The Northern Dimension Future Forums in Brussels 2018

Video from the Northern Dimension Future Forums in Brussels 2018

Nothern from Yellow Screen Production on Vimeo.

The Northern Dimension Institute (NDI) organized four Northern Dimension Future Forums in November 2018. The second and the third ND Future Forum were held back-to-back in Brussels, where the video above was shot.

The Northern Dimension Future Forum on Environment: Black carbon and climate change in the European Arctic was held on 19 November. The event gathered researchers, top experts, decision-makers and NGOs to discuss the future challenges as well as solutions available to avert the black carbon impacts of future climate change. The ND Future Forum on Transport: Emerging trade routes between Europe and Asia – Impacts of China’s Belt and Road Initiative on Northern Europe was held on 20 November. The event gathered over 60 participants, researchers, decision-makers and leading transport companies to discuss the future developments in land and Arctic maritime connections between Europe and Asia.

The events were organized by the Northern Dimension Institute together with the Northern Dimension Partnerships and financed by the European Commission/DG NEAR and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

Examples of projects conducted by the NDI

Trends and challenges in cultural and creative industry policy development within the Northern Dimension area

Cultural and creative industries (CCI) are developing and growing rapidly throughout the Northern Dimension area. In many of the ND countries the CCIs have been growing faster than any other sector of the economy during the past few years. Nevertheless, the ND countries comprise a very heterogeneous region in terms of CCIs. This heterogeneity stems largely from the fact that the countries are at different stages of development considering the CCIs. Depending on the stage of development, there are considerable differences in how the CCIs are viewed ranging from traditional arts and culture to a focus on creative economy. Similarly, there are differences in which sub-sectors are included under the CCIs. Furthermore, the CCIs are only beginning to have a national policy status throughout the region, and the focus and real actions taken to develop the sector are varied.

Recognizing this heterogeneity, the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture commissioned the Northern Dimension Institute/Aalto Univeristy School of Business CEMAT to analyze the CCI policies and best practices within the Northern Dimension area. The aim of this analysis was to facilitate the NDPC in designing its future strategy and focus areas to foster the CCI development throughout the Northern Dimension area.

The project report gives a brief summarizing overview of the status of CCIs in the ND area and discusses the general trends and characteristics of policy development affecting CCIs. In addition, the report presents examples of responses to certain challenges in CCI policy development as well as examples of innovative CCI policies and support mechanisms in each ND country. Finally, the report concludes with a discussion about the role and potential focus areas of the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture in its future activities.

Energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions in Kaliningrad Oblast

The project is funded by the Delegation of the European Union to the Russian Federation, Non-State Actors and Local Authorities Programme for the Baltic Sea Region (within the framework of priorities of the Northern Dimension). Project duration is 27 months and overall budget 450.000 EUR. Project was conducted 1 February 2012 – 31 January 2014. Lead Partner of the project was Baltic Development Forum (BDF) with the Northern Dimension Institute (NDI) holding a partner status by providing academic expertise in energy efficiency and renewable energy resources and participating in project coordination. Altogether seven partners were involved in the project: BDF, Lappeenranta University of Technology/Northern Dimension Institute, Finland, the Municipality of Oskarshamn, Sweden/Union of Baltic Cities Energy Commission, Kaliningrad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Russia, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Russia, Kaliningrad Environmental Centre for Administration and Technology, and the Nordic Council of Ministers Information Office in Kaliningrad. NDI’s main role in the project was to build awareness and knowledge through identification of energy efficient and renewable energy solutions in Finland, Sweden and Denmark and adapting them to Kaliningrad context.

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Healthier People: Management of Change through Monitoring and Action

The project was funded by the Delegation of the European Union to the Russian Federation, Non-State Actors and Local Authorities Programme for the Baltic Sea Region (within the framework of priorities of the Northern Dimension). Project duration was 24 months and overall budget 250.000 EUR. Project was conducted 1 February 2012 – 31 January 2014. Lead Partner of the project was Northern Dimension Institute/Lappeenranta University of Technology. Project partners were: Baltic Region Healthy Cities Association, NGO Development Centre, Tallinn University and University of Eastern Finland. Associated partners involved in the project include: Committee for Social Policy of Administration of St. Petersburg, Department for Demographic questions and gender policy, Medical Informatics and Analysis Centre of St Petersburg Public Health Committee, St Petersburg State University, The Federal Research Institute for Health Care Organization and Information.

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Guidebook to Financing Transport and Logistics Infrastructure projects within the Northern Dimension Area

Implementing Body: Northern Dimension Institute

Beneficiaries: NDPTL Partner countries

The Northern Dimension Institute conducted a study on the financing transport and logistics projects within the Northern Dimension area. The study was ordered by the Northern Dimension Partnership on Transport and Logistics (NDPTL). The project was financed from Kingdom of Norway grant contribution.

The main objective of the study was to identify financial instruments available within the Northern Dimension area for financing cross-border transport and logistics projects and to develop the guidelines for co-financing mechanism.

The study:
– Developed guidelines with the objective to enhance cross-border projects planning and improve implementation of transport infrastructure policies;
– Increased knowledge about fund raising.
The identified funding opportunities in the ND area and the guidelines developed through this study will assist the NDPTL partners to apply the financial instruments that pull together EU, national public and private funding.

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