The Social Democrats’ climate policy has been carrots for the rich and whips for everyone else, according to an internal report.
A large part of the blame is placed on the cooperation partner the Green Party.
– It is not possible to ignore those who held the position of Minister of the Environment and developed the reforms, says Anna-Caren Sätherberg (S).
Today, the Social Democrats release another self-critical report – this time on climate policy.
Aftonbladet has taken part of the material, where the party states that the policy that was carried out in government was weak and unequal. They succeeded in getting the industry to start to change, but failed to get the citizens on board.
– Climate policy reinforced inequality. It has not been for ordinary people and ordinary households, says Anna-Caren Sätherberg, spokesperson for climate and environmental policy.
An example that is mentioned is the electric car subsidy where 82 percent went to big cities. There, it was mainly high-income earners who used the benefit.
– People want to change, but they haven’t been given the opportunity. Then you pull the country apart instead of building it up.
The Green Party is responsible
The report is entitled “Climate change must work for ordinary people throughout the country”. That high income earners benefited from the previous policy is repeated in several places. Those who had the resources to invest in new technology have been rewarded with subsidies, and they have also received lower costs once the technology was in place.
At the same time, low-income people have been disadvantaged, for example those who could not afford to change the energy system in their houses and received sky-high electricity bills. “It has been a policy of carrots for the rich and whips for everyone else,” states the report’s author.
The report is 14 pages long, but the Green Party is not mentioned at all. This despite the fact that S was in a coalition government with the party from 2014 to 2021.
However, Anna-Caren Sätherberg is clear that MP has a great responsibility.
– We have a responsibility. And the Green Party definitely has a responsibility, which brought forward the reforms and held the ministerial post for seven of the eight years.
Ordinary people should be able to participate
Sätherberg adds that S to some extent started pursuing a different climate policy when the MP left the government in 2021. She takes the mode-neutral travel deduction as an example.
How much responsibility does the MP have for the failed reforms?
– A government has shared responsibility, but it is not possible to ignore who held the position of Minister of the Environment and brought about the reforms.
Despite the criticism, Anna-Caren Sätherberg says that the collaboration with MP worked well. Future collaborations with MP are also not excluded.
– But we will have an entrance that looks at geography and economics in a completely different way. We develop policies that also ensure that ordinary households, ordinary people can participate and cope with climate change.
Not going to blame anyone
It sounds like you blame MP to some extent?
– I’m not going to blame anyone. These reforms were put in place, what we have now looked at is how they have worked for ordinary people.
S has presented a series of reports produced by various working groups. Next year, the reports will result in political proposals in each area.
What will be the most important thing when you have to develop a new climate policy?
– The will is there to change, it is necessary to produce reforms that see that there is a geographical difference and different economic conditions. A policy that equalizes.
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