Sorting out the garbage comes naturally to most Swedes.
Photo: Hans Bjurling
Sustainable development is a key objective of the Swedish government, both nationally and internationally. The main principle is that members of one generation should act to conserve resources for future generations.
It is an approach that, in order to succeed, must actively inform and shape policy on every political level. It requires that each decision strikes a balance between social, economic and environmental consequences.
Environmentally aware Swedes
In recent years, Swedes – as individuals, as politicians and as entrepreneurs – have become increasingly aware of their responsibility for the environment. There is a steadily growing interest in organic food. In Europe, where the organic food market is growing 5—7 percent a year, Sweden tops the green shopping list. A recent study by the European Commission found that 40 percent of Swedes had purchased an eco-labeled item over the past month. The EU average is 17 percent.
Ecological fashion
Interest in ecological clothing has also increased. In recent years, more new stores with ecological apparel have opened while established stores, including H&M, have begun to use ecological fabrics in their collections. The second-hand market, both in stores and on-line, is also growing. Charity store Myrorna, one of Sweden’s largest second-hand chains, takes in more than 9,000 tons of textiles each year. According to Myrorna, this equates to a saving of 9,000 tons of pesticides, 9,000 tons of chemicals and 25 billion gallons (93 billion liters) of water. The recycling trend can also be seen among the country’s furniture designers. Sebastian Kjersén and the duo LL Lindblom Lindström are examples of young designers who take sustainability and the environment into consideration during the design process.
Sweden is also at the forefront of recycling and waste management. In 2005, more stringent requirements were introduced for packaging and paper producers. The goal was to have producers take responsibility for their products so that they were developed in a more environmentally sustainable way. Sweden prohibits the sale of drinks in plastic bottles or metal cans that are not part of an approved recycling system.
Leader in recycling
Swedes are good at returning bottles for deposit. The target, to have 90 percent of all aluminum cans and PET bottles included in the recycling system, is close to being reached. Today, the rate is about 85 percent, which makes Sweden an international leader in recycling beverage containers. In 2008, 1.4 billion cans and bottles were returned for deposit and recycled. Returpack, which runs the Swedish deposit system, estimates that the energy this saved is enough to heat about 21,000 mid-sized houses for a whole year.
Strategic challenges for a better world
Sustainable development demands a clear view of resource utilization. This is dependent upon our ability to use, create and invest in the resources that constitute the basis of our economy.
Most Swedes feel at home in the great outdoors and can´t wait to get back to nature. Photo: Martin Björnwall
Four strategic challenges have priority in the Swedish approach to sustainable development formulated in 2004 by the government: building sustainable communities, encouraging good health on equal terms, meeting demographic challenge and encouraging sustainable growth.
The strategy covers all three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental. It also applies to the international effort for sustainable development, including UN initiatives and the EU’s strategy.
The government has set up an advisory Commission on Sustainable Development to strengthen cooperation and produce a more detailed analysis of issues related to sustainable development. The commission’s work is action-oriented and focus on themes identified as essential for creating conditions for sustainable development.
Of particular interest are areas in which Sweden can develop internationally competitive concepts, technologies and services and thereby contribute to global sustainable development. Because Sweden has been able to show that it is possible to combine an advanced level of economic and social welfare with high environmental ambitions, it is often held up as a model.
Research on sustainability
Chalmers University of Technology
Chalmers University of Technology is a technological institute with strengths in a number of scientific fields. Some of the research conducted here is of international significance. Several departments focus on environmental science, but the scope of the issues means that almost all of Chalmers is committed to environmental questions.
www.chalmers.se
KTH, Royal Institute of Technology
Research at KTH, Royal Institute of Technology, is aimed at meeting sustainability goals by improving, developing, analyzing and evaluating social systems in order to save resources and reduce toxic chemical emissions.
www.kth.se
Environmentally-responsible city districts
Many cities and areas in Sweden are actively working with sustainable social planning. This means, among other things, construction and regeneration work is done in ways that are ecological and -environmentally-friendly. Three examples are Hammarby Sjöstad in Stockholm, and Västra Hamnen and Augustenborg in Malmö.
Augustenborg, a residential area of malmö in southern Sweden, is a prime example. Photo: Malmö stad, Malmo.se/Sustainablecity
Hammarby Sjöstad, Stockholm
Hammarby Sjöstad (Hammarby Sea Town) is Stockholm’s largest urban construction project for many years. When completed in 2017, it will have 25,000 people living in 11,000 apartments. The district has been planned using an eco-cycle approach and is intended to spearhead ecological and environmentally sensitive construction and living. This means finding smart solutions including:
- Minimizing the consumption of energy and natural resources and basing these as much as possible on renewable energy sources.
- Closing the eco-system loop at as local a level as possible, for instance by using waste heat to heat homes.
- Using construction materials that contain the lowest percentage of substances that may be hazardous to the environment or to people’s health.
- Minimizing the use of cars. This is achieved through an expanded public transport system, a well-developed network of pedestrian and bicycle paths, and a free ferry connecting the area to Stockholm’s Södermalm district.
Västra Hamnen, Malmö
The first step in transforming this neighborhood by the sea was taken in conjunction with the European Housing Expo Bo 01 in 2001. There are detached houses, row houses and 600 apartments in the district. There are also offices, stores and other services. Development will continue over the coming years, with the goal of making it a leading example of environmental adaptation in a densely populated urban area.
- The new district will be supplied solely by renewable energy sources. The energy consumed is produced in the district or nearby. Much of the heating is transferred from ocean or bedrock water. Heating is also produced using solar panels. Electricity is produced using wind power and solar cells.
- Biogas from household waste produced in the district is used to heat residences and power vehicles.
- There should be as little need for cars as possible. Transportation by bus is to be attractive and widely available so that it is a natural choice for residents. People will be encouraged to walk or cycle by ensuring that the network of paths and cycle lanes is of a high standard. Cyclists always take precedence over motorists.
- The district will embrace biological diversity. Various kinds of natural habitats will be created so that many different species of plants and animals will thrive. In order to increase the number of green areas, plants will be grown on roofs and walls.
Augustenborg, Malmö
Augustenborg was completed in 1952 and is an example of sustainable urban regeneration. It originally had 1,800 apartments and about 5,600 residents. The project to make Augustenborg a more socially, economically and ecologically sustainable housing area was completed in 2001. One of the main goals was to include residents as much as possible both in the conceptual phase and in the realization of the project.
- There are now 15 recycling centers for household recycling, that is, for paper, glass, cardboard, metal, batteries and plastic.
- Organic waste is sorted in compost machines. The compost is used, among other things, for landscaping in the area.
- In 2006 it was estimated that 70 percent of household waste was being recycled, reused or composted.
- Coils have been laid under one of the soccer pitches to extract heat from the soil during summer to generate warmth during winter.
Human-heated buildings
In northern Europe, the housing and service sectors account for more than 40 percent of total energy consumption. One way to reduce consumption is to build low-energy residences, known as passive houses, which are heated mainly by the energy already found there, such as the energy from people’s body heat, electrical appliances, lighting and sun rays. Passive houses have been built in a number of communities across Sweden, including Stockholm, Göteborg, Västerås and Helsingborg.
The Kungsbrohuset office building, adjacent to the Central Station in downtown Stockholm, is partly heated by surplus heat from the 200,000 people who pass through the train station each day. By using regular heat exchanges in the ventilation system, surplus heat is converted into warm water which is pumped to the building where it is converted into office heating. The building also has energy-efficient windows that let sunlight in year-round but keep the heat out in summer.
Publisher:
Swedish Institute
Published:
December 2009
Copyright:
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