Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere from a range of human activities are causing warming of the global climate. The largest contribution to climate change, in Sweden and around the world, comes from burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas to generate heat and electricity, for industrial processes, and to power transport.
Enhancement of the greenhouse effect is raising the average temperature on earth. The last decade has been the warmest for 150 years, i.e. since reliable records of global mean temperature began. The increase in temperature is causing impacts with gradually more serious and unforeseeable consequences for ecosystems and biodiversity across the world, as well as for human societies and livelihoods.
To reduce the risks, it is considered necessary to limit the rise in the global average temperature far below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels, pursuing efforts to limit the rise to stay under 1,5 °C. A rise above this level, increases the risks for irreversible consequences, such as extinction of species, or consequences that are difficult to reverse within a time frame of thousands of years, such as the destabilization of ice sheets and the sea level rise caused by this.
The increase in temperature at our high northern latitudes is faster than the global average. Impacts can become far-reaching for agriculture and forestry, for example. Sensitive habitats in mountain areas and in the Baltic Sea could be damaged or lost altogether. Climate change will affect Sweden both through direct local effects, but also through indirect effects of changes in the world.
What are the challenges?
Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases show a steady rise. To limit the increase in temperature to far below 2 °C, and preferably under 1.5 °C, emissions of these gases worldwide need to quickly decrease, and approach zero by the end of this century. Achieving the fundamental reorientation of society which this implies will require both action by individual countries and international cooperation to reduce emissions, including under the UN Climate Change Convention. The Swedish Parliament has decided on a climate policy framework for a Sweden with zero net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2045 at the latest. Reaching zero net emissions represents a huge challenge for the whole of society. At the same time as the challenge is huge, the transition towards climate neutrality is also associated with opportunities and positive synergies, such as cleaner air, improved urban environments and better energy security.