Upscaling and Upskilling! Breaking Down the Barriers to a Green Transition

The new Green Deal Industrial Plan along with the drive for renewable energy, critical raw materials and the changing landscape for state aid create a backdrop for this event. Innovation experts will discuss tools and methodology to overcome the barriers to greening our industries through collaboration, circularity, upscaling and skills.  

Vestland will present Green Region Vestland, a strategy to address industrial transition in the region which is specialised within the ocean and energy sectors. This strategy paves the way for future green and innovative industrial development in the region and is based on contributions from a wide range of stakeholders.  

Please register here by 16th of March.

Programme:

15.00    Welcome
Rune Bakervik, Governing City Mayor of Bergen City Council  

               An introduction to Vestland County
               Jon Askeland, County Mayor for Vestland 

               From black to green – Green Region Vestland, taking smart specialisation a step further
Lasse Hansen, Hub Coordinator and Senior Advisor, Vestland County Council 

               Resource management for sustainable industrial transition
               Janez Potočnik, Co-Chair of UNEP Environment International Resource Panel

 16.00   Inputs and outputs for green value chains – exploiting ALL our resources for industrial transition

               This panel discussion with invited European and innovation experts will examine how we can approach the need for transition through collaboration with European partners, upscaling new technologies and demonstration projects as well as tackling skills gaps.   

 Panellists:

• Andrea Liverani, Lead Specialist in the Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Global Practice of the World Bank’s Europe and Central Asia Region
• Ragnhild Skaalid, Seconded National Expert, Unit responsible for Vocational Education and Training, DG Employment, European Commission
• Helene Frihammer, Regional director, Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO)

16.45    Closing remarks from the Vestland Strategic Business Forum
                Margareth Hagen, Rector of the University of Bergen

              Closing of event
               Bård Sandal, Director of the Department of Business Development, Regional Planning and Innovation, Vestland County Council

17.00   Networking Reception with light refreshments

Moderator: Merete Mikkelsen, Director, West Norway Office 

This event is arranged as part of a delegation visit from Vestland Strategic Business Forum. The forum is a partnership between top-level management representing organisations from business and social organisations, higher education and research and the public sector in Vestland, Norway.