Ministry of Climate and Enterprise

The world is facing major challenges in the area of climate and the environment. The Paris climate agreement is aimed at keeping the rise in global temperature below 1.5 degrees Celsius, and the countries of the world have also agreed on 17 global goals for sustainable development, to be achieved by 2030. How do we ensure that the measures we take to achieve one goal do not make it more difficult to achieve one of the other goals? This was at the core of the discussions during the seminar Sweden arranged in cooperation with the United States at the UN Environment Assembly, UNEA2, in Nairobi.

Translation of Nuclear Waste State-of-the-Art Report 2016. Risks, uncertainties and future challenges, SOU 2016:16.

The Arctic is an irreplaceable asset of local, national and global significance. We need to strengthen and improve security and environmental protection in the Arctic. Sweden will work to ensure that all development in the Arctic is environmentally sustainable. Our priorities include greater protection of biodiversity and ecosystems on land and at sea, enhanced climate efforts and sustainable use of resources.

The governments of Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom overachieve their ambitious targets under the Kyoto Protocol. 634.9 million surplus units for the first commitment period have been or will be cancelled. Significant additional amounts under the second commitment period will be cancelled up to 2020 by several member states as new surpluses emerge due to overachievement.

The state is a significant company owner in Sweden. The state-owned company portfolio includes 49 wholly and partly owned companies, of which two are listed. The state bears a substantial responsibility to be an active and professional owner. For the government, the overall objective is for the companies to generate value and, where relevant, to ensure that public policy assignments are executed well.

Global fossil fuel subsidies totalled USD 548 billion in 2013. At the COP21 climate conference, which is under way in Paris, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven presented a communiqué to the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Christiana Figueres. The communiqué outlines important messages on how the world can phase out fossil fuels. A large number of countries and organisations are backing the messages, which were produced by the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform group.

Joint Communiqué of the 9th Session of the South Africa–Sweden Bi-national Commission, Stockholm, 19–20 October 2015.

Climate, environment and energy were three important areas Prime Minister Stefan Löfven highlighted when he presented the Statement of Government Policy to the Riksdag on 15 September 2015.

The Government has instructed the Cross-Party Committee on Environmental Objectives to examine how a climate policy framework for a long-term climate policy can be designed in broad political dialogue. The aim is to create stability and clarity while moving towards a long-term climate objective.

The Government is working actively to reduce emissions and formation of short-lived climate pollutants. These are mainly soot, methane and tropospheric ozone, which remain in the atmosphere for a short time. A reduction of these substances is of great significance to air quality, health, climate impact and food security, and the effect would be quickly apparent.

On 24 June 2014, the Riksdag adopted a strategy on strengthening biodiversity and securing ecosystem services. The strategy is based on the bill ‘A Swedish strategy for biodiversity and ecosystem services’.

On 26 March 2014, the Riksdag adopted a strategy for how to achieve the environmental quality objective ‘A Non-toxic Environment’, which is based on the bill ‘Towards a toxin-free everyday environment – a platform for chemicals policy’ (Govt Bill 2013/14:39). A non-toxic environment is a prerequisite for people’s health. It is especially important to protect children and young people, since they are particularly susceptible to risks associated with toxins in the everyday environment.

The EU emissions trading system (EU ETS) is the central common instrument for achieving the EU climate objectives. In recent years there has been a large surplus of emission allowances in the system, which has caused the price of an emission allowance to drop dramatically. The Government wants measures to be implemented in the near future to ensure the effectiveness of the system.

On 1 June, two senior business leaders from Cyprus will visit Stockholm.