Enter Swedish Lagom – the Swedish Way to Sustainability
Lagom is a Swedish word meaning “just the right amount” or “not too much, not too little”.
Sweden is one of the leading countries of the world in terms of meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, and hence the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. As of 2022, Finland, Denmark and Sweden are leaders in the Sustainable Development Index.
The reasons for the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda include the democratic and peaceful environment in the country, the ambitious agenda for sustainable development, readiness for cooperation at a local and international level as well as a healthy and dynamic business climate. All these have laid a robust foundation for sustainable development.
The 2030 Agenda of the country highlights the importance of partnership between government, business, research organizations, civil society and other stakeholders. In addition, it further highlights the interlinkages between various policy areas, underscoring that all political decisions must be preceded by a thorough analysis of their potential impact on sustainable development.
Sweden realizes that the transition towards sustainable development requires active work on the global, national, regional and local levels.
In 2020, the Riksdag approved a bill aimed at the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Since 2030, Sweden has been implementing the Agenda to achieve economically, socially and environmentally sustainable development through a coherent policy nationally and internationally. Implementation has been ongoing based on the principle of the Agenda “Leave No One Behind”.
The main foundation of the principle is the individual. Each individual’s right to fully realize their potentials are reflected in the 2030 Agenda and it is a necessary precondition for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. For accelerated process of the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, human rights protection mechanisms should exist at international and regional levels.
Sustainable development is a strategic priority of the local authorities of Sweden. Achievement of SDGs is made possible by the full engagement of local municipalities and the public. Particular attention is paid to public engagement and the role of local democracy in achieveing the SDGs.
Sweden has a well-structured environment protection legislation and clear goals to fight against climate change. In this context, the government of Sweden, in line with other organizations and central agencies, is exemplary for other countries.
How did Sweden become one of the most sustainable countries in the world?
Sweden is one of the most sustainable countries in the world. In terms of low energy consumption and low carbon emissions, Sweden tops the list of the most sustainable countries of the world. By 2045, carbon emissions will be reduced from 85% to 100% in Sweden. The reason for this is high interest in electric buses, smart roads and urban economy. Eco tourism has always been a leading sector in Sweden. There is an arctic bath located in Swedish Lapland, a hotel located on a tree – TreeHotel and lots of other hotels focused on sustainability across the country.
In addition, most energy in Sweden is generated from renewable sources. With the use of electric buses, smart roads, urban economy, systems for recycling of rubbish, systems for recycling of waste, food banks and other resources, Sweden encourages the population to live in sustainable development conditions.
Sustainable Living
Active engagement of citizens is one of the main reasons why Sweden is considered as one of the most sustainable countries of the world. As a result, air pollution in Sweden is at 10.2 micrograms per cubic meter (for comparison, average indicator established by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is 20.1).
A study by the European Commission found that 40% of Swedes have purchased eco-labeled food and consumer products in the past month, higher than the European average.
The market for used clothing has grown in Sweden over the past years. Vintage fashion has become such a trend that established chains are competing with small vintage boutiques selling second-hand items.
Swedes are particularly conscientious about recycling beverage containers. Out of the targeted 90%, 88% of all aluminum cans and PET bottles are now recycled.
Roadmap 2050
Sweden intends to become the world’s first fossil-fuel free nation. The country plans to achieve this as part of its commitment under Roadmap 2050.
The first step is to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as compared with 1990 levels by 40%; also to have a vehicle fleet completely free of fossil fuels by 2030.
Carbon Tax
In 1995, Sweden became the first country to initiate a carbon tax. This tax was placed on carbon-intensive fuels such as oil and natural gas, and has heavily cut down Sweden’s dependency on fossil fuels. Instituting a carbon tax is a cost-effective means of lessening CO2 emissions. The plan for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions is a serious issue for the government of Sweden. When by 2020 the EU panned 20% reduction of carbon dioxide emissions compared to 1990 level, Sweden intended 20% reduction of the emissions compared to 2008 level by 2020. The country is planning to fully eliminate carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.
Renewable Energy
With 52% of renewables, largely hydropower and biofuels, in its energy portfolio, Sweden has the highest percentage of renewable energy in the EU.
“Passive Houses”
“Passive Houses” are powered through the use of energy from people’s body heat, electrical appliances, and sunlight. Energy-efficient passive houses have been built in a number of regions in Sweden.
Sustainability and development hand-in-hand
This involves adapting society to cope with environmental changes already underway. Man-made global warming means temperatures are predicted to rise by at least 2 degrees centigrade over the next century, and issues such as food security, extreme weather and economic upheaval could be felt by countries all over the world for centuries.
The Swedish green model means integrating business and sustainability. Together with its Nordic neighbors, Sweden has declared that green growth can drive transition through technical innovation rather than pose a risk.
Sustainable housing
On the edge of Stockholm’s urban park, the new ‘eco-quarter’ of Stockholm Royal Seaport is using an old factory to build thousands of eco-friendly homes complete with biogas produced from food waste, as well as providing electric car chargers and planning a new tram line. But the real innovation is behind the walls and under the ground.
Swedes use three times as much energy as the global average to combat the cold climate and power their high-tech society, but living in cities is potentially more energy-efficient too. Stockholm Royal Seaport is a test bed for a globally innovative smart energy grid in partnership with energy companies, universities and homebuilders.
Future transport
Urban innovation is making waves in other parts of Sweden too. In the south of the country people now use electric cargo bikes for some deliveries, rather than lorries. It’s a solution with two-fold benefits: it’s more environmentally friendly and safer for children and people living in the area.
In Stockholm around 850,000 people use public transport a day. The entire underground system runs on green electricity. Since 2017 all buses have been running on renewable fuels, which was the target for 2025.
The challenge is building these solutions quickly enough to keep up with the rapid growth of both Sweden’s and Europe’s urban populations.
Changing consumer behavior
This approach focuses on products as much as it does on service. The key to a sustainable economy is changing how people meet their consumer needs. This means that every product has a mapped life cycle, and that customers become users rather than owners. In 2015, the Swedish Government even made the circular economy part of its annual address to parliament.
From resource economy to bioeconomy
An important part of Sweden’s economic transition strategy – apart from reducing emissions – is about actively trying to use natural processes and industrial products to produce energy. This so-called bioeconomy involves much more than environment protection. Sweden is rich in natural resources. Already, most of the energy consumed comes from renewables. Swedish forests are the main supplies of wood products to the EU.
Bioeconomy is a game changer
According to the Swedish Forest Industries Federation, the country’s woodland bioeconomy has an export value of EUR 14.2 billion per year and is a high-tech industry which employs thousands of people.
This bioeconomy is crucial not only to Sweden’s economic future, but also to changing the way the world produces and uses its raw material.
Challenges
Despite the fact that Sweden is a leader in achieving the SDGs, some challenges remain. The COVID-19 pandemic has hampered progress and exacerbated existing challenges. Economic and social inequalities have increased. Sweden has challenges relating to sustainable consumption and production, and the transition towards a circular economy.
Future Plans
Sweden will continue to be a leader and to collaborate closely in terms of the 2030 Agenda implementation. Mitigating and adapting to climate change, halting biodiversity loss and restoring ecosystems, are the main preconditions for the achievement of the SDGs, and hence one of the key priorities for Sweden. The country has increased funding to tackle climate crisis and to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystems. Promoting global health, including the fair distribution of vaccines, democracy, the rule of law and equality, including gender equality also remain the priority areas for Sweden.
The following sources were used in the preparation of this article:
- https://www.cairn.info/revue-l-europe-en-formation-2009-2-page-157.htm
- https://sweden.se/climate/sustainability/sweden-and-sustainability
- https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/memberstates/sweden
- https://www.adecesg.com/resources/blog/how-sweden-became-the-world%E2%80%99s-most-sustainable-country-top-5-reasons/
- https://www.government.se/493982/contentassets/3097642c99fc4259a4d218b49be01049/the-2030-agenda-and-sweden–a-summary.pdf