Sweden to lay bare new government’s emission-increasing plans at COP27

Sweden’s new right-wing government is set to present its new climate ambitions at COP27 this week, which show not only reduced goals, but an increase in CO2 emissions.

This year’s UN climate summit, COP27, is taking place between 6-18 November in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

“It is, of course difficult not to be able to show tighter results,” Minister of Climate and Environment Romina Pourmokhtari said in SVT’s live broadcast on the occasion of COP27, adding, however that “the world is doing badly in achieving its climate goals – but the EU is not”.

Sweden will also announce at COP27 that it is increasing its CO2 emissions by 10% due to the government’s plans. This is partly due to the energy crisis faced by the country and the expectations of the right-wing on the new government, meaning it is harder for them to hold themselves to the highest standards in terms of emissions.

“It is obviously not good that emissions are increasing,” she said.

“The solution to the whole climate crisis is not that diesel is too expensive, but that we make investments where we can see that we will have long-term effects,” she added.

Pourmokthari also criticised the media for its coverage of the Swedish CO2 reduction obligation, saying she “too rarely hears that it is temporary, extraordinary and due to a particular economic situation”.

The EU is the best environmental organisation in the world right now, according to Pourmokthar, who highlighted that the EU’s decision not to produce any more fossil-fuelled cars after 2035 will give the industry a huge push to switch to electric.

“That has to be the future: fossil-free”, she said, adding that “There’s a reason Tesla comes from the US and not Cuba. It’s about building markets that encourage innovation, technology, to a business community that is converting”.

Sweden’s main message at COP27 will be “urgency” and “opportunity” in the face of the climate crisis the world is experiencing, the Swedish minister added.

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