Ministry of the Environment

Katowice, Poland, 12 December 2018. Check against delivery.

The European Commission has presented it strategic long-term climate vision for the EU. Sweden takes a positive view of the level of ambition in the strategy, with its aim of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Declining biodiversity is a global environmental problem. Species are becoming extinct, ecosystems are being damaged and the interplay between organisms is being disturbed. And yet nature is utterly crucial to people’s wellbeing and prosperity. On 14–15 November, Minister for the Environment Karolina Skog is meeting ministers from around the world at a UN meeting in Egypt to discuss how to reverse this trend.

On Monday 22 October, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and hazardous substances, Mr Baskut Tuncak, presented his first report to the United Nations General Assembly at an event in New York. Minister for the Environment Karolina Skog gave the opening address at the launch and continues to draw international attention to the need for a global agreement on chemicals and waste.

The Government today decided to contribute more than SEK 2 billion to the seventh replenishment of the Global Environment Facility (GEF-7). Sweden will thereby increase its contribution to the GEF by more than 50 per cent for the period 2018–2022, compared with 2014–2018. This makes Sweden the sixth largest donor overall and the largest per capita donor. In total, replenishment pledges total SEK 34 billion (USD 4.1 billion). This decision reflects what was announced by the Government in the Budget Bill for 2018.

On 9 October, the EU climate ministers are due to agree on the EU’s negotiating mandate for the next international climate negotiations. Sweden considers that the EU must work for an ambitious, robust and dynamic framework to implement the Paris Agreement.

A new research collaboration for climate and security will be launched today in connection with World Water Week in Stockholm. The Stockholm Climate Security Hub brings together four Swedish research institutes that are world leaders in the area of climate and security. The aim is to promote knowledge development and policy dialogue in the area, not least to support the UN and other multilateral actors with evidence-based analyses.

As part of efforts to end fossil fuel dependence and achieve Sweden’s goal of reducing transport sector emissions by 70 per cent by 2030, the Government today adopted an ordinance prescribing that consumers receive information at fuel pumps about the climate impact and origin of fuels, such as petrol, diesel, gas and more.

The prolonged heat and drought have impacted many sectors of society. There have been numerous forest fires, the agricultural sector has been severely affected by the drought and groundwater levels have dropped. The extreme temperatures can also cause health problems, especially among older people and the sick. The Government is following developments closely and taking the necessary decisions. The Government Offices is in continuous contact with the responsible government agencies.

Minister for the Environment Karolina Skog has launched an international high-level alliance to mobilise political engagement for more effective global management of chemicals and waste. The aim of the Alliance is to reach a global agreement on chemicals and waste, comparable to the Paris Agreement on climate. The Alliance was launched in connection with the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development in New York.

As part of efforts to ensure toxin-free and resource-efficient ecocycles, the Government has decided to appoint an inquiry to propose a ban on spreading sewage sludge and introduce a requirement for phosphorus to be recycled from sewage sludge. The Government has appointed Gunnar Holmgren as Inquiry Chair.

On 16–17 July, Minister for the Environment Karolina Skog and a Swedish delegation will take part in the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in New York. This year’s theme is ‘Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies’.

The number of pollinating insects is dramatically declining throughout the world, including in Sweden. This has adverse impacts on agriculture, horticulture and biodiversity. Sweden is now joining a coalition of countries with specific ambitions to reverse the negative trend for pollinators.

The sound management of chemicals and waste needs to be recognised as an essential part of sustainable development.

In the 'Strategy for liveable cities', the Government presents its overall policy for sustainable urban development. It is Sweden’s first national urban development strategy. The strategy focuses on goals for sustainable cities and policies primarily for urban transport and green areas, as well as innovative and sustainable construction.

The Government welcomes the European Commission’s proposal to introduce tougher EU targets for average CO2 emissions from new light vehicles but believes that the Commission’s ambition on emissions targets is far too low.

In connection with the one-year anniversary of the UN Ocean Conference in New York co-chaired by Sweden and Fiji, the Government has decided to finance a number of new international ocean projects. To continue demonstrating leadership, the Government is allocating a further SEK 80 million to contribute to improving the global marine environment.

This is Sweden’s Seventh National Communication (NC7), which summarises the progress Sweden has made to meetits obligations under the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the KyotoProtocol.

At yesterdays’s launch of the Equal by 30 initiative, Sweden has committed to working globally for the principles of equal pay, equal leadership and equal opportunities for women by 2030. Minister for Policy Coordination and Energy Ibrahim Baylan is to present measures to achieve these aims.