Emissions from 1990

In 2008, Sweden emitted 64 million tonnes of greenhouse gases. Compared with 2007, this is a decrease of almost 2.2 million tonnes. Emissions are around 11.7 per cent below 1990 levels.

Over the period 1990–2008, emissions ranged between 64 million tonnes (2008) and 77.9 million tonnes (1996). Variations between years are largely due to variation in precipitation and in temperature in the winter months (need for heating). However, emissions have shown a slight downtrend since 1999.

Trends in emissions

Emissions of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases vary over time. The trend since 1990 is decreasing for methane and nitrous oxides and carbon dioxide while those of fluorinated greenhouse gases are increasing.

• Carbon dioxide, which are released from the combustion of fossil fuels, is the dominant gas and accounts for just under 80 per cent of total emissions.
• Nitrous oxide comes from agriculture, waste and industrial processes and accounts for around eleven per cent of total emissions.
• Methane comes principally from agriculture and landfills and contributes around eight per cent of total emissions.
• Fluorinated gases (HFC, PFC and SF6) come solely from industrial processes and account for around 2 per cent of total emissions.

Reduced emissions from housing, agriculture and waste

Emissions of greenhouse gases from different sectors of society developed in different directions over the period from 1990 to 2008. The greatest reductions in emissions over the period took place in the residential and service, agriculture, waste and some industrial sectors.

Greenhouse gas emissions from the residential and service sector have deceased since 1990 due to a change-over from individual heating with oil to district heating, heat pumps and biomass fuels. The principal reason for the decrease in emissions in agriculture is reduced livestock numbers, and the decrease in emissions from the waste sector is explained partly by the collection of landfill gas and in part by a reduced quantity of landfilled material as a result of prohibitions on landfilling, the levying of a landfill tax and municipal waste plans. The waste that was previously sent to landfill is now largely incinerated for district heating production.

Emissions from the transport sector have had an increasing trend during the period 1990–2008 and were higher in 2008 than in 1990. It is freight transport in particular that is accounting for the increase, with the volume of transport following the trend in the national economy. The emissions have however been at about the same level since 2005.