Sweden
Speaking notes: Climate and sustainable development
Thank you Mr. Chair and thank you to the Panel for the excellent
presentations. I would like to ta ke this opportunity to share our experience
and lessons learnt in our efforts to mitigate our emissions.
Sweden recognizes the challenge that addressing climate change poses to
development processes in industrialized as well as developing countries.
Sweden has undertaken an ambitious approach to addressing climate change
that has involved all sectors of our economy and mobilized the whole
society. This strategy involves a portfolio of measures that the government
has taken which stem from a strong political will to implement concrete,
ambitious and lasting measures, an extensive nation-wide information and
awareness campaign and a basket of policy instruments such as the
electricity certificates to promote renewable energy, carbon dioxide taxes
and other incentives to enhance the use of biofuels. The implementation of
this strategy has over the last five years resulted in a reduction of our net
emissions by an average of 4% below our 1990 levels. At the same time,
our economy has grown at a steady rate of 3% per year. The strategy has led
to a shift in patterns of production and started to change the behaviour of
consumers at all levels. Like the distinguished representative of Brazil and
other have noted, without changing our lifestyles and the way we
produce and use products and services, we will find it very difficult to
achieve any long term progress in efforts to address climate change.
2006-5-4 16:55hrs
Speaking notes: Climate and sustainable
development
2
Assessments of the overall effect of the policy instruments in the Swedish
strategy have shown that our emissions in 2010 would be in the range of
20% higher in 2010 if they had not been applied. As such, the result of the
implementation of the climate change strategy shows that it is possible to
decouple economic growth from emissions reduction.
Every journey be gins with the first step. We recognize that we have before
us a long and difficult journey but not the time to make it unless we work
together to find a quicker way to move. We, in Sweden have taken this step
and are committed to continuing our efforts nationally, within the EU and
with the rest of the international community to contribute to efforts to
address climate change and to a future powered by clean and sustainable
energy sources. To this end, the Swedish government has recently set as a
new policy target, that we our economy will be independent of fossil fuels
by 2020. We believe that this ambitious strategy will foster the innovation,
development and application of more energy efficient and renewable
energy technologies.
To conclude, in response to the question on lessons learnt , I would like to
stress, that political will backed by efforts to raise the aware ness on the
issues and the involvement of all sectors of society, is essential if
ambitious targets are to be met.
-------------------------------
Angela Churie Kallhauge
Swedish Energy Agency
Thank you Mr. Chair and thank you to the Panel for the excellent
presentations. I would like to ta ke this opportunity to share our experience
and lessons learnt in our efforts to mitigate our emissions.
Sweden recognizes the challenge that addressing climate change poses to
development processes in industrialized as well as developing countries.
Sweden has undertaken an ambitious approach to addressing climate change
that has involved all sectors of our economy and mobilized the whole
society. This strategy involves a portfolio of measures that the government
has taken which stem from a strong political will to implement concrete,
ambitious and lasting measures, an extensive nation-wide information and
awareness campaign and a basket of policy instruments such as the
electricity certificates to promote renewable energy, carbon dioxide taxes
and other incentives to enhance the use of biofuels. The implementation of
this strategy has over the last five years resulted in a reduction of our net
emissions by an average of 4% below our 1990 levels. At the same time,
our economy has grown at a steady rate of 3% per year. The strategy has led
to a shift in patterns of production and started to change the behaviour of
consumers at all levels. Like the distinguished representative of Brazil and
other have noted, without changing our lifestyles and the way we
produce and use products and services, we will find it very difficult to
achieve any long term progress in efforts to address climate change.
2006-5-4 16:55hrs
Speaking notes: Climate and sustainable
development
2
Assessments of the overall effect of the policy instruments in the Swedish
strategy have shown that our emissions in 2010 would be in the range of
20% higher in 2010 if they had not been applied. As such, the result of the
implementation of the climate change strategy shows that it is possible to
decouple economic growth from emissions reduction.
Every journey be gins with the first step. We recognize that we have before
us a long and difficult journey but not the time to make it unless we work
together to find a quicker way to move. We, in Sweden have taken this step
and are committed to continuing our efforts nationally, within the EU and
with the rest of the international community to contribute to efforts to
address climate change and to a future powered by clean and sustainable
energy sources. To this end, the Swedish government has recently set as a
new policy target, that we our economy will be independent of fossil fuels
by 2020. We believe that this ambitious strategy will foster the innovation,
development and application of more energy efficient and renewable
energy technologies.
To conclude, in response to the question on lessons learnt , I would like to
stress, that political will backed by efforts to raise the aware ness on the
issues and the involvement of all sectors of society, is essential if
ambitious targets are to be met.
-------------------------------
Angela Churie Kallhauge
Swedish Energy Agency
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