Environmental Policies
#1Key Findings
With a longstanding focus on ecological issues, Sweden takes the SGI 2022’s top position (rank 1) in the area of environmental policy. Its score in this area has improved by 0.4 points relative to 2014.
The country remains a significant energy consumer, but greenhouse gas emissions are declining, and the use of renewable energy resources is improving. A major emission culprit is the burning of plastics for electricity and district heating production.
A circular-economy strategy includes measures supporting housing energy efficiency, energy transition in the transport sector and a reduction in single-use plastics. Four nuclear reactors have been shut down since 2017.
The country is a leader in international environmental protection campaigns. It has a record of going beyond the requirements of international accords.
The country remains a significant energy consumer, but greenhouse gas emissions are declining, and the use of renewable energy resources is improving. A major emission culprit is the burning of plastics for electricity and district heating production.
A circular-economy strategy includes measures supporting housing energy efficiency, energy transition in the transport sector and a reduction in single-use plastics. Four nuclear reactors have been shut down since 2017.
The country is a leader in international environmental protection campaigns. It has a record of going beyond the requirements of international accords.
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How effectively does environmental policy in your country protect and preserve the sustainability of natural resources and environmental quality?
10
9
9
Environmental policy goals are ambitious and effectively implemented as well as monitored within and across most relevant policy sectors that account for the largest share of resource use and emissions.
8
7
6
7
6
Environmental policy goals are mainly ambitious and effectively implemented and are monitored within and across some of the relevant policy sectors that account for the largest share of resource use and emissions.
5
4
3
4
3
Environmental policy goals are neither particularly ambitious nor are they effectively implemented and coordinated across relevant policy sectors.
2
1
1
Environmental concerns have been largely abandoned.
As is the case with global social injustice, Sweden tries to be a forerunner in environmental policy as well. Sweden performs extremely well in areas such as reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of renewable energy sources but is not a leader in recycling or water usage. At the same time, Sweden’s Earth Overshoot Day – the day on which humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services would have exceeded what the Earth could regenerate in that year if all countries consumed like Sweden – for 2021 was April 6, compared to a global average of July 29 (Overshoot day, 2021). Thus, while there is a strong political commitment among all the major political parties, the execution of that commitment in some aspects is still lagging. Meanwhile, Sweden continues to push forward environmental issues in international forums; the government’s work on Agenda 2030 is an example of its commitment to environmental issues as well as sustainability in general (Regeringskansliet 2021a; 2021b).
Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity and heating production decreased by 23% – or about 1 million tons of CO2 – in 2020 compared to 2019. This was a result of a phase out fossil fuels plus a decrease in demand. At the same time, the biggest culprit with regard to greenhouse gas emissions is the burning of plastic used for electricity and district heating production, the levels of which remained about the same between 2019 and 2020 (Naturvårdsverket, 2021). With its legacy as a high-energy consuming industrial economy, Sweden certainly has a long way to go, but the data suggest its environmental policy is working. It should be noted that environmental policy is an integrated component of the larger project of restructuring the economy and making it more sustainable; much of this work takes place at the urban level.
A concrete example at the national level was the strategy issued in 2020 by the Ministry for Enterprise and Innovation for the transition to a circular economy. Measures included investment support for rental housing; funding for multifamily-housing energy efficiency, renovation and outdoor spaces; as well as an energy transition in the transport sector (Regeringskansliet 2020a). The strategy is being implemented in 2021, focusing on single-use plastics and their environmental consequences (Regeringskansliet, 2020b).
Electricity prices were previously relatively low in Sweden, with production mainly in the sparsely populated north, while demand is concentrated in the considerably more urbanized south. However, electricity prices shot up in 2021 so excessively that the government is now subsidizing households. This has also been the case in other European countries, resulting in some countries, such as France and eastern European nations, advocating nuclear energy as a cheap and climate-friendly alternative. Other countries, led by Germany, disagree and advocate more investment in renewable energy. Sweden has shut down four reactors since 2017, and the current government is not eager to return to the nuclear power debate, which was quite intense a few decades ago, including a heated debate on the storage of nuclear byproducts in northern municipalities. If the center-right alliance is elected in 2022, Sweden’s position on this might change, with electricity prices and other developments in Europe also playing a role.
Citations:
Naturvårdsverket. 2021. “El och Fjärrvärme, Utsläpp av Växthusgaser.” https://www.naturvardsverket.se/data-och-statistik/klimat/vaxthusgaser-utslapp-fran-el-och-fjarrvarme/
Overshoot day. 2021. “Country Overshoot Day. When would Earth Overshoot Day Land if the World’s Population Lived Like…” https://www.overshootday.org/content/uploads/2021/01/Country-Overshoot-Days-2021.pdf
Regeringskansliet [Government Offices of Sweden]. 2021b. “Sveriges Genomförande av Agenda 2030.” Proposition 2019/20:188. https://www.regeringen.se/4aa057/contentassets/378ab5cbd6b148acaeccc9413cc0e1ba/sveriges-genomforande-av-agenda-2030-prop.-201920188
Regeringskansliet [Government Offices of Sweden]. 2021b. “Sveriges Genomförande av Agenda 2030 för Hållbar Utveckling.” https://www.regeringen.se/4aa057/contentassets/378ab5cbd6b148acaeccc9413cc0e1ba/sveriges-genomforande-av-agenda-2030-prop.-201920188
Regeringskansliet (Government Offices of Sweden). 2020a. “Cirkulär Ekonomi – Strategi för Omställningen i Sverige.” https://www.regeringen.se/4a3baa/contentassets/619d1bb3588446deb6dac198f2fe4120/200814_ce_webb.pdf
Regeringskansliet (Government Offices of Sweden). 2020b. “Cirkulär Ekonomi.” https://www.regeringen.se/regeringens-politik/cirkular-ekonomi/
Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity and heating production decreased by 23% – or about 1 million tons of CO2 – in 2020 compared to 2019. This was a result of a phase out fossil fuels plus a decrease in demand. At the same time, the biggest culprit with regard to greenhouse gas emissions is the burning of plastic used for electricity and district heating production, the levels of which remained about the same between 2019 and 2020 (Naturvårdsverket, 2021). With its legacy as a high-energy consuming industrial economy, Sweden certainly has a long way to go, but the data suggest its environmental policy is working. It should be noted that environmental policy is an integrated component of the larger project of restructuring the economy and making it more sustainable; much of this work takes place at the urban level.
A concrete example at the national level was the strategy issued in 2020 by the Ministry for Enterprise and Innovation for the transition to a circular economy. Measures included investment support for rental housing; funding for multifamily-housing energy efficiency, renovation and outdoor spaces; as well as an energy transition in the transport sector (Regeringskansliet 2020a). The strategy is being implemented in 2021, focusing on single-use plastics and their environmental consequences (Regeringskansliet, 2020b).
Electricity prices were previously relatively low in Sweden, with production mainly in the sparsely populated north, while demand is concentrated in the considerably more urbanized south. However, electricity prices shot up in 2021 so excessively that the government is now subsidizing households. This has also been the case in other European countries, resulting in some countries, such as France and eastern European nations, advocating nuclear energy as a cheap and climate-friendly alternative. Other countries, led by Germany, disagree and advocate more investment in renewable energy. Sweden has shut down four reactors since 2017, and the current government is not eager to return to the nuclear power debate, which was quite intense a few decades ago, including a heated debate on the storage of nuclear byproducts in northern municipalities. If the center-right alliance is elected in 2022, Sweden’s position on this might change, with electricity prices and other developments in Europe also playing a role.
Citations:
Naturvårdsverket. 2021. “El och Fjärrvärme, Utsläpp av Växthusgaser.” https://www.naturvardsverket.se/data-och-statistik/klimat/vaxthusgaser-utslapp-fran-el-och-fjarrvarme/
Overshoot day. 2021. “Country Overshoot Day. When would Earth Overshoot Day Land if the World’s Population Lived Like…” https://www.overshootday.org/content/uploads/2021/01/Country-Overshoot-Days-2021.pdf
Regeringskansliet [Government Offices of Sweden]. 2021b. “Sveriges Genomförande av Agenda 2030.” Proposition 2019/20:188. https://www.regeringen.se/4aa057/contentassets/378ab5cbd6b148acaeccc9413cc0e1ba/sveriges-genomforande-av-agenda-2030-prop.-201920188
Regeringskansliet [Government Offices of Sweden]. 2021b. “Sveriges Genomförande av Agenda 2030 för Hållbar Utveckling.” https://www.regeringen.se/4aa057/contentassets/378ab5cbd6b148acaeccc9413cc0e1ba/sveriges-genomforande-av-agenda-2030-prop.-201920188
Regeringskansliet (Government Offices of Sweden). 2020a. “Cirkulär Ekonomi – Strategi för Omställningen i Sverige.” https://www.regeringen.se/4a3baa/contentassets/619d1bb3588446deb6dac198f2fe4120/200814_ce_webb.pdf
Regeringskansliet (Government Offices of Sweden). 2020b. “Cirkulär Ekonomi.” https://www.regeringen.se/regeringens-politik/cirkular-ekonomi/
Graph View
To what extent does the government actively contribute to the design and advancement of global environmental protection regimes?
10
9
9
The government actively contributes to international efforts to design and advance global environmental protection regimes. In most cases, it demonstrates commitment to existing regimes, contributes to their being advanced and has introduced appropriate reforms.
8
7
6
7
6
The government contributes to international efforts to strengthen global environmental protection regimes. It demonstrates commitment to existing regimes and occasionally contributes to their being advanced and/or has introduced some appropriate reforms.
5
4
3
4
3
The government demonstrates commitment to existing regimes, but does not contribute to their being advanced and has not introduced appropriate reforms.
2
1
1
The government does not contribute to international efforts to strengthen global environmental protection regimes.
Sweden continues to be a leader in global environmental protection. For example, in 2022, the country will host Stockholm+50, a UN conference aimed at accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). During COP26, Sweden launched an initiative to strengthen the participation of young people in the Stockholm+50 conference (Regeringskansliet, 2021a).
Indeed, the country has a record of going beyond the requirements of international accords, as a means of setting an example to other countries. Climate change and global warming can only be addressed through multilateral efforts and Sweden plays an important role toward such arrangements. Sweden is also a very active player on the EU’s environmental policy agenda.
The Agenda 2030 document and attendant government proposition outline specific ways to work with SDGs internationally, including financing this work. Indicatively, Sweden sets aside a percentage of its GNI (SEK 44.5 billion for 2020) for international development financing (Regeringskansliet, 2021b; 2021c)
Citations:
Regeringskansliet [Government Offices of Sweden]. 2021a. “At COP26: Sweden Launches Global Initiative to Strengthen Young People’s Participation During Stockholm+50.” https://www.government.se/press-releases/2021/11/at-cop26-sweden-launches-global-initiative-to-strengthen-young-peoples-participation-during-stockholm50/
Regeringskansliet [Government Offices of Sweden]. 2021b. “Sveriges Genomförande av Agenda 2030 för Hållbar Utveckling.” https://www.regeringen.se/4aa057/contentassets/378ab5cbd6b148acaeccc9413cc0e1ba/sveriges-genomforande-av-agenda-2030-prop.-201920188
Regeringskansliet [Government Offices of Sweden]. 2021c. “Sveriges Genomförande av Agenda 2030.” Proposition 2019/20:188. https://www.regeringen.se/4aa057/contentassets/378ab5cbd6b148acaeccc9413cc0e1ba/sveriges-genomforande-av-agenda-2030-prop.-201920188
Indeed, the country has a record of going beyond the requirements of international accords, as a means of setting an example to other countries. Climate change and global warming can only be addressed through multilateral efforts and Sweden plays an important role toward such arrangements. Sweden is also a very active player on the EU’s environmental policy agenda.
The Agenda 2030 document and attendant government proposition outline specific ways to work with SDGs internationally, including financing this work. Indicatively, Sweden sets aside a percentage of its GNI (SEK 44.5 billion for 2020) for international development financing (Regeringskansliet, 2021b; 2021c)
Citations:
Regeringskansliet [Government Offices of Sweden]. 2021a. “At COP26: Sweden Launches Global Initiative to Strengthen Young People’s Participation During Stockholm+50.” https://www.government.se/press-releases/2021/11/at-cop26-sweden-launches-global-initiative-to-strengthen-young-peoples-participation-during-stockholm50/
Regeringskansliet [Government Offices of Sweden]. 2021b. “Sveriges Genomförande av Agenda 2030 för Hållbar Utveckling.” https://www.regeringen.se/4aa057/contentassets/378ab5cbd6b148acaeccc9413cc0e1ba/sveriges-genomforande-av-agenda-2030-prop.-201920188
Regeringskansliet [Government Offices of Sweden]. 2021c. “Sveriges Genomförande av Agenda 2030.” Proposition 2019/20:188. https://www.regeringen.se/4aa057/contentassets/378ab5cbd6b148acaeccc9413cc0e1ba/sveriges-genomforande-av-agenda-2030-prop.-201920188