Ministry of the Environment

Statements by Isabella Lövin, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Climate, and Deputy Prime Minister. Bonn, Germany, November 16, 2017. Check against delivery.

Financing climate action in developing countries has been an important issue during the climate negotiations in Bonn. The Paris Agreement contains commitments that lead to a need to scale up support.

Sweden, under the leadership of Minister for Policy Coordination and Energy Ibrahim Baylan, together with 12 other countries, has launched the Clean Energy Transitions Programme – a new International Energy Agency (IEA) programme to support clean energy transitions around the world. The programme will be an important part of enhanced international energy cooperation to implement the Paris Agreement.

On 9 November, a vote was held in the European standing committee responsible for deciding whether glyphosate should be reauthorised in the EU. The EU Member States voted on a renewed approval for five years, but failed to reach a decision, which means that the process will continue. The European Commission is yet to announce what the next step will be.

On 7 November, Sweden and the International Energy Agency (IEA) hosted the Women in Clean Energy side event in Paris to attract attention and generate engagement in the importance of promoting women’s participation and leadership in energy transition. Representatives of governments, international organisations and the business world took part.

Ibrahim Baylan, Swedish Minister for Policy Coordination and Energy, Paris, 7 November 2017. Check against delivery.

On 7–8 November, Minister for Policy Coordination and Energy Ibrahim Baylan will chair the International Energy Agency (IEA) Ministerial Meeting.

Swedish deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lövin and the French State Secretary Brune Poirson met today in Stockholm to agree on joint efforts to speed up the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement. The meeting took place one week after the EU agreement on Member states’ climate objectives and just after the closing of the pre-COP-meeting in Fiji preparing the coming global climate negotiations.

Minister for the Environment Karolina Skog will deliver an opening address at the conference in Monaco to be held on 12–13 October. This high-level conference is a follow-up to the United Nations Ocean Conference in June, where the countries of the world gathered to save the oceans. Swedish participants will also include H.R.H. Prince Carl Philip and Mattias Landgren, State Secretary to Minister for Infrastructure Tomas Eneroth.

The Government is concerned about the widespread use of chemical plant protection products in private gardens. To protect people’s health and the environment, the Government aims to introduce a ban on the private use of chemical plant protection products. The Government has also stated that it respects the European Chemicals Agency’s assessment of the active substance glyphosate in the upcoming EU discussions on the plant protection product.

Mercury is one of the most dangerous environmental toxins. Minister for the Environment Karolina Skog is participating in the first Meeting of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury and is representing strong Swedish engagement on the issue.

Energy efficiency measures are key to Sweden achieving its energy policy objectives. The Government is now investing SEK 850 million in more renewable energy, more efficient energy use and more energy and climate advisory services in 2018, with additional funding in 2019 and 2020.

Total investments in the area of environment and climate for 2018 amount to SEK 5 billion, allocated to several different expenditure areas. Minister for the Environment Karolina Skog is proud that Sweden has once again presented a budget with a clear environmental profile.

In the Budget Bill for 2018, the Government presents the largest ever investment in climate and the environment. In 2018, the Government wants to invest an additional SEK 5 billion in environment and climate efforts in Sweden and around the world to reduce emissions and create jobs and economic development in Sweden.

On Thursday 31 August, Minister for Higher Education and Research, Helene Hellmark Knutsson, is hosting a meeting with Wan Gang, Chinese Minister of Science and Technology. A cooperation agreement on research will be signed during the meeting.

Robust measures are needed to tackle eutrophication, environmental toxins, littering and other threats against Sweden’s lakes, seas and coastlines. As early as next year, the Government will invest an additional SEK 600 million in measures for clean seas. With this fresh funding, the Government wants to clean up environmentally hazardous ship wrecks, finance projects to combat eutrophication and strengthen protection of marine areas.

Sweden is a world leader in green innovation, including sustainable transport, energy and green technology. There is growing demand in China for Swedish solutions and Swedish know-how to manage the extensive environmental challenges facing the country.

Plastic is one of five priority areas in the EU Action plan for the Circular Economy. In a live streamed seminar the Confederations of Danish, Finnish and Swedish industry and other stakeholders discussed priorities for the EU Commission’s upcoming Strategy on Plastics.

Minister for the Environment Karolina Skog has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on sustainable urban development with China’s Minister for Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

The visit of Minister for Policy Coordination and Energy, Ibrahim Baylan, to Beijing in June contributed to strengthened relations with several of the world’s largest economies and provided opportunities to promote Swedish know-how and companies. An action plan for Sweden’s continued bilateral energy cooperation with China was also agreed.