The green transition continues to be a key driver of Värmland’s economy. According to data from Statistics Sweden, Värmland county once again leads the nation in the share of value added from the bioeconomy, currently holding an 18.2 percent share — an increase of over five percent since 2019.
“This underscores the significant growth of the bioeconomy in Värmland,” says Katarina Nordmark, ECIV Project Manager at Region Värmland. “The sector has now surpassed the growth rate of the regional gross product, reflecting its critical role in driving innovation, job creation, and emissions reduction.”
A key strength of Värmland
A cornerstone of this success is Värmland’s deep-rooted connection to the forest, which is central to the region’s strategy for economic development and attracting new talent and investment. The region’s flagship initiative, Paper Province, exemplifies this collaborative approach, working closely with businesses and stakeholders to foster a circular forest bioeconomy.
“These figures highlight the importance of sustainable resource use, a strong industrial base, and cross-sector collaboration,” notes Matilda Iverlund, CEO of Paper Province. “They also show how the sector’s increasing circularity and localization are reducing emissions while enhancing value creation.”
As Matilda Iverlund explains, businesses are becoming more adept at extracting value from the forest, leveraging innovation, digitalization, and sustainable business models.
“Sustainability and profitability go hand in hand, and it’s encouraging to see these positive trends,” says Erik Evestam, Chairman of the Regional Development Board for Region Värmland. “Now is the time to build on this momentum and position Värmland - and its business community - as a leader in the global green transition.”
Key facts on bioeconomy:
- Bioeconomy means that we use renewable raw materials from the forest, the soil and the sea instead of fossil.
- The statistics are based on data from 2022 and have been produced by Statistics Sweden, SCB, in collaboration with Biofuel Region and the Bioeconomy – regions in collaboration network.
- The bioeconomy in Sweden now accounts for 7 percent of GDP, according to statistics from 2022.
- Previously, the bioeconomy has developed at a somewhat slower pace than Sweden's GDP, but in 2022 the bioeconomy caught up and is now at the same level.
- The importance of the bioeconomy for a county's economy can be defined as the industry's share of the total value added, since 2022 Värmland is at the top with 18.2 percent.
- Value added is the economic value created in the sector after costs for input goods and depreciation have been deducted.
- By 2022, the bioeconomy's climate emissions of CO2 equivalents had decreased by 16 percent since 2008.
