GREEN SOLUTIONS

anna-karin hatt
everything from common consumer
products to large buildings.
“This is one of many solutions
that can contribute to both the
domestic and global energy transition,
while also creating important
jobs here in Sweden and welcomed
export revenues.”
Johansson believes that Sweden
compares well internationally when
it comes to transitioning to alternative
energy sources. “We are the best
in Europe and among the best in the
world in terms of the proportion of
renewable energy we use. That’s
good, but we still have considerable
26 | GREEN SOLUTIONS FROM SWEDEN
challenges to face, as does the rest of
the world. Not least important in
this transition is rethinking our
transports, an area where we are
still almost entirely dependent on
fossil fuels,” he says.
This view is confirmed by the
International Energy Agency’s (IEA)
Executive Director, Maria van der
Hoeven: “Sweden has achieved more
resource-efficient and sustainable
energy use through investments in
renewable energy, increased energy
efficiency, and more energy research
and innovation. Renewable energy
resources have been expanded in a
cost-effective way. Through Sweden’s
tradable green certificate
system, the share of renewable
electricity has increased, at a low
cost to the consumer,” she writes in
the IEA’s evaluation of Swedish
energy policy.
The evaluation also specifies how
Sweden has adopted ambitious,
long-term goals for reducing carbon
dioxide emissions and increasing
renewable energy. “We’re now on
track to achieve, or even exceed,
these objectives,” wrote Anna-Karin
Hatt in an article co-authored by
Van der Hoeven.