Stockholm unveils bold Climate Action Plan for 2030
In its dedication to tackling climate change, the City of Stockholm has recently unveiled its Climate Action Plan 2030. The plan outlines how to shift away from fossil fuels, tackle the city's carbon footprint, and adopt a climate justice viewpoint.
POLIS member the City of Stockholm has made significant strides in lowering greenhouse emissions through focused actions and widespread participation. By building strong collaboration with industry and academia, as well as focusing on tangible action, per capita emissions in the city have decreased by 70% since 1990.
Effective climate action
Stockholm's new Climate Action Plan tackles both local emissions and those produced worldwide by the consumption of goods and services. The plan takes into account that a comprehensive approach is required to truly address climate change. As the climate transition needs to be fair, the plan prioritises an inclusive transition, guaranteeing that every resident has the chance to take part and gain from it. This is why the new Climate Action Plan places a strong emphasis on protecting vulnerable groups from the effects of climate change: it requires those who contribute the most to emissions to bear the greatest responsibility for reducing them.
What are the concrete actions that define the transition?
Stockholm's new Climate Action Plan 2030 focuses on five key transition areas:
- Achieving a just, inclusive transition: Climate action should benefit all residents and address inequalities.
- Developing a climate-positive energy system: Move away from fossil energy sources and implement carbon capture and storage technologies.
- Encouraging sustainable, fossil-free transport: Promoting walking, cycling, and public transportation, favouring electric vehicles.
- Planning, building, and developing the city in a circular and sustainable way: Embracing circular economy principles.
- Promoting consumption with a low climate impact: Encouraging sustainable consumption patterns within the city's own organisation.
Stockholm developed about 150 concrete measures that support these areas. The plan emphasises the value of ongoing innovation and development, adding new initiatives as they become available. The city has set an emission budget, capping at 9 million tonnes of CO₂ for the years 2024–2040. This budget serves as a compass, guaranteeing accountability and directing the city's progress toward its climate goals.
Stockholm is set to cut transportation and energy-related emissions by 80% by 2030, eliminate fossil fuels by 2040, and cut consumption-based emissions in half by the same year.
You can learn more about Stockholm's ambition in combating climate change by reading the full Climate Action Plan 2030 here.
