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Juni, 2012

Sustainably sustainable - the Nordic Way

The Nordic model – Nordic capitalism that I prefer to call it – has proved that high living standards and well-being can be combined with clever and responsible environmental and resource policies. I am proud of this, but still, a lot more needs to be done.

Alexander Stubb
Fotograf
Magnus Fröderberg/norden.org

As a young student in his twenties, in 1987, I was having the time of my life doing some half-serious studies, having my fair share of student parties, and playing golf and hockey. I would be outright lying in saying that questions related to sustainability topped my agenda at the time.

Well luckily the former Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland obviously was in a bit more serious mood thinking that fine, let us all enjoy the good things in life, but let us do so in a sustainable way so that also our kids and their kids can do the same.

This simple but powerful logic was explicitely first expressed in the report Our Common Future, produced by the so called Brundtland Commisson, and it still, after 25 years, outlines the key definition of sustainable development: to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

My actions today will impact your choices tomorrow, and your choices tomorrow will impact somebody else’s possibilities the day after tomorrow.

Today, having again the time of my life as a minister in the Finnish cabinet, I would be outright lying in saying that questions related to sustainability are not topping my agenda.

I have joined the club of ”brundtlanders”, believing firmly that there is only one path to take if we want to guarantee our well-being in the future. We must strive towards sustainability, working consistently to incorporate the social, economical and environmental aspects of sustainable development into all our decisions and actions.

Looking at the many international ratings and comparisons, the Nordic countries have a rather good track record in terms of sustainability.

The Nordic model – Nordic capitalism that I prefer to call it – has proved that high living standards and well-being can be combined with clever and responsible environmental and resource policies. I am proud of this, but still, a lot more needs to be done.

With this in mind, the Nordic prime ministers have launched a series of joint initiatives under the header Green Growth.

The fundamental idea is that green solutions shall provide us with competitive advantages and a sustainable base for our economies, the spectre of initiatives ranging from green public procurement and green standards to green test centres and green R&D.

I could not agree more with the prime ministers: the color of tomorrow’s success is green, and as the minister in charge of both Nordic cooperation and foreign trade it is my duty and pleasure to bring this agenda forward – locally, regionally, and globally. 

I would be outright lying in saying that I am not enjoying this task.

Alexander Stubb, Minister for Nordic Cooperation, Finland

PS. to have a closer look at our Nordic actions on sustainable development, check the following brand new publication:

Sustainable Development in Practice - Examples from the Nordic countries

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“Green Growth - the Nordic Way”: New magazine. How do the Nordic countries tackle green growth? http://t.co/Qcsr579niI #greengrowth @IISDRS 29.04.2013 - 16:47 #Nordic #Labour Journal: Conflicting views on social dumping in the Nordic countries. http://t.co/ifMISou5q0 18.04.2013 - 14:15 RT @nordensk: 4 million DKK to #nordic #greengrowth initiative. #recykling #nordicwastegroup #waste http://t.co/XzpQPbX8tI 27.03.2013 - 17:56