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Despite a potentially revolutionary shift towards electric mobility in the passenger vehicle market, the academic and policymaking communities remain wedded to a techno-economic paradigm that may not fully appreciate deeper social and geographic elements of a transition to electric vehicles. In this paper, based primarily on bivariate statistical analysis as well as a hierarchical regression analysis of a survey distributed to >5000 respondents across Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, we analyze how perceptions and attitudes towards electric vehicles and vehicle-to-grid technologies differ by income, political affiliation, and geography. Although our findings confirm EV ownership and mobility patterns in general are related to income—those with higher incomes both own more EVs and drive more generally—they also confirm that interest in EVs is not so strongly related. Lower income groups seem to ask less from their cars, thus potentially opening up a market for cheaper low-range alternates. Political orientation is correlated to car and EV ownership, with those on the "left" more interested yet those on the "right" more able and willing to buy expensive cars. Moreover, we see variation in preferences across urban and rural subcategories, and our findings strongly suggest that EVs need not be promoted only for city or suburban areas. When controlling for variables, a multilevel regression analysis does not change the overall thrust of these associations. • This paper examines perceptions and attitudes towards electric vehicles and vehicle-to-grid technologies • Those with higher incomes both own more EVs and drive more generally • Lower income groups seem to ask less from their cars, opening up a market for cheaper alternates • Political orientation shows counterintuitive relationships concerning vehicle ownership and EV interest rates • EVs need not be promoted only for city or suburban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Taliban opium ban of 2000–2001 disrupted European heroin supplies. • Effects differed across the seven Nordic and Baltic countries in systematic ways. • Some heroin markets bounced back, although perhaps with less vibrancy. • Other markets substituted to another opioid, either more or less harmful. • Market responses to the 2000–2001 ban may be informative for the new, current ban. The 2000–2001 and the 2022–2023 Taliban opium bans were and could be two of the largest ever disruptions to a major illegal drug market. To help understand potential implications of the current ban for Europe, this paper analyzes how opioid markets in seven Baltic and Nordic countries responded to the earlier ban, using literature review, key informant interviews, and secondary data analysis. The seven nations' markets responded in diverse ways, including rebounding with the same drug (heroin in Norway), substitution to a more potent opioid (fentanyl replacing heroin in Estonia), and substitution to one with lower risk of overdose (buprenorphine replacing heroin in Finland). The responses were not instantaneous, but rather evolved, sometimes over several years. This variety suggests that it can be hard to predict how drug markets will respond to disruptions, but two extreme views can be challenged. It would be naive to imagine that drug markets will not adapt to shocks, but also unduly nihilistic to presume that they will always just bounce back with no lasting effects. Substitution to another way of meeting demand is possible, but that does not always negate fully the benefits of disrupting the original market. Nonetheless, there is historical precedent for a European country's opioid market switching to synthetic opioids when heroin supplies were disrupted. Given how much that switch has increased overdose rates in Canada and the United States, that is a serious concern for Europe at present. A period of reduced opioid supply may be a particularly propitious time to expand treatment services (as Norway did in the early 2000s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jurisdictions around the world are experiencing an increasing demand for formation of three-dimensional (3D) real property units, especially in the presence of vertical mixed-use developments. Since traditional real property formation is only in two dimensions (2D), jurisdictions are on different steps (levels) of transforming 2D real property legislation into 3D real property legislation. The objective of this article is to analyse and compare law and practice in jurisdictions that are on different steps of developing 3D real property legislation, but otherwise comparable in terms of societal development status. The predominant focus in academic literature is on formation of private 3D property rights. This paper has a somewhat different approach, focussing on formation and management of common property. The formation of common property is usually unavoidable in a vertical mixed-use development, e.g. due to a high degree of interdependence between layered and intertwined 3D property units. Legal aspects regarding common property formation and management have not been rigorously compared internationally. This article presents a comparative study including British Columbia (Canada), Denmark and Sweden. Each jurisdiction represents a unique step on the 3D transformation staircase where legal aspects regarding common property and management in each jurisdiction is analysed and presented. The results of the study can be beneficial for researchers and legislators as a tool to analyse 3D real property legislation. • First and second generations of condominium legislation. • Independent 3D property. • Management structure in a vertical mixed-use development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1999, a cooperative tripartite cancer research and training agreement was signed between Ireland (IE), Northern Ireland (NI) and the United States (US) National Cancer Institute, giving rise to the All-Ireland Cancer Consortium (AICC). We wished to consider if AICC increased the amount/impact of cancer research on the island of Ireland and what effect this enhanced research activity had on cancer services and cancer outcomes. As comparator, we chose the city regions of Copenhagen and Lund & Malmö, whose physical connection was greatly improved following construction of bridges between Denmark and Sweden around the time AICC was established. We analysed cancer research outputs from all four geographical regions in the Web of Science (1988–2017), with a particular focus on citations and journal impact factors. We evaluated disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) as an indicator of change in health status. Research outputs increased in all four regions, but more in IE/NI than in the Scandinavian cities, while collaboration between IE and NI and both the US and the Rest of Europe increased even more substantially. Citation scores also showed a greater improvement for IE and NI. Journal citation impact factors indicated that IE/NI papers were increasingly being published in more highly cited journals. Research-enabled cancer service provision improved on the island of Ireland, with concomitant increases in cancer survival. The AICC collaborative agreement delivered significant additionality on the island of Ireland, promoting transnational cooperation, enhancing cancer research activity, and underpinning improved cancer services and better cancer outcomes. • The All-Ireland Cancer Consortium led to: ○ Increased research outputs on the island of Ireland. ○ Enhanced collaboration. ○ Improved citations and enhanced impact. ○ Improved cancer services and increased cancer survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This discussion highlights and defines key factors and organisational structures for the transformation of local agro-biomass based bioenery systems in Sweden and Denmark. Cross case study analysis is applied to 13 examples where straw is used for energy at various scales within a conceptual framework developed by the authors. This also delivers a cross-country comparison of systems and of the stakeholder entrepreneurs involved in straw-to-energy activities. The paper then delineates four different types of agro-biomass based frameworks for organisation and action. These include ‘small scale local heat production’, ‘medium scale local heat provision with excess for sale’, ‘medium scale conversion and district heating’, and ‘large scale power or combined heat and power generation’. Three categories of farm-based entrepreneurs (i.e. pluriactive, resource exploiting and portfolio farmer) emerge from case studies and are described in the paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to analyze and compare some important institutional and legal preconditions for wind power development in three Nordic countries: Denmark, Norway and Sweden. In the paper a number of historical, institutional and policy-related differences across these countries are highlighted, but most attention is paid to the various territorial planning procedures. The analysis suggests that although public economic support to wind power is necessary to promote its diffusion in the electricity system, similar policy instruments – in terms of both size and design – can induce significantly different developments depending on the legal preconditions for the location and environmental assessment of windmills. The success and failure stories of technology support policies can thus not easily be transferred across country borders. An important conclusion is that in comparison to Sweden the physical planning systems in both Denmark and Norway provide greater scope for implementing a national wind power policy at the local level. For instance, the Danish planning system is vertically integrated, and involves a designation of areas for wind power purposes in the local plans, while the municipalities in Sweden must in some way assent to (i.e., plan for) the establishment of windmills at a certain location in order for the installation to actually take place. Compared to its competitors, wind power is one of the power-generating technologies that tend to have the most to lose from the uncertainties created by planning regulations that leave much discretion to local authorities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper describes the estimation of a weighted discrete choice model applicable for analysing choice of mode and crossing for freight in the Oresund region. The study finds that, by applying a weighted logit approach, it is possible to establish a suitable decoupling of agents and shipments. Moreover, by assessing preferences on the basis of a representative baseline OD matrix it is possible to better reflect the dependence between mode substitution effects and geography/infrastructure. The paper presents demand elasticities with respect to monetary cost and travel time as well as value-of-time estimates for five modes and thirteen commodity groups. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Following the example of Norway and other European Countries, such as Sweden and Denmark, in April 2007 the Dutch government started filtering and blocking web pages with child pornographic content. In this paper we present a research into the technological, legal and practical possibilities of this measure. Our study leads us to the conclusion that the deployment of filters by or on behalf of the Dutch government is not based on any founded knowledge concerning the effectiveness of the approach. Furthermore, the actions of the Dutch law enforcement authorities do not avail over legal powers to filter and block internet traffic. Consequently the Dutch filtering practice was found to be unlawful. The government could enact a law that provides the police with the relevant powers. However, child porn filters always cause a certain amount of structural overblocking, which means that the government is then engaged in structural blocking of information that is not against the law. This would be in conflict with basic rights as laid down in the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and in national legislation. Maintaining a blacklist that is serious in size (a necessary condition for being effective), and at the same time is up-to-date and error-free (which is needed to prevent overblocking), is very labour-intensive, if not impossible to maintain. From the Dutch national police policy perspective it follows that putting so much labour in maintaining a blacklist cannot be considered as a police task. Why then did the Dutch police start filtering? In a society where child pornography is judged with abhorrence, in which safety is rated higher then privacy, and in which managers and politicians frequently have a naive faith in technology, the advocates of internet filters against child pornography quickly find wide-spread support. Although this paper refers to the situation in The Netherlands, it includes a number of elements and issues that are relevant to other European States as well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Deep renovation of the buildings is a key for sustainable development, however, the rate of deep renovation of residential buildings in the European Union (EU) is lower than what is required to meet the climate and energy goals. This paper analyses peculiarities and commonalities in market conditions and approaches to deep renovation of single-family (or detached) houses in Denmark and Sweden. The market analysis covers the Political, Economic, Social and Technical (PEST) dimensions and is based on systematic literature review and findings of market gap analysis. The PEST analysis is complemented with responses from 49 stakeholders/experts to examine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis) for deep renovation market. The synthesis of SWOT and PEST led to some strategies for deep renovation. Furthermore, policies and strategies adopted by some other countries have been discussed to place findings from this study in the regional and global context. Capacity building in designing and managing deep renovation with technological advancement and construction practices; and enforcement of quality assurance systems of artisans could avoid the perceived risk and inconveniences associated with renovation. Encouraging systematically planned stepwise deep renovation through One-Stop shop and linking such renovation with appropriate financing mechanism could attract more homeowners with financial limitations. Besides, clustering several houses in need of renovation and appropriate energy/carbon pricing mechanisms could make the renovation market more attractive for investors and construction companies. The findings of this paper are of interest for the construction companies, policymakers, investors, and analysts about deep renovation market. • This paper analyses deep renovation market of detached houses in Denmark and Sweden. • PEST analysis has been performed to examine the macro-market environment for deep renovation. • Strategies for accelerating deep renovation has been proposed following a combined PEST and SWOT analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turbulence intensity (TI) is a key factor that affects both the energy production and the performance of individual wind turbines and wind farms. In particular, accurate energy production estimation from wind sources requires a reliable TI model at turbine hub height. Modern multi-megawatt wind turbines operate at heights well above the atmospheric surface layer (ASL). However, most existing analytical TI models are merely valid in the ASL or under neutral atmospheric conditions. Therefore, this paper aims to derive an analytical expression for streamwise TI under neutral to unstable stratifications, which can reasonably model TI at heights beyond the ASL. To this end, the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory, Townsend's attached eddy hypothesis, and a modification proposed in the literature to the eddy population density of Townsend for unstable conditions are utilized. The proposed models are validated against datasets from four tall meteorological towers in Denmark, Sweden, and China. The sites constitute a considerable difference in Coriolis parameter and surface roughness. Results show that the proposed models reasonably follow the measured velocity variance and TI data under neutral to unstable conditions in the ASL and beyond. • Presenting analytical relations for wind velocity variance and turbulence intensity. • Relations are valid for and beyond the ASL for neutral to unstable stratification. • Dependence of velocity variance to flow characteristics in neutral ASL is studied. • Proposed relations improve the accuracy of wind turbine and wind farm modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nordic countries are the most gender equal countries in the world, but at the same time they have disproportionally high prevalence rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women. High prevalence of IPV against women, and high levels of gender equality would appear contradictory, but these apparently opposite statements appear to be true in Nordic countries, producing what could be called the ‘Nordic paradox’. Despite this paradox being one of the most puzzling issues in the field, this is a research question rarely asked, and one that remains unanswered. This paper explores a number of theoretical and methodological issues that may help to understand this paradox. Efforts to understand the Nordic paradox may provide an avenue to guide new research on IPV and to respond to this major public health problem in a more effective way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Are people with ill health more prone to unemployment during the ongoing economic crisis? Is this health selection more visible among people with low education, women, or the young? The current paper investigates these questions in the Scandinavian context using the longitudinal part of the EU-SILC data material. Generalized least squares analysis indicates that people with ill health are laid off to a higher degree than their healthy counterparts in Denmark, but not in Norway and Sweden. Additionally, young individuals (<30 years) with ill health have a higher probability of unemployment in both Norway and Sweden, but not in Denmark. Neither women with ill health, nor individuals with low educational qualifications and ill health, are more likely to lose their jobs in Scandinavia. Individual level (and calendar year) fixed effects analysis confirms the existence of health selection out of employment in Denmark, whereas there is no suggestion of health selection in Sweden and Norway, except among young individuals. This finding could be related to the differing labor market demand the three Scandinavian countries have experienced during and preceding the study period (2007–2010). Another possible explanation for the cross-national differences is connected to the Danish “flexicurity” model, where the employment protection is rather weak. People with ill health, and hence more unstable labor market attachment, could be more vulnerable in such an arrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A Eurobarometer survey from 2007 reports that most undeclared work in the EU 27 takes place in the three most high-trusting and non-corrupt countries—Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. This is somewhat surprising since social trust is normally associated with economic outcomes that are beneficial to society. The aim of this paper is to test whether undeclared work is a dark side of social trust. Since the Eurobarometer data may contain inaccurate self-reports on undeclared work and social trust may affect the willingness to provide truthful answers, we use more appropriate data in our test. Specifically, we use data from one single country (Danish Values Studies, 1999/2008) and undeclared work morale as an indicator of actual undeclared work—where undeclared work morale is the degree to which a person thinks undeclared work is wrong. We find a significant negative relationship between social trust and undeclared work morale after adjusting for a number of important controls. Thus, the evidence is in line with the bivariate picture of the Eurobarometer survey and suggests a dark side of social trust. We provide some initial explanations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents an ongoing project with the aim to assess a CO2 infrastructure in the Skagerrak/Kattegat region (the sea bordered by north of Denmark, south coast of Norway and the west coast of Sweden). The area comprises 10–12 CO2 emission sources of more than 0.5 Mt/year. The geological and geophysical assessment of CO2 storage potential in the described area as well as reservoir modelling and simulations are performed in work package (WP) 1. The results from WP1 are used in the other work packages. Candidate storage sites are matched with those point sources in the region that are technically and economically feasible for CO2 capture, together with an assessment of the connecting infrastructure needs. WP2 focuses on identifying optimal technological CO2 infrastructure solutions. Sources-to-sink solutions are in the process of being developed based on input from WP1 and WP3. Assessment of the build-up of a complete CCS infrastructure from a system perspective is the overall focus of WP3, covering economical, practical and judicial aspects. The project group explores the economic potential for capture at each individual site including looking at other CO2 mitigation options and propose relevant capture technology with cost estimations. Dissemination of project results is organized in a separate work package, WP4. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper provides some initial results from the project “CCS in the Skagerrak/Kattegat-region” which is an intraregional CCS project partly funded by the EU. The project assesses the prospects for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) from industry and power plants located in the Skagerrak region which comprises northern Denmark, south-east coast of Norway and the west coast of Sweden. The project is a joint cooperation between universities, research institutes and industries in the region. The methodology used in one of the project work packages is presented together with some initial results on legal aspects. CCS in the Skagerrak region may potentially account for a third of combined emission reduction commitments by 2020 in the three countries involved in the project. Yet, much of the emissions in the region occur from industry (in addition to power plants) and it is still not clear how these industries will be treated under the ETS. Based on current knowledge, a good storage option would be in the Hanstholm aquifer on Denmark’s northwest coast. The phasing-in of capture plants over time is central to the development of a cost efficient CCS infrastructure. However, many of the sources in the region are located at a port facilitating use of boat transport through the build-up period. The initial legal analysis show that significant regulatory uncertainties exist in the region with regard to CCS and it is not obvious that the implementation of the EU CCS directive into national law by June 2011 will alleviate these uncertainties. Finally, the project may provide a significant test case for what type of political and regulatory cooperation that will be required if CCS is to be deployed in a transboundary context under conditions of sufficient public acceptance and well-designed regulation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Green Public Procurement (GPP) has been considered as an important policy instrument in the context of sustainable consumption and production. The state and progress of GPP has earlier been measured by questionnaires and interviews, both methods being based on the assessment by the purchaser, and questionnaires having low response rates. Recently, a new method was developed, analyzing the existence of environmental criteria in the calls for tenders. However, the studies have dealt neither with the progress in GPP, nor the statistical evidence of differences between countries. Our aim was to analyze more thoroughly whether the differences in the proportions of ‘green’ calls for tenders between the three Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland and Sweden, in 2003 and 2005 were real, and whether there had occurred any progress between the years concerned. The paper also presents the ‘GPP-record’ method, which enables more valid measurement of the environmental soundness of public purchasing. The statistical analyses were done using logit models with country, year and product group as the explanatory factors. It proved to be relevant to take into account the variation that occurred from the random existence of product groups in the samples of calls for tender. There were less environmental criteria in the calls for tenders in Finland than in Denmark and Sweden in 2003, but in 2005 no significant difference between Finland and Denmark was observed. Both Finland and Sweden saw progress in this area between 2003 and 2005. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Many studies have shown that political efficacy, interest in politics, and political knowledge are strongly related to political participation. In most analyses, these variables are described as having a causal effect on participation. In this paper, we examine the extent to which the relationship between political attitudes and participation is confounded by familial factors. By using the discordant twin design, which relates within-pair differences in political attitudes to within-pair differences in political participation, we are able to examine the relationship net of confounding factors rooted in genes and the early rearing environment. Using four samples of monozygotic twins from the United States, Sweden, Germany, and Denmark, we find that the relationship between political attitudes and political participation is confounded to a large extent. This study makes an important contribution to the literature on political attitudes and political participation given the longstanding idea that attitudes cause political participation. Our findings also have practical implications for those interested in elevating levels of political participation. In addition, they have important implications for how scholars theorize about, model, and examine political participation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy sustainability plays a significant role in ensuring energy security, improving environment and promoting sustainable development of economic and social. This paper focuses on assessing and analyzing the sustainability and influencing factors of 27 EU countries' renewable energy. By DPSIR-Four-Dimensional indicators system, four sustainability dimensions of energy, economy, society and environment are considered and integrated. To deal with the randomness and fuzziness of multi-dimensional metadata, and to conduct assessment without standard, we develop a nonlinear multi-factor assessment model (projection pursuit fuzzy clustering model with accelerated genetic algorithm based on real coding). The results show that the CO 2 emissions, energy productivity, non-renewable energy emission intensity, energy dependence, electricity price and policy support are closer related to the renewable energy sustainability. The strongest sustainability countries are Denmark and Sweden. From the overall analysis, time-series analysis shows that general sustainable level is a wave of growth. The geographical analysis shows that the countries with better sustainable development are mainly located in the central region, showing a belt distribution from north to south. The Sustainability decreases from the middle to the sides. Image 1 • Applying a composite assessment model to analyze sustainability of renewable energy in 27 EU countries. • The model includes DPSIR, RAGA, projection pursuit and fuzzy clustering iterative analysis. • The model integrates energy, economy, society and environment aspects. • Denmark and Sweden rank highest in the renewable energy sustainability of EU. • The main influencing factors are CO 2 emissions, energy productivity and energy dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]