Photo: jonathanfilskov-photography
🗓️: December 4th, 2024, 09:00-14:00
📍: NH Carrefour de L’Europe, Rue Marche aux Herbes 110, Brussels
Norway’s vast coastlines hold untapped potential for sustainable energy and economic growth, but how will local communities benefit? With the recent launch of the EU-Norway Green Alliance, there is a renewed focus on utilizing Norway’s natural resources to advance the green transition.
As a nation with the second longest coastline in the world, Norway is well positioned to lead the way in sustainable ocean development and has the largest potential offshore wind power in Europe. However, utilisation of natural resources is lacking behind other EU countries, despite the technological advantage from decades of offshore energy developments. A new EU-Norway Green Alliance will see greater collaboration around energy, industry and climate change, and specifically targets harvesting ocean wind.
Social acceptance of the green transition and renewable energy depends on whether the projects have national and local benefits such as domestic energy supplies, use of domestic technology and economic advantages through local value chains. Does foreign ownership play a role in local value chain development and benefit small communities? Could the Green Alliance help or hinder coastal communities to develop sustainably within the green transition?
One key industry for both Norway and many other European countries is the aquaculture sector. Norway is the largest exporter of fish and aquaculture products to the EU and seven of the largest markets for Norwegian seafood are EU nations. However, increasing alternative activities along coastlines could dampen further opportunities for growth. The role of governance and diplomacy for managing coastlines is unclear but ocean governance is a growing concern for the European Commission. What are the mutual learning opportunities between Arctic and non-Arctic states within governance of the oceans and coastlines?
In Collaboration With
09:00 Welcoming Remarks:
Anu Fredrikson, Executive Director, Arctic Frontiers
Sverre Ole Drønen, Senior Advisor, University of Bergen
Nils Kristian Sørheim Nilsen, Director, North Norway European Office
09:15 Panel Discussion:
Developments in Technology and the Green Alliance Cooperation
This panel will explore the latest technological advancements in the maritime and energy sectors and how the EU-Norway Green Alliance can drive sustainable development. Discussions will focus on leveraging cooperation to accelerate offshore wind power and other green innovations, addressing both opportunities and challenges in the evolving landscape.
Confirmed Speakers:
- Kjell Richardsen, Business Consultant, Berlevåg Industrial Park, Finnmark, Norway
- Alina Kovalenko, Researcher, Maynooth University, Ireland.
- Markus Rautanen, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.
- Kai Simon Eikli Yuen, Norwegian Shipowners’ Association
- Oliver Wilson, BlueMission Atlantic & Arctic Programme Manager, Marine Institute, Ireland.
Moderator: Anu Fredrikson, Executive Director, Arctic Frontiers
10:30 Panel Discussion:
Social Acceptance and Community Benefits
This panel will examine the importance of social acceptance in the green transition and the potential benefits for local communities. Topics will include the impact of new energy projects on local economies, the development of domestic value chains, and how the Green Alliance might influence sustainable growth in coastal and northern regions.
Confirmed Speakers:
- Rolf Laupstad, Mayor of Berlevåg Kommune, Finnmark, Norway.
- Kristiane Mauno Krystad, Head of Communcations, Arctic Energy Partners.
- Marte Samuelsen Skogen, Researcher, University of Bergen.
- Sharon Nytte, Independent Researcher, United Kingdom
- Ninon Gautier, Head of Monitoring, Evaluation and Research at WYG Consulting
Moderator: Toby Wardman, European Commission’s Scientific Advice Mechanism
11:45 Panel Discussion:
Science Diplomacy & Ocean Governance for the Green Transition
Recent and ongoing global developments and geopolitical changes have made the Arctic a key region for science and diplomacy and governance.
Managing and governing the intersecting human activities and the needs to protect the coasts and oceans requires research, policy and legal frameworks. Can science diplomacy act as a tool to negotiate and ensure sustainable development of the coastal regions?
Confirmed Speakers:
- Raphaël Goulet – Deputy Director for International Ocean Governance and Sustainable Fisheries, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission.
- Rasmus Bertelsen, Professor of Northern Studies, UiT – The Arctic University of Norway.
- Aiste Klimasauskaite, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Bergen
- Alexandra Philippe, European Bureau for Conservation and Development (EBCD), Belgium
- Inuuteq Holm Olsen, Head of Mission, Greenland Mission to the European Union
Moderator: Anu Fredrikson, Executive Director, Arctic Frontiers
Meet our Moderators
Ms Fredrikson is the Executive Director of Arctic Frontiers, overseeing all team operations and representing the organization in Norway and internationally. She brings a wealth of experience in Arctic issues from her previous roles, including Director of the Arctic Economic Council and Advisor for Political Affairs and Arctic Policy at the Embassy of Finland to Norway.
Toby Wardman is SAPEA Head of Communications for the European Commission’s Scientific Advice Mechanism, which provides independent scientific advice to European Commissioners to support their decision-making. The SAM has a mandate not only to communicate about the advice it gives but also to raise awareness and stimulate conversations in wider society about the role of evidence in policymaking.
Toby is also the host of the Science For Policy podcast, the world’s only continuous podcast focusing on science advice. He was trained in philosophy in the UK, including a PhD in public policy and medical ethics, and has worked for 20 years in a combination of political and science communication.
Outside of the office, Toby is also a professional choral conductor.
Meet our Speakers
Mayor Rolf Laupstad has been a politician for the Labor party in Berlevåg for 28 years and as a police officer since 1988. Mayor Laupstad’s vision for Berlevåg is one of building strong communities in the Arctic, while leveraging new renewable energy technologies. Recognizing the pressing need to address the renewable energy transition, Laupstad is steadfast in his commitment to advancing the municipality’s climate goals while minimizing the impact on the surrounding natural environment.
Dr. Markus Rautanen from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has been working on hydrogen, fuel cells and electrolysis technologies from materials to MW-scale system demonstrations since 2007. His current responsibilities include leading VTT’s Hydrogen Applications team and acting as the coordinator of the SHIP-AH2OY project which is set to demonstrate a MW-scale zero emission power-train in wind farm commissioning and service vessel using liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) and fuel cell technology.
Kristiane Krystad is the Head of Communications at Arctic Energy Partners in Hammerfest, Norway. Additionally, Krystad also serves as a member of the board of the Norwegian Petroleum Society, Barents, and has been a lead in youth engagement projects such as “Ung i Nord.” Born and raised in Northern Norway, Krystad is very passionate about the development of the region and strengthening internationalization as well as internal regional cooperation.
Raphaël Goulet is the Deputy Director for International Ocean Governance and Sustainable Fisheries at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission. He is heading since 2020 the unit promoting international ocean governance, law of the sea and the Arctic. He has been instrumental in fostering Arctic cooperation and in defining the EU’s Arctic policy in 2021. He also contributed to international agreements and cooperation between countries to protect and sustainably use the ocean, positioning the EU as a global leader on ocean governance.
Raphaël Goulet worked previously in other departments of the European Commission, dealing with public interest services in the Directorate General for internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs, and in the Directorate General for regional and urban policy between 1996 and 2016, dealing with Croatia, Slovenia, Germany, the Netherlands, pre-accession infrastructure projects (ISPA) in Latvia, strategic planning, inter-institutional relations, information, communication and international relations.
Raphaël Goulet graduated from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Paris and from the Free University (political science and economics) in Berlin.
Aistė Klimasauskaite is a MSCA SEAS postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities, University of Bergen. She has a background in environmental and policy studies. Her work is focused on ocean governance and public engagement, with special attention to deep-seabed mining and energy transformation questions. In this event, Aistė will focus on her role as a researcher and on the questions that the research community needs to tackle when it comes to its role in the context of the EU-Norway Green Alliance: research fatigue among some local communities, social engineering of extraction, and pressing issues in the “green” and “blue” (de)growth.
Kjell Richardsen has been working with issues related to hydrogen and ‘stranded wind power’ since 2010. He has worked on projects to assess the potential that ‘stranded wind power’ can offer to a region without sufficient grid capacity. He has also been the project manager responsible for finance and personnel for two major powerline developments in the region. Since 2019, he has been working as a business developer in Berlevåg Municipality, with primary responsibility for the Berlevåg Industrial Park project where there is a focus on sustainability, circular economy, and symbiosis.
Dr. Alina Kovalenko is a postdoctoral researcher at Maynooth University’s Business School, collaborating with the Marine Institute on advancing Ireland’s maritime industry towards carbon neutrality by 2050. Her work focuses on developing Green Shipping Corridors across the Irish Sea, exploring alternative fuels, and evaluating the socio-economic impact of environmental policies.
In addition, Alina is a researcher at Nord University Business School in Bodø, Norway, contributing to Arctic shipping research, teaching, and the Business Index North project. With a PhD from the Centre for High North Logistics at Nord University, her expertise lies in Arctic maritime shipping, Euro-Asian trade, and transit shipping via the Northeast Passage.
Rasmus Gjedssø Bertelsen is Professor of Northern Studies and the inaugural Barents Chair in Politics at UiT-The Arctic University of Norway (Tromsø). He was the 2022-2023 Nansen Professor of Arctic Studies, University of Akureyri (Iceland). His PhD is from the University of Cambridge with a year at Sciences Po. Rasmus was postdoc at Harvard, United Nations University (Yokohama) and Aalborg University. Main research interests include international and Arctic order, transnational flows of knowledge between the West and East, science diplomacy. Rasmus directed the workpackage developing European science diplomacy theory and strategy in H2020 InsSciDE. 2020-2021, Rasmus was on sabbatical at Sorbonne University and visited Friedrich-Alexander-Universität in Erlangen, Germany. He coordinated the Norwegian-Russian PhD course Society and Advanced Technology in the Arctic and coordinates the Norway-EU Science Diplomacy Network.
Marte Samuelsen Skogen is a PhD researcher in the Department of Comparative Politics at the University of Bergen and an affiliate with the Bergen Offshore Wind Centre. In her PhD project “The Politics of Offshore Wind,” she explores the dynamics of social acceptance for renewable energy, with a particular focus on how different social contexts shape public attitudes and policy outcomes. Drawing on both experimental and observational survey data, Marte’s research aims to identify barriers and facilitators to renewable energy adoption while considering broader questions of political representation.
Kai Simon Eikli Yuen is an international advisor at the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association. He is also a member of the board of the Norwegian African Business Association, a Council Member at the Centre for the Ocean and the Arctic and the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Arctic Economic Council.
Kai holds a Master of Science in International Energy from Sciences Po, Paris, and a Bachelor of Science in International Marketing from the Norwegian School of Business and Fudan University, Shanghai. Prior to joining the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association, he served as a diplomat at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a decade. This included postings to the Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi and Norway’s delegation to the EU in Brussels.
Ninon Gautier is the Head of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research at WYG Consulting, with over seven years of experience conducting EU-level studies for the European Commission.
Previously a Senior Consultant at Tetra Tech, Ninon contributed to several studies on the socio-economic and environmental impacts of fisheries and aquaculture policies, including the Foresight Study on Fishers of the Future for the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) and DG MARE. Ninon focuses on designing evidence-based methodologies and working closely with stakeholders to assess the benefits and challenges of policies, including for local communities. She has a personal connection to Arctic regions, having lived in Tromsø, and a deep understanding of the unique opportunities and governance challenges faced by coastal communities.
Alexandra Philippe is Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Advisor at the European Bureau for Conservation and Development since November 2021. She is also Vice-Chair of the North Western Waters Advisory Council Executive Committee and Chair of the Working Group Ecosystem of the North Sea Advisory Council. She was recently appointed Coordinator for the NGOs for the Energy Transition Partnership for Fisheries and Aquaculture. Alexandra has previously worked for eight years at the European Parliament mostly as parliamentary assistant to the Chair of the Committee on Fisheries. During this time, she contributed to the parliamentary work on fisheries and participated in the negotiations on initiative and legislative texts related to this topic. She acquired an expertise in fisheries issues and in EU political affairs and processes.
Oliver Wilson is BlueMissionAA Programmes Manager at the Marine Institute, Ireland. Oliver primarily works on BlueMissionAA WP 1 – Mission governance and implementation in the Atlantic & Artic. Additionally he is involved in working on the implementation of the Atlantic Strategy through his role with Pillar IV: Healthy ocean and resilient coasts.
Oliver started his career working as a marine environmental consultant for MRAG in London and was responsible for managing international observer programmes and fishery assessments. In New Zealand, Oliver was Director at Sustainable Horizons Ltd., a company that provides policy, management, and operational consultancy services working with research providers, the commercial fishing industry and Government organisations.
Dr Sharon Nytte finalized her PhD (Economics) at Norwegian University of Life Sciences with a research topic ‘Social acceptance and external effects of offshore wind in the green transition’. She currently works in the renewable energy sector.
