The Liberal Party (Liberalerna) has announced plans to scrap Sweden's transport climate target, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. According to climate minister Romina Pourmokhtari (L), the party wants to abandon what she calls an unrealistic target and replace it with an electrification goal instead.
The transport climate target, which aims to reduce emissions from the transport sector by 70 percent from 2010 to 2030, has been described by Pourmokhtari as unattainable. However, data from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency shows that Sweden has so far only managed to reduce these emissions by 19 percent.
I think the government should be ashamed. This is a receipt for the 'climate failure policy' they have pursued during these years.
Opposition parties have reacted strongly to the proposal. Social Democratic climate policy spokesperson Åsa Westlund stated, "I think the government should be ashamed. This is a receipt for the 'climate failure policy' they have pursued during these years." Daniel Helldén of the Green Party called it "an embarrassing way to try to hide a poor climate policy."
While the Sweden Democrats have welcomed the proposal, they also described it as "strange." Neither the Social Democrats nor the Green Party have promised that the transport target can be reached even if they were to gain power, though they argue it should remain as an important policy tool.
an embarrassing way to try to hide a poor climate policy