Swedish greenhouse gas emissions

There has been a close link between economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions throughout the period of industrialisation. But Sweden is now one of the countries that can show that this link can be broken.

Over the last nine years, Swedish emissions have been an average of 5.4 per cent below 1990 levels. GDP has grown by around 3 per cent per year over the same period.

Emissions have fallen largely as a result of a change-over from oil to biofuels in the production of district heating. In other European countries, on the other hand, it is common for electricity to be produced in coal or natural gas-fired power stations.

The greenhouse gas emissions included in the emissions statistics are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases. Carbon dioxide from the combustion of fossil fuels accounts for around 80 per cent of Swedish greenhouse gas emissions.

Less than six tonnes of carbon dioxide per capita

Swedish carbon dioxide emissions are equivalent to around 5.4 tonnes per person per year. Swedish emissions per person are low in comparison with other developed countries, but significantly higher than in many developing countries.

Global carbon dioxide emissions are equivalent to around 4 tonnes per person. The breakdown between countries is very uneven. Countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia have emissions of around 20 tonnes per person, while emissions in developing countries average around 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide per person.

Sweden's relatively low level of emissions per capita is partly due to Swedish electricity largely being generated by hydropower and nuclear power. An increasing proportion is also produced using renewable energy (sun, wind and biofuels).

Precipitation plays a role

Swedish emissions of greenhouse emissions vary from year to year, principally due to annual differences in temperature and precipitation. The state of the economy is also a significant factor. Most energy is consumed in years with cold winters and good economic growth. If there is ample precipitation, hydropower may prove sufficient, but otherwise imports of electrical energy are required from energy sources that result in carbon dioxide emissions (the alternative is electricity production within Sweden based on fossil fuels).

Emissions of carbon dioxide decreased substantially in Sweden during the 1970's and 1980's. This was principally due to improved energy efficiency, structural change in industry and the expansion of nuclear power and hydropower. The emissions from transport increased in the 1990's, but the emission have been moderated since 2005. The emissions from heating of residential and commercial premises, agriculture and landfills show a downward trend over the period 1990–2008.