Green transition in Norrland - New methods for sustainable development of local communities

The project aims to foster a deeper understanding of the future challenges and opportunities faced by areas affected by reindustrialization, utilizing future scenarios.

The objective is to develop a successful Proof of Concept (PoC) that can provide valuable insights and confirm the project idea´s potential. Conversely, a failed PoC might indicate that the idea needs further refinement or may not be viable.

Although a PoC doesn´t always result in immediate success, it plays a critical role in innovation processes by aiding decision-makers in making informed choices based on tangible outcomes.The purpose is further to develop an understanding of potential futures to better prepare for uncertainty and change, particularly in relation to the challenges faced by Norrland.

In collaboration with Region Norrbotten, Arctic Design Center, and the municipalities of Gällivare, Luleå, and Boden, the project will lead to the development of a sketch or prototype for a digital process system focused on sustainability criteria.

This effort aims to integrate and visualize complex future scenarios, thereby supporting a sustainable development path forward.

This project consists of three parts:Social and sustainability criteria integrated to understand how these factors influence and are influenced.Digital process support.Scenario Lab - Development of future scenarios to predict future challenges and opportunities.Conducting future scenarios is a process used to explore and understand potential futures and challenges that organizations, communities, or technologies may face.

This enables decision-makers to prepare for various possible futures, even those that may seem unlikely today.

Integrating social and sustainability aspects with the combination of digital process support and future scenarios is crucial for creating a more holistic and responsible vision for the future.

This combination becomes a powerful tool for improving decision-making and strategic planning.The pace of the green transition needs to be accelerated, and there is urgency if national and international climate goals are to be met on time. All eyes are on Norrland and the reindustrialization for green materials.

Large industrial establishments affect local communities and the places where new industries are planned. This, in turn, affects the communities working to preserve and develop their attractiveness. The issue of temporary housing that has begun to be built up is already evident.

Container homes at North Volt in Skellefteå are an example that exemplifies the housing shortage and becomes the face of the green transition when it comes to temporary living environments.

However, few are raising the issue around this and future living environments.Region Norrbotten sees great potential in visualizing and testing different methods and strategies to integrate social and environmental sustainability into the local context to achieve the ultimate goal of a sustainable green transition in its entirety.

In this way, more resource-efficient processes (time, economy, materials, decisions) will be created.

The overarching goal is to preserve and develop Norrland´s attractiveness and build sustainable and functional residential areas where people want to stay and live in harmony with reindustrialization.In the ideation stage highlighted by the project, we will develop a sketch or prototype of a digital process support in the form of a twin to integrate social aspects into various planning and decision-making processes to not lose these along the way, create completeness, and bridge gaps.

The development work will take place together with a broad spectrum of actors in the form of dialogue meetings and scenario labs.