The spotlight is directed at business when the government calls for a national climate meeting. Young people, climate scientists and environmental organizations have not been invited to the panel discussions – which has drawn criticism.
“Before the summer, the government must organize a national climate meeting with companies, trade unions, researchers and civil society.” So read a debate article signed by Ulf Kristersson (M), Ebba Busch (KD) and Romina Pourmokhtari (L) on January 1.
The article stated that the meeting would be preceded by meetings with various sectors to discuss how Sweden should achieve the climate goals. The meeting has been launched as an important point of reference for the new climate policy action plan to be presented this autumn.
But Friday’s meeting seems to be a game for the galleries, believes Naghmeh Nasiritousi, researcher in climate policy at Uppsala University and the Foreign Policy Institute.
– It feels pretty predetermined what the government intends to include in the climate policy action plan. I don’t expect any new, important input from the meeting, she says.
Business in focus
The agenda for the climate meeting, as well as the round table talks the government had before it, have too narrow a focus on industry and business, believes Nasiritousi. A majority of the invited panelists represent business.
– The industry is of course important because much of the emissions occur during production. But if you only focus on production and don’t include consumption at all, you miss a very large part, she says.
Neither climate scientists nor environmental organizations are invited to participate in the talks, although some are invited to attend. Nor do representatives of cities and regions, who have a major responsibility in climate change, get a prominent role, Nasiritousi points out.
The only researcher on the speaker list is an economics professor.
– It is remarkable to call it a climate meeting without having climate scientists who can tell you what is required to reach the climate goals. The Tidö Agreement states that climate policy must be based on facts, but I find it difficult to see that being done right now, says Nasiritousi.
Missing youth voices
The Nature Conservation Association is questioning the fact that civil society has not been invited to preparatory talks. Secretary General Karin Lexén is above all critical of the fact that none of the organizations or groups that represent young people are included in Friday’s program.
– The field biologists, Fridays for Future or the Aurora network, for example, which represent the next generation, that would have been appropriate.
Karin Lexén would have liked to see more opportunity for discussions and the opportunity to exchange views and ideas.
– When the government announced that they would have a climate meeting, I interpreted it as meaning that civil society would be an important part of the preparations before and during the meeting, she says.
Difficult to get in touch
By also giving civil society, academia and other parts of society a more active role, the conditions for new ideas could increase.
– Unfortunately, my view is that for many it is significantly more difficult to get in direct contact with the current government than before, regardless of which bloc it was. And this meeting will probably not be the meeting place for constructive dialogue between different parts of society that it could have been.
The most serious thing, Naghmeh Nasiritousi believes, is the government’s turnaround which means that Sweden is moving from having approached the climate goals, to a policy that causes emissions to increase.
– There is also nothing in the plan for Friday’s meeting that shows that the government wants to change that direction. Instead, they seem to postpone climate work to the future and refer to the EU instead of taking personal responsibility.
TT has sought Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari for a comment.
FACTS
The climate action plan
According to the Climate Act, the government must submit a climate policy action plan to the Riksdag every four years, which shows how the government’s policies overall contribute to achieving the national climate goals.
If the government assesses that the goals cannot be achieved with the current policy instruments, the action plan must outline what further measures the government intends to take.
The climate action plans thus have a key role for continuity in climate work and for driving development towards reduced emissions.
Source: Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
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