Is Sweden Really “The World’s Most Sustainable Country?”
There are often lists of countries being ranked by population, GDP, and other factors that feature major global powers, like the U.S. and China, at the top. However, US News and World Reports’ ranking titled “Best Countries for Green Living” features a vastly different group of nations. While perhaps best known as the homeland of meatballs, ice hotels, and IKEA, it turns out that Sweden with just 10.5 million people has been recognized as a leader in sustainability amongst other countries across the world. What is it that sets the nation apart in terms of sustainability? Is the country really the sustainable ideal that other nations should aim to emulate?
Sweden’s environmental history goes back decades. In 1967, Sweden became the first country to pass an environmental protection act, and in 1972, Sweden hosted the first environment-centric UN conference. Since then, Sweden’s policy and economy have become heavily intertwined with environmentalism. Sweden was the first nation to instate a carbon tax in 1991, and it remains the highest amongst other global ones. The government has subsidized electric vehicles since 2006 and has surpassed the mark of 60 percent renewable energy.
Furthermore, the concept of “green living” is widespread amongst the Swedish population. In the capital city of Stockholm, residents commute by bus and train that are fully powered by renewable energy. The city also features revolutionary low-energy housing in areas, such as the Stockholm Royal Seaport, where homes are powered with biogas produced by food waste. Citizens across Sweden recycle at incredibly high rates, and the environmental consciousness of the population is undoubtedly in part due to the comprehensive environmental education implemented in its public schooling curriculum.
Recent Swedish environmental initiatives have been especially groundbreaking. In 2017, the Swedish government passed the Climate Act, setting the goal of achieving zero net emissions of greenhouse gasses by 2045. The Climate Act is Sweden’s most significant climate legislation to date as it set ambitious goals for the reduction of emissions and established a new Climate Policy Council composed of experts who provide informed feedback on the country’s progress.
Still, the actions of the Swedish government since the passing of the Climate Act show that there are still major shortcomings in the nation’s environmental conservation efforts. In September of 2023, the government announced major spending cuts for environmental initiatives and drastically increased its budget for carbon emissions. As a result, Sweden is no longer on track to meet the target set by the Climate Act for renewable transportation. In a survey conducted by the European Investment Bank, 76 percent of Swedes want stronger government measures to combat climate change, and a majority feel as though their government is not adequately concerned with the climate crisis.
So, is Sweden really the ideal nation in terms of sustainability? In years past, it would be easy to argue that the country has taken remarkable measures to increase environmental action and awareness, yet the recent budget cuts greatly threaten Sweden’s progress. As of now, the country’s long-term targets are in jeopardy, and the common sentiment appears to be that the Swedish government needs to take significant measures to reverse the recent decisions in order to retain a positive trajectory in its environmental pursuits.
