. The Finnish Meteorological Institute leads one of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s space weather centres and operates its own space weather monitoring services, providing valuable data for Finland’s needs. 

With over 10,000 satellites in outer space, the FSSAC will have a key task to monitor and predict dangers, emanating from various space-related activities. To avoid unexpected collisions that might create a chain reaction in space traffic and crashes into Earth, the FSSAC will help avoid crisis situations and communication outages by sharing its data with partners. Furthermore, the centre will promote Finland’s security objectives, such as crisis resilience, cyber security and maintenance of critical infrastructure. Risks posed by comets and asteroids will also be closely monitored. 

Such capabilities will significantly open new opportunities for business and research, especially in cooperation with the European Space Agency. This would allow development of new technologies in the field. The FSSAC will operate on two dimensions (Table 1). Both departments will function independently of each other but in close cooperation to maximise capabilities.

It is currently expected that the centre will require EUR 5,135,000 in the period between 2024 and 2027 for successful implementation. The current Government will make the final decisions about the establishment of the FSSAC. 

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 _{Contact information   Vesa Häyrinen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Transport and Communications: vesa.hayrinen@gov.fi   Ulla Kaleva, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Transport and Communications: ulla.kaleva@gov.fi   Kaisa Laitinen, Director of Unit, chair of the steering group, Ministry of Transport and Communications: kaisa.laitinen@gov.fi   Professor Ari-Matti Harri, Centre for space situational awareness, civil leadership:  ari-matti.harri@fmi.fi    Kai Knape, Centre for space situational awareness, military leadership: kai.knape@gov.fi} 

 _{Sources and further reading    https://lvm.fi/en/-/report-finnish-space-situational-awareness-centre     https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/bitstream/     https://www.maanmittauslaitos.fi/en/     https://lvm.fi/-/suomen-kansallisen-avaruustilannekeskuksen     https://valtioneuvosto.fi/hanke?tunnus=LVM035:00/2022      https://space.fmi.fi/2023/11/24/as-a-result-of-the-national-space-situational     https://spacefinland.fi/en/-/-as-a-result-of-the-national-space-situational-awareness}  

Iceland has an extensive civil protection system, which is responsible for limiting and preventing physical suffering, health damage, environmental and property damage and provide assistance when needed. The protection system is set out in the Civil Protection Act of 2008. To enhance the overall civil preparedness of Iceland, a network of Civil Protection Committees has been established around the country on the local/municipal level. Their responsibilities include strategic planning of civil protection in their respective districts. 

National civil protection duties fall under the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police (NCIP). However, civil protection planning is carried out by involving different actors, such as the fire department, rescue teams, health department, coast guard, Red Cross and various non-profit organizations around the country.  

Under the NCIP, the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management is responsible for daily coordination of civil protection issues. The Department is also in charge of the beforementioned Civil Protection Committees. There are currently 21 committees scattered around 9 districts in Iceland (Picture 14). The different committees are headed by the chief of police of the district, in which the committee is located. The chief of police is also in charge of all civil protection operations in that area. Additionally, the staff includes representatives from the local governments. The Civil Protection Committees are appointed by the local governments (Picture 15). 

The Civil Protection Committees, in cooperation with the NCIP, create risk assessments, updated response plans, and review and test existing plans in the different districts. In addition, the committees examine the resilience of the district. The committees also implement preventive measures and rescue in case of natural disasters or war. Several committees can collaborate if needed. In such cases, a joint response plan must be drawn up. This cooperation is supervised by the NCIP. Overall, the committees are relatively closely tied with the national police, since civil preparedness and protection fall under the police authority. 

Civil organization system, where Civil Protection Committees operate in different districts of Iceland, allows each region to have more focused response plans, unique to their needs and risks.

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 _{Contact information   Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management: almanvarnir@almannavarnir.is} 

 _{Sources and further reading    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276049269_Katla_volcano_in_Iceland     https://www.almannavarnir.is/almannavarnir/skipurit/      https://www.innanrikisraduneyti.is/media/blai_bordinn/Almannavarnastefna.pdf      https://www.almannavarnir.is/utgefid-efni/leidbeiningar     https://www.almannavarnir.is/english/preventive-measures      https://www.government.is/publications/legislation/     https://island.is/en/civil-protection      https://www.logreglan.is/logreglan/rikislogreglustjori/almannavarnir/      https://www.logreglan.is/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/LOG-RLS_Skipurit-ENG     https://www.almannavarnir.is/almannavarnir/tenglar/      https://www.almannavarnir.is/english/about-the-department-of-civil-protection     https://www.almannavarnir.is/english/general-information/emergency-response/}    

There are several ongoing projects in East Iceland that seek to improve the knowledge of its residents and authorities about natural and weather-related crises and dangers.

Both The HuT and the MEDiate projects are a part of the EU Horizon initiative and trie to find effective strategies to manage ever more frequent and extreme climate disasters. The projects emphasize applying various innovative solutions to specific geographical contexts but with different approaches:

• The HuT seeks to improve its implementation of human-centric disaster risk reduction activities with a strong emphasis on local communities in Eastern Iceland.
• MEDiate, in collaboration with its partner, the University of Iceland, is developing a dynamic system model designed to assist municipalities in assessing disaster risk policies and improving decision-making processes during imminent or active disaster situations.

Furthermore, the IMO studies interconnected natural hazards and works with Mulathing municipality stakeholders to understand the cascading effects and identify the factors that exacerbate or mitigate these hazards by looking at historical events. 

The Icelandic cases of these projects are centered on the town of Seyðisfjörður, which reflects broader Icelandic climate conditions. The primary risks in Seyðisfjörður are landslides and floods, as seen during severe events in 2020 (Picture 16). The area requires enhanced monitoring and modelling systems for rainfall and landslide risks, alongside improved methods for informing authorities and residents by involving them more in risk identification and decision-making. Austurbrú hosted a community meeting in Seyðisfjörður to gather local perspectives on the HuT project’s planned information portal. 

Other areas in Iceland, such as Eskifjörður and Neskaupstaður are also set to become testing sites for the HuT’s system in the future. Since the project is still underway, the deliverables and results are not yet published. Nevertheless, such projects have the capability to turn knowledge building in crisis management and civil preparedness place-based, with high involvement of local residents. 

For the MEDiate project, using the DSS will help decision-makers at the municipality level, the Civil Protection Committee, and first responders make more reliable resilience assessments, thereby reducing disaster losses. The project will conclude in September 2025. Then, a ready-made tool should support the administration's decision-making and help assess the actual risks and consequences. Thus, decisions on evacuations or other measures will be much more targeted. 

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 _{Contact information   MEDiate project:  info@mediate-project.eu    The HuT project: i nfo@thehut-nexus.eu}  

 _{Sources and further reading    https://austurbru.is/ibuafundur-a-seydisfirdi-2/     https://austurbru.is/viltu-taka-thatt-i-rynihopi-a-seydisfirdi-is-en-pl/      https://austurbru.is/natturuva-upplysingar-og-akvardanataka      https://austurbru.is/about-austurbru/      https://thehut-nexus.eu/territory/east-fjords      https://thehut-nexus.eu/project/      https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101073957       https://www.mulathing.is/is/thjonusta/oryggi/upplysingasetur-vegna-auskskrida-a-seydisfird      https://www.vedur.is/ofanflod/haettumat/seydisfjordur      https://www.vedur.is/gogn/snjoflod/haettumat/se/mbl_seydisfj_endursk_hmat_skuldarl_budara     https://austurbru.is/uppbygging-a-seydisfirdi/      https://mediate-project.eu/      https://mediate-project.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2Newsletter.pdf      https://austurbru.is/fundad-um-natturuva/      https://mediate-project.eu/the-project/       https://thehut-nexus.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/D2.1_v1.0.pdf      https://thehut-nexus.eu/}   

The aim of the Norwegian Civil Defence is to protect the civilian population from crises during peacetimes and wartimes. The 8 000 men and women who are carrying out their duties throughout the country are located in 20 different districts. On average, the Civil Defence participates in 214 different events each year. 

During peacetimes, the Civil Defence contributes to the safety of communities daily and when crises happen. The organization provides training and equipment to assist the fire department, police and medical institutions during extraordinary events. Examples of these include forest fires, floods or search for missing people. The Civil Defence is especially equipped to provide assistance with additional personnel and resources during major crises and events (Picture 17). 

During wartimes, the Civil Defence takes care of protecting the civilian population without weapons. This might include evacuation procedures, medical help, or assistance during chemical or radioactive contamination. Since the Civil Defence does not operate with lethal equipment, they are protected by the Geneva Convention and, according to international law, cannot be attacked or otherwise included in hostilities. 

The Civil Defence was initiated by the Ministry of Justice and began its operation in 1936. It is now under the supervision of the Directorate of Social Security and Preparedness. As mentioned, the organization has 8 000 people, who are called in to serve involuntarily every year. Norwegians living in Norway who have been approved for service in the Armed Forces might get an invitation to serve in the Civil Defence. The service includes a basic course of 3 weeks and one or two yearly exercises that take around 24 hours in total. In addition, the service requires participation during extraordinary events or when assistance is needed. A person is liable for service from 18 until the age of 55 (Picture 18). 

While the 8 000 people stand ready to assist in case of war, there are five operative departments with 24 service people each, that are more directed towards more common tasks (Table 3).

Besides the abovementioned responsibilities, the Civil Defence is also responsible for alerting the population of incoming dangers. There are around 1250 sirens in Norway, which are primarily placed in cities and more populated areas. These sirens can be heard by more than half of the population. In situations where residents need to seek shelter, the responsibility for safehouses also falls under the Civil Defence. There are 20 000 safehouses in Norway (public and private), which can accommodate more than 2.5 million people. The shelters are expected to be ready for use at 72 hours' notice. 

The Civil Defence exemplifies how civil preparedness can engage the general population, ensuring that additional resources can be mobilized if ordinary forces are insufficient. The system has a clear division of responsibilities within the organization with supplies for different events and scenarios. 

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 _{Contact information   The Civil Defence: postmottak@dsb.no} 

 _{Sources and further reading    https://www.sivilforsvaret.no/globalassets/dokumenter/veiledere/     https://www.sivilforsvaret.no/ditt-distrikt/      https://www.sivilforsvaret.no/dette-er-sivilforsvaret/historia-til-sivilforsvaret/       https://www.sivilforsvaret.no/dette-er-sivilforsvaret/      https://www.sivilforsvaret.no/mannskap-i-sivilforsvaret/      https://www.sivilforsvaret.no/innkalt-for-forste-gang/      https://www.sivilforsvaret.no/dette-er-sivilforsvaret/operative-avdelingar/      https://www.sivilforsvaret.no/dette-er-sivilforsvaret/varslinger/      https://www.sivilforsvaret.no/dette-er-sivilforsvaret/tilfluktsrom/om-tilfluktsrom/}    

The vast geographical distances and diverse terrain in Norway present significant challenges for rescue services. To address these challenges, the Voluntary Organizations' Rescue Forum (FORF) was established in 1994 as an umbrella organization dedicated to supporting and coordinating the efforts of various organizations involved in rescue operations. FORF serves as a unified voice, advocating for the interests and ideas of its member organizations to stakeholders and authorities, ensuring that the Norwegian rescue services can contribute to crisis management effectively and efficiently across the country. 

Norway has a long tradition of assisting one another in case of an emergency. The tradition is now set out in the different voluntary organizations, which together represent around 10 000 crew members around Norway. These organizations together can carry out rescue missions at sea, on land and in the mountains. Rescuers are trained in a diverse array of specialties, including first aid, water rescue, avalanche response, cave rescue, piloting, communication, and many other critical skills (Picture 19). 

FORF has currently eight member organizations, which contribute to various simple and complex rescue missions. To become a member organization, specific criteria need to be met. Most important criteria is the active involvement in the Norwegian rescue service. The eight independent organizations have different responsibilities. Some focus on developing expertise in rescue operations or recruiting new team members, while others are dedicated to retaining crew members, training volunteers, and enhancing their skills. 

The umbrella organization must be equipped to handle rescues in a wide range of environments and conditions. By leveraging the diverse expertise and resources of their member organizations, they can effectively gather all necessary and specialized tools for any situation. For example, the organizations together have the capability to use dogs in various conditions, boats for search and rescue, air operations, etc. 

FORF has also 13 local rescue service forums, responsible for specific geographical areas in Norway. For instance, FORF Møre og Romsdal has successfully utilized the received funds from the Gjensidige Foundation in connection to a project “Better Local Preparedness”. The project was aimed at carrying out joint events and improving professional development. These joint meetings and exercises were made possible due to the financial support of the project in carrying out the activities and purchasing equipment for the volunteers. The project facilitated knowledge and competency sharing while also strengthening networks for future collaboration. The “Better Local Preparedness” project received financing total of 84 million NOK, e.g., 10 million of which went to the different member organizations in purchasing 2 000 emergency network terminals.  

The FORF umbrella organization functions as a forum for Norwegian rescue service organizations, where they can combine their expertise and equipment to strengthen their capabilities. Such projects as “Better Local Preparedness” exemplifies the benefits that stems from such cooperation. 

 _{___________________________} 

 _{Contact information   Voluntary Organizations' Rescue Forum (FORF): post@forf.no} 

 _{Sources and further reading    https://www.forf.no/       https://www.forf.no/forfs-lokale-redningsfaglige-foru       https://www.forf.no/om-oss/sterke-sider      https://www.forf.no/medlemsorganisasjoner      https://www.forf.no/2000-nye-nodnett-terminaler-til-den-frivillige-redningstjenesten      https://www.forf.no/forf-more-og-romsdal       https://www.gjensidigestiftelsen.no/84-millioner-for-a-styrke-den-frivillige-redningstjenesten}    

Øvelse Nord (Northern Exercise) is a university-led yearly exercise for students of Nord Universitet in Bodø. The week-long exercise is aimed at providing students with necessary knowledge and experience in cooperation across sectors of crisis management. During the exercise, various actors train to handle major crises and incidents. Besides the exercise itself, other activities such as seminars, career days and other events are organized. 

Øvelse Nord started in 1996, where nursing, police and journalism students could train to play their roles in a real-life situation. Nowadays, the exercise is much larger where Nord Univeristet is collaborating with such agencies as the main rescue centre, the police, the fire department, hospitals, emergency services, the Home Guard, the coast guard and other organizations. Nevertheless, the exercise still focuses mainly on students, who are there to learn and test their skills. The students are assigned specific roles during the exercise, such as first aiders, nurses, journalists, observers, telephone staff, documentary filming crew, etc. (Picture 20). 

The exercise itself takes place every year in April. The first two days are allocated for academic and career days followed by the third day, in which the exercise takes place. Around 600 students from various bachelor’s and master’s programs participate in the drill together with professionals from various services. In 2024, students from 6 programs participated. The operational phase of the exercise is coordinated by municipalities, the state administrator and the Crisis Support Unit. 

Each year, a new scenario is developed based on current geopolitical events, and this scenario is then simulated during the exercise. Previous scenarios included fire at a student hotel, anti-terrorist exercise with mass casualties, ship collision with fire, act of terrorism and shooting in school, etc. In response to the increasing military threat from neighbouring countries like Russia, the 2024 scenario focused on critical infrastructure and total defence coordination (Picture 21). 

Øvelse Nord is designed to look as realistic as possible, which is why the participating students find the drill educational and realistic. Students are performing and testing themselves under high pressure and stress. They are also encouraged to cooperate with each other while carrying out specific procedures. Working together under high pressure can yield learning benefits in the field of crisis management. 

The Øvelse Nord is the Nordic region’s largest civil mainland exercise and the largest of its kind in Europe, organized by a university. The yearly drill significantly builds competencies and knowledge among students, who have the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge to practice on a remarkable scale. The large variety of actors involved in the drill makes the event important and useful. 

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 _{Contact information   Erlend Frithjof Hagenes, Senior Advisor:  erlend.f.hagenes@nord.no    Nord University: postmottak@nord.no} 

 _{Sources and further reading    https://www.nord.no/om       https://kommunikasjon.ntb.no/pressemelding/     https://www.hovedredningssentralen.no/hovedredningssentralen     https://www.nord.no/om/kontakt-oss/krise-og-beredskap/ovelse-nord       https://www.nord.no/aktuelt/ovelse-nord-er-en-sjelden-og-viktig}  

Access to essential services, such as grocery stores, pharmacies and petrol stations, are the principal prerequisites for living and working in rural areas. Access to commercial services in rural areas strengthens and enhances resilience. Having access to essential products nearby enhances the local population's self-sufficiency and contributes also to regional crisis preparedness. Sweden hosts several initiatives to support and drive the development of commercial hubs across the country, offering a range of different services. 

For example, the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth offers subsidies for grocery stores in vulnerable locations, where the risk for unmanaged crises is higher. The state-provided long-term support is directed towards small grocery stores in rural areas, where access to commercial services is limited. A single business can receive a maximum of 300 000 SEK per year. The idea behind such support scheme is to enable small businesses to offer goods and services to local residents, even though it might not be economically viable and risky. Such solution could create a more self-sufficient, and therefore resilient, region. 

Another case in point is the so-called Service and Security Point (SOT), which are located in several municipalities around Sweden (Picture 22). For example, in Jämtland Härjedalen county, there are four municipalities (Åre, Ragunda, Krokom and Härjedalen) that have received support from the County Administrative Board for the development of the SOT points. An SOT point is a commercial service node or hub that is located within a grocery store. It offers a wide range of services, including shops, cafes and sometimes recreational activities. Besides the SOT points, there are fuel stations for passersby. The SOT points are highly valuable in case of a power outage, storms, forest fires, war, etc. The commercial nodes also house backup power generators and communication centers. If a crisis breaks out, the SOT points will serve as a temporarily self-sustaining safe-house for nearby residents and travelers (Picture 23).  

Based on a report by Jämtland Härjedalen county from 2022, the financing and incentivising of the SOT points could fall under the responsibility of the regions by utilising the regional policy funds. On the other hand, it is still unclear how the financing should take place. The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, while not working directly with civil preparedness, supports such kinds of initiatives through subsidies. 

One successful project funded by the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth is the Meeting Place Häradsbäck (Mötesplats Häradsbäck).  The hub is located in Småland and houses a café, an activity hall, a shop with local food producers’ products, as well as gasoline and a camping ground for tourists. The meeting place was partly financed by the Rural Program 2014-2022 (Landsbygdsprogrammet) which had a total budget of 48 billion SEK (Pictures 24 and 25).  

With the implementation of such commercial service hubs and SOT points, Sweden strengthens its level of crisis preparedness and contributes to resilience of rural communities. Such self-sufficient areas can withstand natural crises, such as storms or electricity outages, more safely and in company with other residents. 

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 _{Sources and further reading    https://catalog.lansstyrelsen.se/store/35/resource/27      https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/     https://tillvaxtverket.se/download/18.5eafc64b18ee72dfa42537a/     https://tillvaxtverket.se/download/18.79c98a8818f379fc3d02de8/     https://www.konkurrensverket.se/globalassets/dokument/     https://www.slu.se/institutioner/stad-land/samverkan/uppdrag-landsbygd/     https://haradsback.se/      https://jordbruksverket.se/stod/eus-politik-for-jordbruk-och-fiske/     https://tillvaxtverket.se/tillvaxtverket/sokfinansiering/omvaraolikastod/}  

Due to recent geopolitical and biological threats, Sweden took upon itself to raise its combined civil and military defence higher on the agenda. A key element of total defence is the availability and preparedness of the private sector to contribute its specialised capabilities in managing and withstanding crises. While there are local businesses interested and ready to assist Sweden in case of crises, responsible authorities are said to rarely form dialogue with capable companies. Nevertheless, in 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Alfapac, a plastic manufacturing company in Åsbro, adapted its operations to produce protective aprons for the healthcare sector. This serves as a notable example of how business-led civil preparedness can be effectively implemented in Sweden (Picture 26). 

In 2020 the healthcare sector was taken by surprise with the surge of patients, infected by the Covid-19 virus. A different reality for many meant that new lifestyles and differentiated focus needed to be developed in everyday life. This was also the case for many businesses, who were affected by the crisis. However, Alfapac in Åsbro, central Sweden, managed to successfully assist the state’s healthcare system in reorganising their structure to focus a part of their production on the manufacturing of long-sleeved protective aprons for the healthcare workers. The new product alleviated the shortage of protective aprons in several hospitals, providing essential protection for staff when interacting with patients. 

The university hospital in Örebro was the largest client of the production. Other nearby municipalities and Finland also received some of the necessary protective equipment.

Before the pandemic, the company had 85 permanent employees. When the demand increased, Alfapac hired an additional 15-20 people to assist with the new workload. During the first week, around 20 000 aprons were produced. The production line was increased to up to 50 000 aprons per week. 

Such capability of quick reorganisation shows that in case of crises, the business sector can potentially have great capabilities to assist the state with tackling unexpected challenges. A report by Stockholm’s Chamber of Commerce published a report in 2023 based on interviews with 14 socially important companies. The assessment highlighted current shortcomings and identified key areas that require attention for improving future crisis management involving businesses. These are most notably the energy sector, ensuring clean water and food production, followed by reliable transport and the healthcare system. Currently there are numerous initiatives in Sweden working towards incorporating the private sector in civil preparedness. 

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 _{Contact information   Alfapac:  info@alfapac.se}  

 _{Sources and further reading    https://www.regeringen.se/contentassets/     https://www.slu.se/centrumbildningar-och-projekt/     https://jordbruksverket.se/om-jordbruksverket/     https://stockholmshandelskammare.se/wp-content/     https://www.sydnarkenytt.se/askersund/artikel/alfapac-goer-vardens-foerklaeden      https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/orebro/plastfabrik-staller-om-for-att-hjalpa-sjukvarden      https://stockholmshandelskammare.se/rapporter/rapport-ar-vi-redo}  

Suðuroy is a relatively cut off island from the rest of the Faroe Islands. The island is not connected to the main power grid of the self-governing region of Denmark. Due to the geographical location of the area, Suðuroy needs to ensure its own production of electricity for its 4 600 inhabitants. The island has so far been successful in producing energy form renewable sources and has high ambitions to continue its successful endeavour by becoming a green energy island by 2030. Such commitment exemplifies civil preparedness in energy supply for remote areas in the Nordics (Picture 27). 

The first hydropower of Faroe Islands was built Vágur, on the island of Suðuroy in 1921 (Picture 28). The power plant is still in operation. Currently, the national utility Power Company SEV (Streymoy, Eysturoy and Vágar) is responsible with supplying the whole of Faroe Islands with electricity. The company is an inter-municipal community, owned by the municipalities of Faroe Islands. Most of the profit from the sales of energy are reinvested into the development of future electricity supply systems. SEV announced in 2014 that they wanted to reach 100% of renewable electricity production by 2030 and has been working towards the goal ever since. 

Suðuroy is well underway with supplying itself with green energy. In 2023, 56% of its power consumption came from renewable sources. The year marked a significant upsurge in solar power, hydropower and wind energy, while thermal power usage was decreasing. A decline of 21% in thermal energy utilization was recorded in 2023, compared to the previous year. 

A reliable green energy supply requires a functional storage system (battery). Construction of a 6.3 MW windfarm with a battery system started in 2020. The system is designed to store intermittent wind energy for up to 30 minutes and convert it into stable power for residents. In 2023, wind energy saw a significant increase of 74% compared to previous years, despite the same amount of windmills on the island. The improved results can be attributed to the battery, which enhances production efficiency. 

In 2019, the SEV company launched a solar plant on a trial basis, yielding promising results. Moreover, new projects are being planned to expand the arsenal of green electricity production tools in the near future:

• offshore wind power
• tidal energy
• battery
• pumped storage
• other

To carry out these plans, SEV collaborates with Minesto, a Swedish marine energy company. 

For Suðuroy, production of non-fossil energy is a priority not only for environmental matters, but also for economic incentives. It reduces the imports of fuel and contributes to a sustainable future. 

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 _{Contact information   The Power Company SEV:  sev@sev.fo}  

 _{Sources and further reading    https://hybridpowersystems.org/2023/faroe-islands/      https://trap.fo/en/society-and-business/energiforsyning-pa-faeroerne/      https://pub.nordregio.org/r-2023-2-service-provision-and-access-to-services     https://www.sev.fo/english/news/in-the-initial-half-of-2023-56-of-suduroys     https://www.sev.fo/}   

In 2009, the Faroese Association of Outer Islands expressed their desire to place greater emphasis on the green transition and sustainable growth. The civil preparedness initiative to find climate-friendly solutions have since been successfully transforming the Faroe Islands into a sustainable community, engaging various sectors of society. Eight of the 18 Faroe Islands are actively partaking in the Association to advance the green transition (Picture 29). 

The Association has been actively working in the field and has now reached several achievements as well as prospects for future undertaking:

• Firstly, green energy transition projects and initiatives have been developed at an increasing pace. For example, in Nólsoy and Koltur wind energy projects by building wind turbines have begun. On Stóra Dímun, all the energy already comes from renewable sources, such as heat pump, solar- and wind energy. These measures are being implemented by SEV, a Faroese power company and Ørsted A/S (previously DONG), a Danish energy company. 
• Furthermore, sustainable transportation has likewise been developing on the islands. The infrastructure to accommodate charging electric vehicles have been expanding. The Ministry of Labour, Infrastructure, and Transport has also announced a hybrid ferry, which will be able to sail 1-1,5 hours on electricity. Since the ferry is planned to sail shorter distances, where travel times are below an hour, it is expected to be run fully on renewable energy. Electric busses are also expected to become widespread on the islands with Sandoy as a test ground to carry out the pilot project. 
• Finally, an initiative promoting sustainable tourism was developed in 2009. The project integrated boat trips with peat cutting while also promoting benefits of green energy. Various plans for organic farming and eco-tourism are also in place. Promoting an overarching green profile for the Faroe Islands is a top priority to prepare the population for a fossil fuel-free daily life.

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 _{Contact information   Faroese Association of the Outer Islands: utoyggj@gmail.com} 

 _{Sources and further reading    https://www.nordicenergy.org/article/what-is-the-faroe-islands     http://www.globalislands.net/greenislands/docs/faroes_Greening     https://nordregioprojects.org/blog/2019/12/04/greening-faroese-outer-islands/      https://nordregioprojects.org/blog/2019/12/03/greening-the-transportation     https://archive.nordregio.se/Global/SIN/TSI}  

In 2023, Greenland and Denmark introduced a new crisis (civil) and military preparedness education program in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the growing need for emergency response training in the region. Given the vast distances and unique job characteristics, particularly for those working on water, this knowledge is essential for the people of Greenland. Young people living in Greenland will be able to pursue an education program, which combines knowledge from crisis management and military training. Nevertheless, the program will have a significantly higher focus on the civilian dimension, due to the Greenlandic strategy of demilitarization. The training takes place in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. 

Youth in Greenland between the ages of 18 and 25 who want to learn how to rescue animals and people in need or be prepared for natural crises can sign up for the Arctic Basic Training Program.

The program provides basic knowledge and competencies such as:

• weapons training
• fire drills
• arctic first aid
• rescue from natural disasters
• conflict management

The education is organized through collaboration between the Government of Greenland and the Armed Forces at the Arctic Command with relevant inputs from emergency response services in Greenland and the Greenlandic Police. The program will host 12-20 young people each year, who will study for six months. There will be an option for an additional voluntary six-month extension, allowing participants to apply their theoretical knowledge in practical civil or military contexts. 

In addition to the emergency response training:

• the students will be able to complement their education with courses in the Danish and English languages, maths, and physics
• they will also receive a monthly salary of almost 9.000 DKK, a rent-free living space, food, free travels and clothing.
• the program will include study trips to Sisimiut and Denmark

The program does not function as a substitute for the already existing mandatory military service in Denmark. The Greenlandic youth will be able to choose whether they want to join the Arctic Basic Training Program or participate in the ordinary Defence Day (Forsvarets Dag) in Denmark to learn more about the military service.

After the completion of the program, the graduates will be able to continue their education in:

• the Greenlandic police
• emergency preparedness services
• the Danish Armed Forces

The Arctic Basic Training Program provides access to the same programs in the Armed Forces as the ordinary Danish basic military service in the Army, the Air Force or the Navy. 

The initiative was allocated 50 million DKK for the year 2023 and beyond. The Arctic Basic Training Program is a crucial step in preparing and strengthening Greenlandic society to withstand natural disasters and everyday crises.

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 _{Contact information   Armed Forces of Denmark (Arctic preparedness program): fko-a-pao@mil.dk} 

 _{Sources and further reading    https://knr.gl/da/nyheder/ny-aftale     https://knr.gl/da/nyheder/historisk     https://knr.gl/da/nyheder/endelig-enige-danmark     https://www.forsvaret.dk/da/nyheder/2023/     https://karriere.forsvaret.dk/uddannelse/interne-uddannelser/}  

In 2017, a large landslide in Karrat fjord took the Western Greenlandic area by surprise. The landslide resulted in a tsunami which had serious consequences for the surrounding villages. In Nuugaatsiaq, the tsunami claimed the lives of four residents. After the incident, new efforts took place in creating a geological crisis preparedness system, which would monitor landslides and inform residents of possible dangers and areas to avoid. 

Between 2018 and 2022, The National Geological Research of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), in cooperation with experts from Norway and Switzerland, have made numerous investigations and studies about unstable areas and landslides in Greenland. The studies concluded that there are two high-risk areas, where landslide can happen and provoke another tsunami. Both areas are situated within the Uummannaq fjord system. In addition to Uummannaq town, two other villages in the vicinity are also at risk. There are also other areas in Greenland where landslides can potentially happen. Therefore, constant observations of landscape changes with satellite imagery are crucial. 

Currently, the Geology Department in the Ministry of Industry, Trade, Raw Materials, Justice and Gender Equality of the Government of Greenland are responsible for preliminary studies and monitoring of unstable landslide areas. Their main areas of observation are the beforementioned Umiammakku Nunaat and Kigarsima in Kangerluarsuk (Picture 31). 

Geologists are monitoring the zones every day. On the first Wednesday of every month, an updated assessment is published on the Government’s website, indicating any changes in risk evaluation. If there are sudden and dangerous changes that might have serious consequences for inhabited areas, the assessments are published more often than once a month. If the landslides reach a critical level, the geologists take immediate contact with crisis management and emergency services. Finally, due to high risks of tsunamis in the Uummannaq fjord system, on the website of Avannaata municipality, there is a list of several towns, where residents can inform themselves of procedures and safe areas where to gather in case of an emergency. 

Besides that, people all around Greenland are encouraged to take notice of any local changes in landscape. Since it is crucial to monitor all coastlines of Greenland, there is a form, which can be filled out by anyone. In such a way, geologists can be informed well in advance about sudden changes and begin monitoring new areas (Pictures 32, 33 and 34). 

Perhaps the most significant challenge surrounding the Greenlandic landslides is the alert system. The researchers believe it is either extremely difficult or even impossible to have an alert system in Greenland, which would inform nearby residents about upcoming landslides or tsunamis. This is because it is impossible to install a system, used elsewhere as these would be easily damaged or destroyed by icebergs or sea ice. Furthermore, it would be difficult to ensure power for all systems in the months of polar nights, as the sun does not rise above the horizon. Lastly, experiences from abroad show that it is in general problematic to have a safe alert system for landslides even with millions in budget. Nevertheless, since currently used systems cannot be used in Greenland, GEUS recommended to conduct research about development of innovative solutions, where tsunami alerts could be registered through seismic measurement stations. 

The experiences of Greenland show that tsunamis, provoked by landslides can have serious consequences for nearby residents. While a safe alert system does not exist yet, geologists are actively monitoring high risk areas for any changes and inform responsible services when needed. Until an automated system is developed, this seems to be the best solution. 

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 _{Contact information   Government of Greenland:  mlsa@nanoq.gl    Nina Skaarup, State geologist, Geophysics and Sedimentary Basins:  nsk@geus.dk    Marie Keiding, Special consultant, Geophysics and Sedimentary Basins: mke@geus.dk} 

 _{Sources and further reading    https://govmin.gl/da/fjeldskred/aktuel-vurdering/      https://govmin.gl/da/2024/06/situationsvurdering-fra-onsdag-den-5-juni-2024/      https://govmin.gl/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/     https://www.geus.dk/natur-og-klima/fjeldskred-og-landskred/fjeldskredsprojektet      https://www.geus.dk/natur-og-klima/fjeldskred-og-landskred      https://www.ft.dk/samling/20222/almdel/gru/bilag/24/2670541.pdf      https://govmin.gl/da/fjeldskred/#app-portal      https://www.geus.dk/om-geus/nyheder/nyhedsarkiv/2023/mar/fjeldskred      https://govmin.gl/da/2024/07/nye-fjeldskredsscenarier/      https://govmin.gl/da/overvaagede-omraader/      https://avannaata.gl/tsunami?sc_lang=da}   

Greenland developed an ambitious goal to become a significant actor in reduction of CO2 emissions. The Government’s goal is to develop a mineral resource area, which will attract investments, create jobs and contribute significantly to Greenland’s economy. The Carbon Capture and Storage System (CCS) is expected to play a key role in reducing the CO2 footprint and attracting investments for future sustainable endeavours. The framework for how this will be accomplished between the years of 2023 and 2028 is set out in the CCS Strategy, approved in 2023 by the Government of Greenland and led by the Department of Natural Resources and Justice. 

CCS is a process where CO2 emissions are captured and stored in safehouses deep underground, so that it does not reach the atmosphere. In principle, CCS can work besides a factory and industrial production areas, where the fossil fuel emissions would be captured and compressed. Afterwards the substances would be transported to designated locations and buried underground through CO2 injection wells for storage.

The conventional reservoirs to store CO2 are made from limestone and sandstone. There also needs to be an appropriate amount of holes and permeability for air and water to be able to move around freely. Therefore, geographically specific research is needed in Greenland to successfully carry out the plans for CCS. 

The whole process will include three phases. Each phase will be evaluated and verified before moving up to the next phase (Picture 35).

The strategy outlines Greenland’s plans to create a long-term strategy that will prepare the country for the reduction of CO2 emissions, while having the potential to attract investments and develop the mining industry in a more sustainable way. The strategy seeks to minimise emissions and create new jobs in a highly industrialised country.

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 _{Sources and further reading    https://govmin.gl/publications/     https://www.sermitsiaq.ag/samfund/}  

Municipalities on the Åland islands together form fire and rescue authority Räddningsområde Ålands Landskommuner (RÅL). Since 2024, nine municipalities of Åland joined the restructured collaboration and Jomala municipality became the head of RÅL. The joint venture in crisis preparedness and management illustrates efforts to create a more prepared and structured form of fire and rescue service on the island. 

The main tasks of the RÅL authority are to respond to unforeseen events, plan, lead and supervise the fire and rescue services across the island’s municipalities. The authority is also tasked with ensuring safety and to handle situations that concern fire and protection of the local population, their property and the environment. Thanks to the RÅL collaboration, most tasks and responsibilities can be efficiently managed based on risk assessment levels, as fire and rescue services can be mobilized from across municipal borders (Picture 37). 

The newly restructured RÅL, which is set to be renamed to Rescue Area Åland in the near future, is staffed by a team of six people. The team will comprise of three people previously working at RÅL, and three staff members from the rescue service of Mariehman. With the transfer, the services were merged with the authority in Jomala. Nevertheless, all other fire brigades remain under their respective municipalities around Åland, while making themselves available for common operations. 

Such collaboration raises effectiveness and response capability of the fire and rescue services in Åland. 

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 _{Contact information   Jomala municipality:  info@jomala.ax}  

 _{Sources and further reading    https://www.jomala.ax/sites/default/files/attachments/     https://www.lumparland.ax/sites/default/files/attachments/protocol/     https://www.jomala.ax/bygga-och-bo/brand-och-raddning      https://alandsradio.ax/nyheter/nya-raddningsmyndigheten-kommer-igang-1-maj      https://alandsradio.ax/nyheter/nu-har-alla-godkant-gemensamma-raddningsmyndigheten      https://www.jomala.ax/sites/default/files/attachments/page/servicenivabeslut_2022.pdf}   

Åland has been recognized as the most self-sufficient among the largest Nordic islands. The island acknowledges that its independency from outside actors strongly supports its levels of crisis preparedness. Åland’s self-sufficiency stems from its capability to produce a large variety of food on the island due to large arable grounds. Åland is also capable of exporting such produce as potatoes, vegetables, corn and fish (Picture 38). 

Åland is characterized by an archipelago-like geography, which means that the island is not just surrounded by water but also holds numerous inland channels of water. Furthermore, because Åland is an island, it has a very typical weather for archipelagos, where winters are milder, summers cooler and autumns warmer. Such weather and geographical features describe the perfect conditions for long growing periods and great opportunities for blue industries. Åland is capable of utilizing these conditions, which allows the island to divide its food production into three spheres: fruits, livestock and vegetables. 

What contributes strongly to the Åland’s self-sufficiency is not only its capability to gather its own produce, but also its willingness to invest in the food industry, which is responsible for processing, packing and distributing the produced food. Åland has its own dairy farm, where milk, cheese and yogurt are produced. It also has its own slaughterhouse while fishing has always been a significant part of its self-sufficient capabilities. 

As mentioned above, Åland has the highest level of self-sufficiency in food out of all five most capable islands in the Nordic region. Åland’s self-sufficiency rate is 59%, while its coverage rate is 135%. In other words, the island is producing and exporting a large amount of food, while also producing diversified food types. In other words, should the island’s population require an even less diverse diet, it could, in principle, survive without any imports from the outside world. On the other hand, even though the island produces more than the inhabitants can consume, many of the stable foods are still indirectly dependent on imports. This is due to the importance of spare parts for machinery, materials of packaging, seeds, fertilizers and cattle food (Pictures 39 and 40). 

There are several reasons, opportunities and good practices that characterise Åland’s success in self-sufficiency:

• a good climate for growing produce and the blue food industry has a significant impact on the island’s independence.
• the island has also a well-developed food processing industry, which can be even further expanded with research and sustainable cooperation.
• due to close proximity between different actors on the island, synergies and networks are easily built and maintained. It has therefore several possibilities to establish cooperative frameworks in industries.
• if the island focuses more on the needs of local residents, it could further enhance its self-sufficiency. 

Åland accomplished a great deal in terms of crisis preparedness through building a self-sufficient society. Even though the island should not operate without various imports due to definitive shortage of materials, it has the ability, in principle, to have a sustainable and autonomous food sector that can cover the needs of the whole population. 

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 _{Sources and further reading    https://pub.norden.org/temanord2022-528/#       https://nordregio.org/self-sufficiency-of-food-production-in-the-nordic-islands/      https://www.norden.org/en/news/self-sufficiency-food-production-nordic-islands}    

When the Øresund Bridge finished construction in 2000, it was supposed to withstand storm surges with the risk probability ‘one each 10 000 year’. However, new climate evaluation models show that storm surges will appear more frequently and stronger than previously thought. To protect the only stable connection between Denmark and Sweden as well as the intensive rail traffic, a new and innovative storm surge protection system was constructed on the 16 km bridge. The new protective measures are now expected to withstand more aggressive storm surges and extreme weather conditions for at least 200 years (Picture 41). 

The storm surge project is aimed at protecting both Peberholm and the Kastrup peninsula by establishing protective barriers, walls near tunnel entrances and technical equipment for the railway system. A total of 60 million DKK is allocated for the whole project from 2019, up to 2025. 

One of the most significant protective complexes began development in 2022 and was completed in 2024. A 900 meter long protective embankment was constructed at the entrance of the Øresund Tunnel in Amager, Denmark (Picture 42). This sophisticated solution is designed to protect the railway passing through the tunnel. The system consists of a mobile barrier that can be quickly deployed on the tracks to prevent large gusts of water from spilling over the rails (Picture 43). The barrier was installed near Kastrup Airport in Amager, with a total cost of 7 million DKK out of a 60 million DKK budget. A significant portion of the resources was dedicated to the development of the system itself. On one hand, it was crucial to uphold railway safety requirements; on the other, technical innovations were necessary to ensure a secure and watertight connection between the barrier and the track (Picture 44). Now, when there is a risk of water spilling over the tracks, the Øresund Bridge can activate the barrier to rise and withstand the storm. 

The project is owned by the Danish owner of Øresund Bridge, A/S Øresund. However, the project was headed and financed by the Øresund Bridge Consortium in collaboration with Danish and Swedish partners: HedeDanmark, Aarsleff Rail A/S, Sweco and Stormflodssikring ApS. 

Even though the mobile protective system was specifically designed for the Øresund Bridge, it can be replicated for use in other areas. This innovative cross-border collaboration sets a strong example of how stakeholders from neighboring countries can work together to develop resilient solutions to common crises. By safeguarding the Øresund Bridge, both Sweden and Denmark demonstrate their commitment to advancing preparedness for weather-induced crises. 

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 _{Sources and further reading    https://news.cision.com/se/oresundsbro-konsortiet/     https://jarnvagar.nu/oresundsbron-far-mobilt-skydd-mot-stormflod/      https://www.oresundsbron.com/sv/news/     https://www.klimatilpasning.dk/cases-overview     https://via.ritzau.dk/pressemeddelelse/13856234/ny-stormflodssikring     https://infrastrukturnyheter.se/20240522/30010/     https://www.jarnvagsnyheter.se/20240522/16229/}  

In the event of an accident in the Nordic regions, the nearest emergency service might be located just across the border in a neighbouring country. This highlights the importance of responding effectively and swiftly, transcending national borders to ensure timely assistance. Such conditions prompted for a robust cross-border cooperation agreement. Therefore, in 1989, Nordred was established to serve as an overall regulatory framework for Nordic cooperation in civil protection. The agreement between Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland has the objective to enable cross-border rescue services, ensuring a quick response of emergency services regardless of national borders (Picture 45). 

The Nordred Framework Agreement is the basis for the Nordred cooperation:

• it addresses legal, structural and organizational factors and supplements existing bilateral agreements between the participating countries.
• it requires the Nordic countries to improve national laws and regulations to remove any obstacles for cross-border cooperation in civil protection.
• it obliges all of the member countries to commit and provide support each other in an emergency.

The practical implementation of the Agreement at regional and local levels is done through the three Border Rescue Councils between Sweden and Norway, as well as through bilateral cross-border agreements between the other countries.

The Nordred Framework Agreement is coordinated by the Nordred Group, which acts as a steering body for addressing Nordred cooperation matters at the national level. The Nordred Group consists of representatives from the national government agencies which are tasked to administer their respective rescue services. Every three years, the member states take turns heading the Nordred Group. One of the main responsibilities of the Nordred Group is to organise conferences and regular meetings, where actors can discuss strategies, exchange knowledge and assess preparedness to crises. The conferences and meetings are also used to review and update the Agreement when needed. 

The Nordred Framework Agreement is a good example of how cross-border cooperation can be elevated to enhance national civil protection capabilities. The Agreement allows the Nordic countries to support each other in extraordinary situations and ensure a prepared and resilient region. 

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 _{Contact information   Nordred:  fredrik.walter-bivall@msb.se}  

 _{Sources and further reading    https://rib.msb.se/Filer/pdf/28799.pdf       https://rib.msb.se/filer/pdf/28840.pdf       https://www.msb.se/en/about-msb/international-co-operation/}  

Cross-border cooperation is a key solution to achieve the vision of the Nordics as the world's most integrated and sustainable region. The Nordic Council of Ministers are therefore continuously funding 12 cross-border committees throughout the Nordic Region. Some of these committees have begun their activities in the 1960s, while others are relatively new. The committees' key priorities are to promote growth and development in the border regions, fostering a more integrated area that can attract and retain residents to support ongoing progress (Picture 46). 

One of these cross-border committees is the Fellesrådet Trøndelag and Jämtland Härjedalen. It is a non-profit organization operating on the Swedish-Norwegian border. The committee was formally established in 2023. It builds on longstanding cooperation and history between the people living in the Norwegian-Swedish border regions. The formalisation of the cooperation in a committee with politically appointed representatives from both countries provides a strong foundation to develop a more resilient region. The Fellesrådet does not have any permanent employees as such. However, the activities of the committee are anchored in the public ideals and a team of local civil servants, called Fellesteamet (The Joint Team), contributes to various activities. 

The work towards establishing Fellesrådet Trøndelag and Jämtland Härjedalen began in 2020, when regional and municipal actors came together. Jämtland County and Trøndelag County had a jointly owned development company Naboer AB that has been working with cross-border development efforts for several decades. It played a crucial part in the establishment of the Fellesrådet. The company is now fully owned by the committee. Naboer AB is expected to become a full subsidiary and assist Fellesrådet Trøndelag and Jämtland Härjedale in implementing the committee’s visions and activities. 

Infrastructure development, food security, in terms of sustainable and reliable food supply, as well as the green transition are among the current focus areas of the committee. The cooperation also draws links to Sweden’s recent accession to NATO. Due to the enlargement of the Alliance, the deep sea harbour in Trondheim, which is also one of NATO's hubs, became important. Because of this, cooperation became even more significant, since a new defence and security dimension is brought to the border regions. New opportunities can arise, for example in terms of transport infrastructure development projects. A meeting was recently held to discuss preparedness and security on the Swedish-Norwegian border region, which was also attended by Ministers of Defence from both countries. 

The Nordic cross-border committees show how the Nordic region is committed to continuous integration. The example of Fellesrådet Trøndelag and Jämtland Härjedalen is a success story of two border regions, that have identified common issues that can be addressed better by working across borders. 

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 _{Contact information   Greater Copenhagen and Skåne Committee:  info@greatercph.com    The Nordic Archipelago Committee:  info@skargardssamarbetet.org    Svinesund Committee:  info@svinesundskommitten.com    ARKO Border Region:  kontakt@arkoregionen.no    The Kvarken Council:  info@kvarken.org    Bothnian Arc, Chair:  Mirja.Vehkaperä@ouka.fi    MidtSkandia:  hans-peter.carlson@storuman.se  and  allan@ru.no    Torne River Valley Council:  tuula.ajanki@haparanda.se    Jämtland Härjedalen and Tröndelag Council:  info@fellesradet.com}  

 _{Sources and further reading    https://www.norden.org/en/information/contact-details-border-committees      https://norden.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1880013/FULLTEXT01.pdf       https://www.jamtlandstidning.se/ostersund/nordiskt-samarbete     https://www.jamtlandstidning.se/fellesradet-foreningen-norden-infrastruktur/     https://fellesradet.org/       https://www.northsweden.eu/nyheter/2023/nystart-foer-samarbete     https://www.jamtlandstidning.se/ostersund/stort-gransmote}