Sverigedemokraterna Supports Kristdemokraterna's Call to Abolish Sweden's National Climate Goals

Sverigedemokraterna has announced its backing for Kristdemokraterna's proposal to abolish Sweden's national climate targets, marking a shift toward a more pragmatic stance on climate policy. Martin Kinnunen, Sverigedemokraterna's climate spokesperson, says the standard national goals create confusion due to overlapping with European Union objectives. Kristdemokraterna's new climate strategy advocates for uniform climate targets across the EU, aiming to align Sweden more closely with the broader EU ambition of climate neutrality by 2050, including interim targets of reducing emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 and potentially reaching a 90% reduction by 2040.

Kinnunen criticized the fixation on missing national goals, emphasizing instead the real consequences of meeting those targets. He hopes to persuade other members of the Tidö coalition to adopt this new approach, though it remains uncertain if this will occur before or after the upcoming election. However, the proposal faces opposition within the coalition; Moderaterna and Liberalerna have reaffirmed their commitment to preserving the current national climate goals, stressing their importance for industrial guidance and economic growth. Kinnunen acknowledges these differences but notes significant progress in the coalition's climate policy debate.

The debate highlights a growing division within the Swedish government’s climate approach: balancing EU-wide uniformity against the continuation of national objectives tailored to Sweden's industry and growth.