Policy coherence in the Nordic bioeconomy? A novel set‐theoretic approach to studying relations among policy goals

The green transition requires a reduction in the consumption of fossil fuels, and new innovations suggest that refined biomass can replace fossils within many different industries. In recent years, policy-makers have therefore framed bioeconomy as stepping-stone for realizing social, economic environmental objectives transition. However, policy coherence literature faces key challenge analyzing whether these goals are indeed compatible: few methods offer systematic approach detecting interdependencies interactions among three (or more) goals. present paper addresses this methodological by proposing novel set-theoretic approach, Alternating Necessity Test, identifying policies incoherent, weakly coherent, or strongly coherent. applies to Nordic context, findings strategy be This suggests countries fuels with without encountering trade-offs goals, but also experiencing any synergies. Demonstrating how goal compatibility conceptualized terms, offers tool those situations which should focus not only on overcoming incoherence, progressing from weak strong coherence.