Climate investigation saw: “They lean back”

Too few, too slow and too distant. Several environmental experts criticize the directives for the new policy investigation.

– It is difficult for me to see how Romina Pourmokhtari (L) can look in the mirror and accept this, says Kristina Östman at the Nature Conservation Association.

The new policy investigation will give the government tools to achieve the climate goals. Already on Friday, it was criticized by the opposition, now environmental organizations and researchers are following suit.

Kristina Östman, unit manager for climate at the Nature Conservation Association, interprets the investigation as the government trying to give itself a free pass to not deliver anything more in the climate area during the term of office. The investigation must be completed in May 2026.

She is also critical of the fact that it has taken ten months for the government to present the directives.

– The government has spent the first half of the mandate period pursuing a climate-hostile policy that increases emissions and now they choose to sit back.

Sweden is going in the wrong direction

According to David Mjureke, senior advisor in climate and energy at the World Wide Fund for Nature, it is serious if the government waits with climate measures until the investigation is complete.

– Then the time is very, very short to make up for the increased emissions that we have received as a consequence of the policy that has been carried out until today. Then it will be very difficult to meet the EU commitments and it can be very expensive for the Swedes.

Statistics Sweden’s statistics from the second quarter of this year show that emissions of greenhouse gases increased compared to the same quarter in 2023.

– Right now, Sweden is going in the wrong direction, if it is to be possible to reach the global climate goals, all countries must tighten up, says David Mjureke.

“The clock is ticking”

While the directives emphasize the importance of financial instruments, the investigator must also not submit proposals in the tax area.

– The investigator is provided with a gag on the most important means of control, both for emission reduction and increased acceptance. It’s very strange, says Mikael Karlsson, docent in environmental science and senior lecturer in climate leadership at Uppsala University.

– The problem is that the clock is ticking, emissions are increasing, the emissions budget is decreasing rapidly. The EU is tightening its climate policy and Sweden is doing the exact opposite.