• Home
  • News
  • In-depth
  • Opinion
  • Energy
    • Wind
    • Marine
    • Solar
    • Biomass
    • Nuclear
    • CCS
    • Infrastructure
  • Policy
    • Politics
    • Legislation
    • Taxation
  • Management
    • Marketing
    • Risk
    • Skills
    • Incentives
    • Carbon Accounting
  • Technology
    • Waste
    • Recycling
    • R&D
    • Efficiency
    • IT
  • Investment
    • Carbon Trading
    • Offsets
    • Venture Capital
  • Net Zero Now
  • Events & Awards
  • SDG Hub
  • Industry Voice
  • Newsletters
  • Sign in
  •  
      • Newsletters
      • Account details
      • Contact support
      • Sign out
     
    • You are currently accessing BusinessGreen via your Enterprise account.

      If you already have an account please use the link below to sign in.

      If you have any problems with your access or would like to request an individual access account please contact our customer service team.

      Phone: +44 (0) 1858 438800

      Email: [email protected]

      • Sign in
  • Follow us
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • Newsletters
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
  • Free Trial
  • Subscribe
  • Events & Awards
    • Upcoming events
      event logo
      NZF Pathway - Finance

      This exclusive half day online event will investigate how all businesses can support and accelerate the transition to low and net zero carbon buildings, while maximising the financial and productivity opportunities that will result.

      • Date: 16 Mar 2021
      • Online Event
      event logo
      Net Zero Festival 2021

      Net Zero Festival is the world's first business festival dedicated to exploring, advancing, and celebrating the global transition to a net zero emission economy. Join us at BusinessGreen's Net Zero Festival – for leaders who won't wait until 2050 to build a better business, and a better world.

      • Date: 29 Sep 2021
      • Worldwide
      View all events
  • SDG Hub
Business Green
Business Green
  • Home
  • News
  • In-depth
  • Opinion
  • Energy
  • Policy
  • Management
  • Technology
  • Investment
  • Net Zero Now
 
    • Newsletters
    • Account details
    • Contact support
    • Sign out
 
  • You are currently accessing BusinessGreen via your Enterprise account.

    If you already have an account please use the link below to sign in.

    If you have any problems with your access or would like to request an individual access account please contact our customer service team.

    Phone: +44 (0) 1858 438800

    Email: [email protected]

    • Sign in
  • Hot topics
  • Budget 2021
  • Carney row
  • Nature-based solutions
  • Net Zero Finance
  • Legislation

Can Sweden really deliver on its 'carbon neutral' goal?

Can Sweden really deliver on its 'carbon neutral' goal?
  • Jocelyn Timperley
  • 01 March 2016
  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  • LinkedIn  
  • Send to  
0 Comments

With new plans to cut emissions by 85 per cent by 2045 and offset the rest abroad, the Scandinavian country is demonstrating how green ambition can be ratcheted up post-Paris

One of the main features of the Paris deal struck between nearly 200 nations in December was the so-called "ratchet mechanism", where countries agreed that targets should become more ambitious over time. The commitment was seen as critical to the success of the deal by many observers, considering national pledges as they currently stand come nowhere near delivering on the goal of keep temperature increases well below 2C. 

As the euphoria of Paris dies down and the world waits to see which countries will be the first to take the plunge and boost their emissions reductions plans, sustainability pioneer Sweden this month underlined its reputation as a green trail-blazer by announcing a more ambitious emissions target. The Scandinavian country revealed a new plan to go "carbon neutral" by 2045, with a plan to cut emissions by 85 per cent compared to 1990 levels and offset the remaining 15 per cent by investing in overseas carbon-cutting projects. Sweden had previously pledged to cut its net emissions to zero by 2050, but the new plan marks a significant step-change for the country in the way emissions reductions will be set.

Related articles

  • Burning ambition or crude awakening? How investors view oil giants' growing interest in renewables
  • Digging into the complex, confusing, and contentious world of soil carbon offsets
  • What does delivering a net zero investment portfolio actually entail?
  • Inside the UK's largest domestic vehicle-to-grid project

"I think that now when we have done all the easy emission cuts, and now are getting into where it's more difficult, it needs a more solid framework," Leif Holmberg, acting head of the climate and air policy development unit at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), tells BusinessGreen, adding that Sweden is taking it inspiration from the success of countries that have already implemented a climate law.

The broad support for the proposals from seven of the eight parties in parliament - it was proposed by a cross-party environmental committee comprised of these seven parties - means confidence is high the new plan will be adopted by parliament. While the exact details of what the framework and structure will look like have yet to emerge, it is likely to take a similar form to the UK's Climate Change Act - making Sweden the latest in a line of countries to adopt over-arching climate legislation.

In a country where coalitions and minority governments are the norm, Stockholm Environment Institute executive director Johan Kuylenstierna says getting parliamentary backing rather than a government policy decision is crucial. However, the level of cross-party consensus enjoyed by the proposals are still unusual. "You don't know if the government will still be there tomorrow, because they can't agree on anything, and suddenly they agree on one thing - it's the climate issue and having a common target," he says.

In a way, though, setting the long-term target was the easy bit - the committee is now tasked with laying out exactly how it will be met, including which intermediate targets should be set, how the cuts should be distributed between Sweden's various sectors, and how to integrate the goals into government policy and ensure efforts to meet them are properly funded. "Agreeing on incentives and also sectorial targets and milestones, that will be tougher," admits Nina Ekelund, programme director of the Haga Initiative, a Swedish industry network that works to reduce carbon emissions from the business sector. "Should we have a fast rate of reduction in the beginning right now, or should we have it in the end, say 2030 to 2035?" The committee will be looking at this in the coming months, and hopes to have developed intermediate targets by early June.

With the country's electricity and fuel sectors already well on their way to being carbon free - 83 per cent of electricity production currently comes from nuclear and hydroelectric power, while Sweden's extensive bioenergy resources are widely used in district heating systems - most of the emissions cuts will have to come from the more challenging areas such as transport and heavy industry. "The transport sector I think would be the sector that would be easiest to work with and to deliver a big reduction in," says Ekelund.

In contrast, Sweden's steel industry - currently the country's single biggest emitter - could find the transition especially problematic. However, Kuylenstierna argues the country's extensive bioenergy resources could actually leave Sweden well placed to pioneer the development of relatively low carbon energy-intensive industries. "Because we have the energy system that we do have in Sweden, I think there is actually potential even to further stimulate energy intensive industry in Sweden, but of course [through] fossil-free systems," he says.

The emergence of low carbon domestic industries could be crucial to Sweden's chances of meeting its ambitious emissions targets, especially if the concept of consumption-based emissions is ever adopted. "We still have a major challenge in Sweden if we are also looking at our imports," admits Kuylenstierna. "So this debate is also quite important to have if we are pushing policies which mean that even more production leaks to other parts of the world - that is of course not good from a global perspective." However, while these discussions are beginning to happen, with Holmberg saying the Swedish EPA is now looking at approaches that could help to reduce Sweden's footprint abroad, there is currently no political target to account for emissions in this way.

12

Further reading

Sweden reveals plan to go 'carbon neutral' by 2045
  • Energy
  • 12 February 2016
Sweden retains crown as world's 'most sustainable country'
  • Investment
  • 26 June 2015
Sweden dumps nuclear ban as part of new climate change strategy
  • Technology
  • 05 February 2009
Norway's sovereign wealth fund accused of 'pretend divestment'
  • Investment
  • 28 May 2015
  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  • LinkedIn  
  • Send to  
  • Topics
  • Legislation
  • Policy
  • Taxation
  • Emissions Reduction Target
  • Paris Agreement
  • Paris Summit
  • In-depth

More on Legislation

The report argues central banks must redesign asset purchase schemes to take account of environment-related risks
    • Investment
UK urged to use presidency of G7 and COP26 to help 'green global finance'
    • Investment
    • 03 March 2021
    • Policy
'Single most important step': Hungary, Uruguay, and Kyoto join Powering Past Coal Alliance
    • Policy
    • 02 March 2021
Climate and environmental issues should be 'integral' to UK trade policy, independent advisors have said
    • Policy
Could a greener post-Brexit trading policy soon take shape?
    • Policy
    • 02 March 2021
Volvo's first all-electric car, the XC40 Recharge | Credit: Volvo
    • Automotive
Volvo U-turns from 'shrinking' fossil fuel car business with pledge to go all-electric by 2030
    • Automotive
    • 02 March 2021
Aberdeen is a major oil and gas hub as the jumping off point for exploration in the North Sea
    • Policy
Budget 2021: Chancellor to announce £27m to support Scotland's clean energy transition
    • Policy
    • 02 March 2021
Sunset over arable farmland in Suffolk | Credit: iStock
    • Politics
Rewriting the green growth rule book: How environmental regulation could help fast track the UK's economic recovery
    • Politics
    • 02 March 2021
The Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to announced his Budget plans on Wednesday | Credit: HM Treasury/Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
    • Investment
Budget 2021: Treasury trails green bond launch and £22bn UK Infrastructure Bank plans
    • Investment
    • 01 March 2021
Pembroke gas power station is one of the UK's biggest emitting sites
    • Carbon Trading
UK carbon emissions trading scheme to launch in May
    • Carbon Trading
    • 01 March 2021

More news

UK urged to use presidency of G7 and COP26 to help 'green global finance'
  • Investment
UK urged to use presidency of G7 and COP26 to help 'green global finance'

Policy Exchange report details steps government could take to tackle the environmental and climate risks plaguing the global financial system

  • 03 March 2021
New Citi CEO commits bank to net zero financed emissions target on first day in role
  • Investment
New Citi CEO commits bank to net zero financed emissions target on first day in role

Firm joins Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, and JPMorgan Chase in pledging to reduce its operations and activity in line with global climate goals

  • 03 March 2021
Can the public sector drive business decarbonisation?
  • Infrastructure
Can the public sector drive business decarbonisation?

The buying power of public sector organisations can have a huge influence on the market for green products and services, writes Dr Joanne Wade from the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE)

  • 03 March 2021
'Single most important step': Hungary, Uruguay, and Kyoto join Powering Past Coal Alliance
  • Policy
'Single most important step': Hungary, Uruguay, and Kyoto join Powering Past Coal Alliance

UK-Canada initiative welcomes 10 new members, as UN chief sets out three point plans for governments and businesses to accelerate coal power phase out

  • 02 March 2021
blog comments powered by Disqus
Back to Top

Most read

Michelin and Bridgestone accelerate green tyre innovations
Michelin and Bridgestone accelerate green tyre innovations
Deforestation for palm oil reduced ten-fold in Southeast Asia, data reveals
Deforestation for palm oil reduced ten-fold in Southeast Asia, data reveals
Plant-based fast food: Beyond Meat inks deals for McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut
Plant-based fast food: Beyond Meat inks deals for McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut
'More than affordable': Aviation could offset its way to 'carbon neutrality' with minimal impact on profitability
'More than affordable': Aviation could offset its way to 'carbon neutrality' with minimal impact on profitability
Mark Carney responds to mounting criticism of 'net zero' claims
Mark Carney responds to mounting criticism of 'net zero' claims
  • Contact Us
  • Marketing solutions
  • About Incisive Media
  • Terms and conditions
  • Policies
  • Careers
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Newsletters
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Incisive Footer Logo

© Incisive Business Media (IP) Limited, Published by Incisive Business Media Limited, New London House, 172 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5QR, registered in England and Wales with company registration numbers 09177174 & 09178013

Digital publisher of the year
Digital publisher of the year 2010, 2013, 2016 & 2017
Loading