An efficient and just transition
The Climate Agenda (“Klimatagendan”, in Swedish) is an independent collaboration platform and accelerator for climate change mitigation. We gather key actors in business, politics, and society behind a powerful – and fair – green transition in line with Sweden’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2045.
The work of mitigating climate change in Sweden is underway, but three critical pieces of the puzzle are still missing. Initiated by the independent think tank Global Challenge (“Global Utmaning”, in Swedish), Material Economics and ClimateView, this project aims at contributing these within two years. By remove critical barriers and upping the knowledge about the climate crisis among citizens, we make it easier for Swedish politicians to make much-needed critical decisions.
Timing and cross-sectorial mobilisation
The Climate Agenda was launched in 2020 and the project will be delivered by late 2022, when a general election is scheduled in Sweden.
The project is funded by Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation agency, the Swedish Postcode Foundation, Union to Union, Söderberg & Partners, Svea Green Foundation, the Adecco Group, Ramboll, the Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees, the Swedish Trade Union Confederation, KF (the federation of consumer co-operatives in Sweden), White Arkitekter, Telge Energi, Kam Tech and Signify are some of our partners.
A fact-based transition plan
Our starting point is that all political decisions about the climate must be based on facts. Therefore, a mitigation plan is needed where we know what is missing for our society to achieve net-zero emissions in 2045 – and how to bridge that gap.
The plan is therefore based on a comprehensive analysis of the measures and instruments that have been developed so far, calculations of which emission reductions these measures have the potential to lead to, and the cost of this. Critical gaps, barriers, and path choices are identified in the work, including Sweden’s role within the EU and globally. The analytical work is done by the consultancy firm Material Economics. The aim is to make it easy for politicians – regardless of party affiliation – to immediately put the transition plan into action.
Policy development
The second piece of the puzzle is about the plan – and the political decisions necessary to complete it – being connected to key actors in business, politics, and society through dialogue and discussion. This will occur continuously and create political pressure towards its implementation.
Engaging with civil society
The third component of the Climate Agenda platform is about broad communication and dialogue with the citizens, with a special focus on the trade union movement and “folkbildning”, a long-lived civil society phenomenon that can be loosely translated as popular adult education.
The goal is to create acceptance for future climate mitigation measures, provide opportunities for discussion, and strengthen citizen pressure for a climate transition.
