Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our time. Energy-driven consumption of fossil fuels has increased the amount of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere, leading to a rise in the land surface air temperature.
To avoid global warming over 1,5 degrees, global carbon emissions must be reduced by 45 percent worldwide by 2030, compared to 2010 levels. Societies all over the world not only need to shift to a more sustainable way of life but also adapt to challenges such as warmer temperatures, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise. For this reason, there is increasing pressure for cities to implement smart and sustainable solutions to reduce their CO2 emissions and prepare themselves to face future challenges.
Sweden offers a range of innovative solutions within energy, waste management, mobility, and many other areas related to sustainable development. For instance, Sweden’s waste-to-energy system is a remarkable example, where waste is recycled for district heating, electricity, biogas, biofertilizer, and materials. This way, the amount of waste is reduced and used as a renewable and environmentally safe energy source.
Sweden has long been a reference in environmental protection. In 1967, it became the first country to pass an environmental protection act, and in 1972, it hosted the first major UN conference on the environment. Today, nearly 60 percent of Sweden’s national energy comes from renewable sources, with an ambitious goal of becoming fossil-free and climate-neutral by 2045.
- 1967: Sweden becomes the first country to create an environmental protection agency (Naturvårdsverket)
- 1972: The UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm was the first world conference to make the environment a major issue. It led to the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), a leading global environmental authority.
- 1995: Sweden was among the first countries to introduce a carbon tax to reduce fossil fuel dependency.
- 1998 and 2002: Sweden was among the first nations to sign and ratify the Kyoto Protocol international climate change treaty.
- 1999: Sweden consolidated its environmental legislation by adopting the Swedish Environmental Code, a comprehensive framework for environmental protection.
- 2001: The Stockholm Convention was a global treaty aimed at phasing out the production and use of persistent organic pollutants.
- 2017: Sweden ranked third in the Global Cleantech Innovation Index.
- 2021: Sweden ranked second in the UN Sustainable Development Report.
- 2022: More than 60 percent of Sweden’s electricity comes from renewable sources.
Source: sweden.se/climate/sustainability/sweden-and-sustainability
