Nordic Talks: Meet the new podcast host

For almost three years, the Nordic Talks podcast has brought together some of the brightest and most daring people in their fields. With the aspiration to talk about and find solutions to some of the biggest challenges we face on planet earth, the podcast has over 50 episodes touching upon topics ranging from climate change to digitalisation, and from mental health to equal rights.

- As a journalist, my ambition has been to shed light on solutions to some of the world’s gravest challenges. So, I’m thrilled to take over as host of a podcast that doesn’t just bring fresh perspectives on how to make the world greener, better, and more sustainable but also actionable insights on what you and I can do to help drive positive change, Josefine Volqvartz says. She is taking over the role as host from Afton Halloran.

Josefine’s career started in London, as a journalist at the two British newspapers, The Guardian and CNN. In 2005, she helped to found and conceptualize the widely acclaimed news channel Al Jazeera English, where she later worked as a reporter and producer. After a stint in both the Middle East and South Africa, Josefine returned to the Nordics. She is now based in Copenhagen, where she works with constructive storytelling at the communications bureau LEAD Agency.

Now she can also add podcast host to her resume. In her first podcast episode, launching on the 12th of April, three climate and gender activists from Tanzania, Denmark, and Italy will take a closer look at the “loss and damage fund” agreed upon at the latest UN climate conference, COP27. What will it take to make it operational? How can countries ensure that the money needed for the fund is raised, and what role can we all play in making it happen?

- In a world where echo chambers increasingly dominate the news it is a great pleasure to offer fresh, nuanced insights from passionate activists, knowledgeable experts, and driven decision makers using their voice to inspire action for good”, she says.

While counting down to April 12th, you can listen to the two newly released special seasons on Ukraine and COP27. In three episodes we give the microphone to Ukrainian and Russian women, all based in the Nordics, to hear their personal stories about how this last year has been for them. The special season wants to see whether there is still hope of dialogue and trust between people, now or in the future, or if Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has destroyed any hope of dialogue between Ukrainians and Russians.  

In the COP27-special season, you can hear 6 episodes produced live at the Nordic Pavilion in Sharm el-Sheikh, in November. The episodes cover, amongst others, the topics of regenerative cities, indigenous societies, and purposeful finance and feature the Norwegian Minister for Climate and the Environment, Espen Barth Eide, Global Director of Sustainable Development at Arup, Jo da Silva, CEO of PKA Pension, Jon Johnsen, special consultant with the Government of Greenland Naalakkersuisut, Avijâja Jepsen, and professor Markku Ollikainen.

The Nordic Talks podcast is based on a series of live-talk events, held, and recorded all over the world. The concept was launched by the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2020 under the slogan “Act to inspire – Inspire to act”.

So far, roughly 500 thinkers, opinionmakers, and entrepreneurs have participated in more than 150 live talks in over 50 countries, resulting in 50 podcasts.

The conversations in the live-talk events centre around the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN, and through conversations with Nordic and international voices, the mission has been to inspire everyone to act for a better and more sustainable future. All speakers come with their own ‘action point’ on what the audience can do to act on what they just heard, in their day-to-day lives.