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full screen Exhaust gases account for a large part of the increased Swedish emissions. Photo: Roald, Berit / NTB
Sweden’s emissions of greenhouse gases have increased sharply in the past year.
Households, the construction industry and the transport sector account for the largest increases in emissions.
– We now use more fossil diesel when we simply drive, says Johanna Takman.
In the last year, we in Sweden have deteriorated in terms of emissions of dangerous greenhouse gases.
Emissions from the Swedish economy will increase by 5.6 percent in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the same quarter in 2023. This is shown by statistics from Statistics Sweden (SCB).
– In recent years, we have seen declines in emissions, but now it stands out that emissions are instead rising again, says Johanna Takman, analyst at Statistics Sweden’s environmental accounts.
Over time, Sweden has had a trend for emissions to decrease, with the exception of 2021 when emissions increased after the pandemic. But during 2024, emissions have thus increased.
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full screen Photo: Schibsted
Uses more fossil diesel
Households, the construction industry and the transport sector account for the largest increases in emissions.
The largest increase was in the construction industry, plus 28 percent compared to the second quarter of 2023. And in the transport sector, the increase was 10 percent.
Emissions from private consumption increase by nine percent. This is mainly due to the use of fossil diesel.
– A large part of household emissions are from transport. Increased use of fossil diesel when driving. We now use more fossil diesel when we simply drive, says Johanna Takman.
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full screen Johanna Takman, analyst at Statistics Norway. Photo: Press photo
Large increase historically
On January 1, 2024, the reduction obligation for mixing biofuels changed – from 30.5 percent to 6 percent for diesel and from 7.8 percent to 6 percent for gasoline.
– The lowering of the reduction obligation is an important change to mention that has taken place since last year. Increased use of fossil diesel is an important reason why emissions have increased.
How would you describe the increase historically?
– It is a large increase historically and it breaks the trend we have seen over time. So the trend where we mainly saw reduced emissions year by year. Now that trend is being broken, says Johanna Takman.
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full screen Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT
“Going in the wrong direction”
Magnus Breitholtz, professor and chancellor’s advisor for environment and sustainable development at Stockholm University, is critical of the increasing emissions.
– It shows that things are going in the wrong direction, which is very alarming and very sad. It is urgent and we need to change society. But it is not entirely unexpected that it would look like this given the politics that are being pursued right now.
He points out exactly what the Climate Policy Council has pointed out – that the Swedish climate policy is not enough to reduce climate emissions.
– What we are now seeing is a first result of just that, he says.
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full screen Magnus Breitholtz, professor at Stockholm University. Photo: Press photo
Breitholtz also believes that the increase in private consumption is not good.
– This shows that both behavior and norm changes in society are required, and probably also other tougher control instruments for us to simply re-direct and live in a more sustainable way. Stronger measures are required and a stronger policy is needed.
– It is tragic that it is going in the wrong direction. I think it’s very worrying, says Magnus Breitholtz.