The County Council is a driver for societal development in the region. Despite economic growth driven by sectors like marine and maritime sector, oil and manufacturing, the region faces challenges in logistics and energy supply. Efforts to improve waste management include boosting recycling and biogas production, while strategic plans prioritize leading in green economy initiatives. Initiatives like transitioning to electric transport and promoting industrial symbiosis are underway, as well as circular practices in the municipalities.

The region also contends with demographic and logistical hurdles amid an aging population and skill shortages. Adopting circular practices throughout the value chain - from design to use and recycling - is essential for County Council.

GDP or GDP Category (at NUTS 3 level) Eurostat, same as cohesion policy 2019:

GDP is 130 848 for 2021. GDP per capita is 492 for 2021. 

Urban rural predominance:

Predominantly rural 

The region is emerging as a circular region with many ongoing initiatives across the region and sectors, and strong mobilization across the region. No Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) exists currently, but the regional plan for Møre and Romsdal states that the region wants to attain ‘a leading position in the development of a green, circular economy with a high level of reuse, and a good waste management system.’  A specific regional plan for environment, climate change and energy has been adopted in 2023. The strategy has a holistic approach and circular economy is part of it. Particular attention is given to education. 

All regions in Norway are working in line with national guidelines. 

Møre and Romsdal County Council

Department for Strategy and Governance

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On the regional level, among major measures is the transition from fossil-fuelled to electric (hydropower-based) transport and passenger ferries. Increasing the amount of reused materials in building construction is another.

The largest municipalities have also implemented a whole range of projects: the municipality of Molde has started mapping their stock of furniture across the municipality – thereby facilitating reuse and recycling of furniture rather than buying new.

The Ålesund municipality, in cooperation with the regional waste collection authority ÅRIM and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, among others, have completed a thorough analysis of the status of circularity in the Ålesund region.

The analysis is threefold:

1. Setting the waste target for the Ålesund region for 2030.
2. Digital models for analysis, simulation and optimisation of smart circular city.
3. Competence building – A Roadmap for Implementation.

On the business side, there are several interesting projects in the region. A few examples are:

• The region's large maritime sector is collaborating in different ways on how to retrofit ship hulls so that they may be reused in new, energy efficient ships – rather than being sent to recycling (for lower value purposes) – thereby reducing the need for ordering new ships.
• The region's furniture industry is looking into new services like leasing and ‘furnitures as a service’.
• The ecosystem surrounding the major aluminium processing plant in Sunndalsøra are experimenting with exchanging the reinforcing steel used in construction with aluminium. This means lighter, cheaper, and more recyclable material use.

One overarching initiative initiated by the County Council, is a joint regional programme for sustainability, called ‘The Sustainability County Møre and Romsdal’.

The goal is for the programme to contribute to a coordinated and methodical effort to achieve the UN's sustainability goals (SDGs) by 2030. Activities in the project:

• Give everyone knowledge about the status (of sustainability) in their local community.
• Develop plans for societal development that show how we are to achieve the SDGs.
• Mobilise and support citizens, businesses, organisations and academia that contribute to sustainable development.
• Measure and evaluate the effects of the efforts.

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The region of Møre and Romsdal participates in the following initiatives:

• OECD programme for cities and regions collaboration with the CCRI 
• CCRI-Project HOOP 

• Møre and Romsdal County Council Plan Strategy 

• Møre and Romsdal County Council County Plan 

• County Council Strategy for Research and Innovation 

• County Council Strategy for Climate, the Environment and Energy 

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