Invitation to Tender: Social Acceptability as a Prerequisite for Green Transition

We must transition to green and climate-neutral economies to meet our climate, environmental and social goals. The transition will call for fundamental changes to energy systems, industrial processes, transport and patterns of consumption. However, the introduction of certain instruments and measures to limit environmental and climate impact is often met by resistance at both local and national levels, for example, wind farms or general rises in taxes on fuel. If the level of social acceptability is low, or is expected to be so, it can delay or hinder attempts to introduce policies that facilitate new green energy systems or internalise the social costs of carbon dioxide. The ability to meet climate and environment policy goals in both the short and long term depends on social acceptability and what the public considers fair. Understanding the social acceptability of goals, instruments and measures is crucial for designing and evaluating their potential effects and feasibility and makes it possible to identify strategies that combine stricter climate and environmental instruments with, for example, communication, redistributive and educational initiatives.

We welcome applications for projects that aim to deepen understanding of the role of social acceptability in facilitating the green transition in the Nordic Region and help identify effective strategies to make transitional measures more acceptable at both local and national levels. The focus will be on onshore and offshore wind farms (local level) and fuel prices, including policy instruments that lead indirectly to higher fuel bills (national level). Lessons learnt from the Nordic Council of Ministers' ongoing vision project Not Just a Green Transition (NJUST) – Examining the path towards a socially just green transition in the Nordic Region must be integrated into the project, expanded upon and broadened to cover issues such a building new wind farms and rising fuel prices. NJUST focuses on the consequences of the green transition on potentially vulnerable social groups. 

We want the project to look at:

• Definitions, theories and options for evaluation
  • How is social acceptability defined? 
  • What factors explain the degree of social acceptability for wind farms and higher fuel prices? 
  • What options exist for evaluating social acceptability?
• Social acceptability at local level: wind power
  • How does social acceptability differ within and between the Nordic countries?
  • What strategies/policies exist to improve the acceptability of new local wind farms?
• Social acceptability at national level: fuel prices
  • How does social acceptability differ within and between the Nordic countries? Can changes be observed over time?
  • What strategies/policies do the Nordic countries have to increase the acceptability of higher fuel prices?
• Synthesis, policy packages and lessons learnt
  • How can policies and measures be combined to create an overall strategy that addresses various aspects of social acceptability? 
  • What Nordic examples and experiences can be used to design scalable and effective initiatives to improve social acceptability?
  • What experiences do Nordic countries have of including social acceptability in impact assessments for proposed policies and measures?

The budget for the project is DKK 440,000 (incl. VAT) to cover standard project expenses and any travel costs and expenses related to outreach work presenting the findings.

Tenders must be submitted to the NME and the NKL no later than 15:00 CET on 4 June 2024. All documents must be submitted by this deadline. Material received after this date will not be taken into consideration. A decision will be made in early June, and all applicants will be informed of it. The date for reporting will be set in the project contract.

Applications must be e-mailed to NME’s administrative body (registratur.sodraosterbotten@ntm-centralen.fi). The project description/application form and compulsory budget form must all be in one of the Nordic languages or English. Applications must cite the journal number EPOELY/976/2024.

Link to budget form:

Link to the invitation to tender:

Attach as separate files the appendices describing in greater detail the factors NME takes into consideration, e.g. an independent project description and CVs.

In assessing submissions, emphasis will be placed on:

• The project plan – presentation and planning of the work involved
• Methodology and how relevant data and information will be collected and processed
• Competencies, qualifications and allocation of responsibilities between those involved in the project
• Costs per person for the proposed project period, including hourly rates (and other expenses)
• Relevant testimonials
• The Nordic contacts and networks that will be used in the project plus details of proficiency in the Nordic languages
• A timetable
• Plans to communicate the project findings. 

As per the Nordic Council of Ministers’ funding scheme, the project must be of benefit to the Nordic Region and include at least three of Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland.

Link to further information about funding from the Nordic Council of Ministers:

NME and NKL will assess the applications and choose the successful one. However, the working group reserves the right to reject all applications.

For further information about project content and funding requirements, please refer to the appendices: