Sweden's climate policy is insufficient to meet the established climate goals – both at the national level and within the EU's commitments. This is stated by the Climate Policy Council in its annual report, which evaluates the government's overall policy in relation to the climate goals set by the parliament and the government.
To reverse the trend, stricter measures are required, including an increased reduction obligation and higher fuel taxes. Despite some positive decisions in 2024, the council points out that previous relaxations, such as reduced fuel taxes and lowered reduction obligation, have led to increased emissions.
Filip Johnsson, Professor in Energy systems at Chalmers University and one of the members of the Climate Policy Council, comments on this year's report:
"First and foremost, we note that it is now a difficult situation for the entire global cooperation, while the global average temperature in 2024 exceeded 1.5 degrees for the first time, and in Sweden, greenhouse gas emissions increased due to political decisions," says Filip Johnsson.
“We have two main recommendations for the government:
- Sweden needs to support the EU's global climate leadership – not least by meeting our own EU commitments by 2030. Decisions need to be made now in 2025, primarily regarding transport and forestry.
- All sectors need to transition. This year, we have particularly analyzed agriculture and found potential cost-effective climate measures there. However, for agriculture to contribute more to the climate goals, the government needs to bring together stakeholders in a clearer strategy and decide on stronger policy instruments.
"Regarding the EU, the EU is no stronger than its member states, and therefore, it is crucial that Sweden actively drives the EU's climate policy and ensures that it is not weakened," says Filip Johnsson.
In the report, the council therefore points out that the government should:
- Work to ensure that the Fit-for-55% package is upheld and implemented as established, so that both the EU and Sweden can reach their climate goals.
- Provide unconditional support for an ambitious and concrete climate goal for 2040. Involve relevant authorities in a broad process to further develop proposals for EU legislation and policy instruments beyond 2030.
"Regarding my own area – the development of energy systems – we recommend the government to:
- Immediately conduct a broad impact assessment of various paths for Sweden's electrification, covering all fossil-free electricity production technologies and opportunities for flexibility in electricity grids and energy storage. At the same time, favorable conditions for new renewable electricity production in the near term must quickly be restored.
- Continue to develop policies to support the industrial climate transition, particularly through improved permitting processes, strengthened public infrastructure, skills supply, and expanded financing opportunities.
"We are therefore concerned about the very one-sided focus on nuclear power, which risks negatively impacting investments in other electricity production technologies that can be established within the next 10–15 years, before new nuclear power can be in place," says Filip Johnsson.
The report was presented on March 20, 2025. Read the full report (PDF Swedish)
FACTS:
In June 2017, the Swedish Parliament adopted a new climate policy framework with broad support. The purpose of the framework is to ensure long-term conditions for business and society to carry out the transition required for Sweden to meet its climate goals. The framework brings order and clarity to climate policy and is a key component of Sweden's efforts to live up to the global Paris Agreement. The climate policy framework consists of three parts: climate goals, the Climate Act, and the Climate Policy Council. The Climate Act enshrines that the government's climate policy work should be based on the long-term climate goal and specifies how the work should be carried out.
The Climate Policy Council is an independent, interdisciplinary expert body. The council has eight members with high scientific competence in relevant areas and is supported by a secretariat with four employees.
According to the government's instructions, the Climate Policy Council's mission is to "evaluate how the government's overall policy aligns with the climate goals decided by the parliament and government."