Carbon dioxide emissions in Sweden are increasing for the first time in a long time

On Wednesday, the official figures for the emissions came from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

48 million tonnes of emissions in 2021. Emissions have increased in both industry and the transport sector over the past year.

- The increase was expected due to low emissions during the pandemic, but we did not know that it would be this much, says Anna Karin Nyström, head of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's climate unit.

In the longer term, emissions have decreased by 33 percent since the peak years at the end of the 20th century.

In recent years, the rate has decreased by 2 - 3 percent per year.

Swedish Environmental Protection Agency: More difficult if we delay

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has previously said that 7 - 8 percent per year is required if Sweden is to meet the Riksdag's set climate goals by 2030 and 2040.

Today, people express themselves more cautiously, because Swedish politicians have not determined how quickly emissions need to be reduced.

Thus, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency believes that we can still meet the goals.

But obviously the low rate of emission reductions is worrying.

- You would have liked to have seen more.

It will be harder and harder to achieve the goals if we do not reduce more now.

We push the problems ahead of us, says Anna Karin Nyström.

Some bright spots

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency sees certain bright spots.

Partly that the conversion of industry, not least in fossil-free iron and steel, looks increasingly promising, and partly that the electrification of passenger cars is now happening faster than one would dare to believe.

But there are also dark parts.

The agricultural sector has had largely unchanged emissions over the past 15 years.

Emissions from light and heavy trucks decrease very slowly.

And the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency believes that the increasing mix of biofuels that the Riksdag has decided on is the most important measure for the transport sector to meet the climate goals, but there are proposals from both the government, the Left Party, and the right-wing opposition to make major changes that would increase emissions.