Voices from Norra Scen: "We need state leadership"
With Norra Scen in Almedalen, Norrbotten gained an arena for meetings, dialogue and debate. Over a hundred voices were heard from the stage over three days: members of parliament, party leaders, EU parliamentarians, media executives, researchers, committed young people, a director general and others. decision maker from the public sector and the business community.
Together they contributed a rich flora of perspectives, knowledge and opinions about the challenges that are at their peak in Norrbotten, but are a concern for all of Sweden. Here is a selection of voices from some of the seminars at Norra Scen.
From left: Members of Parliament Mattias Karlsson (M) and Fredrik Lundh Sammeli, Lena Hadad, the Swedish Employment Service and the government's coordinator Peter Larsson.
– My clear conclusion from the assignment is that it is a toxic situation with the large establishments, that they risk perpetuating a poor housing situation. Business as usual will not work. The state could have stepped in and lifted the risk from the municipalities. We must find specific interventions that do not disrupt the general systems, said Peter Larsson, the government's coordinator for the green transition in northern Sweden.
– The municipalities have a responsibility to invest in future tax power, they have a responsibility to solve things themselves and cooperate with each other and with the companies that are affected. They should not worry about putting up a negative budget. Luleå municipality in particular is financially strong, they can handle it financially, said Mattias Karlsson, group leader for the Moderate Party in the Riksdag.
Want to hear more? Here is the seminar Migration flow north - from potential to reality - Develop Norrbotten
Maria Sunér, CEO of Svemin.
– In the wake of this development, it is thought that it is enough to compensate the Sami with money. But lost Sami livelihoods and culture cannot be compensated for with money. The boundaries have already been crossed. The investments will have major consequences for the Sami, said Håkan Jonsson, Chairman of the Board, Sami Parliament.
– What is most important? We have to ask ourselves that question in every single decision. It is about balancing all perspectives on sustainability. It will cost somewhere. Kiruna municipality is covered by national interests but we see no state commitment, they fold their arms and turn their backs. Not everyone even comes to the discussion table. It will not last because it slows down the whole development, said Johan Bergstad, Mayor of Kiruna.
– Mines take up new land and we must do so with as much consideration as possible. A mine becomes a hole in the ground, but we can make a net positive contribution to biodiversity. We need to work even more from the industry with restoring natural environments. The goal is always to find ways to coexist, but sometimes political decisions are needed. Our politicians have not understood the extent of the problems, said Maria Sunér, CEO of Svemin.
Want to hear more? Here is the seminar How do we make the green transition sustainable? - Develop Norrbotten
– I usually say that there is no young person who is not involved for a boring underlying reason. For me, it is basically having witnessed the process from the 90s with the depopulation of Norrbotten. Sandträsk where I grew up was a nice village with a close community, school, train station, village meetings – now it is a place where not even I can live. We long for the togetherness that the countryside offers. Don't look at it with nostalgic eyes but as an opportunity for the future, said Beatrice Bucht, board member of Unga på rydsgjen.
Want to hear more? Here is the seminar How do we design our future country? With a focus on the role of humans in the green transition in the north. - Develop Norrbotten
Märta Stenevi, spokesperson for the Green Party.
– The sad thing here is that there is a risk that we are wasting enormous opportunities in Sweden. That is what I am most worried about. We have a fantastic opportunity, but then it is important that the political system has the strength to deliver, but it requires leadership and a very clear direction so that all actors know where we are going, said Mikael Damberg, economic and political spokesperson, Social Democrats.
– I think the voices are becoming more and more consistent, especially from the Social Democrats, which is very important. A lot of good things are happening at the national level with these issues. We are possibly on the way to depoliticization. We will submit an energy policy bill this winter, said Daniel Liljeberg, State Secretary, Minister of Energy and Enterprise.
– We have had a number of lost years where the lock-ins in the municipalities for onshore wind power have become bigger and bigger and bigger. I think it is important that we get an incentive structure in place that the state guarantees, that is not based on individual agreements with companies. If you are going to see the benefits of energy production in a municipality, you also have to see what it can provide. Then it is not ice rinks but welfare that you can build, and then the construction must be long-term and guaranteed, said Märta Stenevi, spokesperson for the Green Party.
Want to hear more? Here is the seminar Climate, competitiveness and energy - how will the transition be effective for Sweden? - Develop Norrbotten
Carina Sammeli, municipal councilor (S), Luleå.
– We own our port and take responsibility for it and ensure that it becomes what customers need. However, it needs to be connected to something, rail and road in a larger capacity than today. The eight million tons that go today will become 30, that cargo will not stay on Svartön. It must be solved, otherwise we will have traffic congestion in Luleå. These are too big projects and they are too important for Sverige AB for us to let a small municipality like Luleå solve it. We would need state leadership in ensuring that the entire transition is possible, said Carina Sammeli, municipal councilor (S) in Luleå.
Want to hear more? Here is the seminar The Port of Luleå - a fundamental building block in the green transition - Develop Norrbotten
– People come to us for a different kind of lifestyle. It's a different kind of export, we're not only at the forefront of technology but also in our approach to nature. We can boil it down to the core: what they take home is the lifestyle. Here you are also seen and treated in a way you wouldn't be in all other places, said Annika Fredriksson, CEO of the Swedish Lapland Visitors Board.
Want to hear more? Here is the seminar The place's visitors - a raw material and resource that drives innovation and social development? - Develop Norrbotten
Anders Öberg, regional councilor (S).
– We Swedes are reluctant to move to new places and we have no compelling incentives, but there are cities that do it well and they are big cities. Then Sverker Sörlin says that they are escalator cities. You start up, get tired, jump on the next escalator quite easily and that builds attractive cities. The space industry is an important escalator because we need to broaden our business sector. We have the mining industry and the tourism industry, but we also have space, said Madelein Keskitalo, Growth Manager, Kiruna Municipality.
– Space has meant a lot and that is why we are putting some resources into it in various projects. We really need to make use of the position we now have, based on the diversification of our business sector. The students who are coming are also a fantastic opportunity, said Anders Öberg, regional councilor (S), Norrbotten Region.
Want to hear more? Here is the seminar Europe's gateway to space - how can the space cluster in Norrbotten strengthen the region? - Develop Norrbotten
Wille Dahl, youth consultant, Boden Municipality. On the left, Ilayda Tatli, chairwoman of the Dorotea Youth Council.
– If you move like I do from Borås, you are used to it being so easy to get around, you don't even think about how important it is. If we are going to get more people, we need to think about local, regional, national and international traffic, so that you can get in and out, said Anna Hynynen, exploration geologist at LKAB.
– The toughest thing is that our municipality does not have an upper secondary school. That is why everyone at the age of 15 has been forced to move or commute. Commuting means a two-hour bus journey a day, five days a week, for three years in a row. It is not sustainable. In the long run, it becomes a democratic problem because there is no time for anything else. Adult society does not get to share in the ideas and creativity of young people, said Ilayda Tatli, chairwoman of the Dorotea Youth Council.
– We need to have more young people involved in politics because that's where we can make a difference, otherwise we will come up with things that we think are great, but that absolutely don't attract young people, said Ulrika Hammarström (S), municipal councilor Pajala.
– It takes brave decision-makers, not just politicians but farm staff, everyone who makes any kind of decision - that they let go of power and are brave enough to co-create. I see the importance of young people's participation in a sensitive time of transition, said Wille Dahl, Youth Consultant, Boden Municipality.
Want to hear more? Here is the seminar A rural area where young people want to live, reside and have an active role in social development - Develop Norrbotten
– It is clear from the government that they want to speed up the Bothnian Corridor. There is a separate assignment for the Swedish Transport Administration to review how to speed up investments in infrastructure in northern Sweden. That is a pretty clear signal, said Maria Stockhaus, Member of Parliament and traffic policy spokesperson for the Moderate Party.
Want to hear more? Here is the seminar Infrastructure planning - what is needed for Sweden and the EU to keep pace? - Develop Norrbotten
Kerstin Nordensson, Director of Adult Education in Sundsvall.
– We were offered a bus driver training course, something that there is a great need for in Sundsvall. We received three applicants and cancelled. The employers were very worried. Then we decided together that the employers would offer, after completing the training with passing grades, a permanent position. We received a hundred applicants for VUX, enough applicants for the labor market training. We got three groups through. This strong voice from the employer, that is what we need to get in, said Kerstin Nordensson, Director of Adult Education in Sundsvall.
Want to hear more? Here is the seminar Bottleneck in the labor market - Develop Norrbotten
Facts: Northern Stage
Norra Scen – arena for green transition is a joint initiative from Region Norrbotten, LKAB and Luleå University of Technology (LTU). The aim is to build a meeting place where knowledge is deepened, conversations are held and networks are built.
In addition to the seminars mentioned above, there are five more to watch afterwards. You can find them all here: Recorded seminars at Norra Scen 2023 - Develop Norrbotten
Compiled by: Sara Stylbäck Vesa
Photos: Vladimir Hartvig