Red barn reflected in a calm pond with a green forest in the background.

Sweden scales back climate action, reflecting broader EU slowdown

Sweden, once a leader in global climate policy, has reversed many environmental commitments, mirroring a broader retreat across Europe as emissions rise and forest protections weaken.

Marcus Haraldsson reports for Inside Climate News.


In short:

  • Sweden’s carbon emissions rose 7% last year, the largest increase in 15 years, after cuts to green funding, higher fossil fuel subsidies, and weakened forest protections.
  • Only 6% of Sweden’s forests are legally protected; increased clearcutting, drought, pests, and soil degradation have halved the carbon absorbed by forests since 2008.
  • Five of the EU’s former “green sextet” nations, including Sweden, have reduced climate ambitions as right-leaning governments prioritize other issues.

Key quote:

“Sweden has lost all credibility there. The government has quickly undone policy frameworks with an enraging level of negligence and devastating consequence.”

— Thomas Hahn, ecological economist and associate professor at Stockholm Resilience Centre

Why this matters:

The weakening of Sweden’s environmental policies has implications far beyond its borders. As one of the European Union’s historic climate leaders, Sweden’s retreat reduces pressure on other nations to meet ambitious targets, potentially slowing the continent’s overall progress toward net-zero emissions. Its forests, once a vast carbon sink, are losing capacity just as the world needs more natural carbon storage to counter climate change. This shift also risks undermining biodiversity in a country where old-growth forests are already scarce. With multiple EU nations stepping back from climate commitments, the bloc’s ability to influence global environmental policy could wane, leaving a leadership vacuum at a time when extreme weather and ecological collapse demand stronger action.

Related: Record-shattering heat grips Norway, Sweden and Finland as Arctic temperatures top 30C

a group of white corals on a coral reef

Podcast: Will coral reefs be gone by 2050?

Twenty-five years ago, a landmark paper warned that the world’s coral reefs could vanish by 2050. Now, halfway to that projected date (and amid ever more frequent coral bleaching events), that grim prediction feels increasingly close to reality.

A red sailboat in the water near icebergs

Climate change in the Arctic: How melting ice is causing Greenland to ‘shrink’

New research shows that Greenland is slowly “shrinking” and shifting northwest as melting ice reduces pressure on the land beneath it, causing the island’s bedrock to twist, stretch, and rise.

An aerial view of a whale with a school of fish

Drone surveys offer early warnings on whale health and survival

Scientists are using drones and photogrammetry to track how climate change is affecting whales’ health, growth, and reproduction. By analyzing aerial images, researchers can spot pregnancy trends and size changes in right whales and orcas, providing critical early insights into population declines.

Sun setting behind a power plant smoke stack emitting pollution

The strategy behind Trump's climate catchphrase, the 'Green New Scam'

Donald Trump’s use of the phrase “Green New Scam” has evolved from a rally insult to a central talking point in his administration’s efforts to dismantle climate science and erode public trust in environmental policy. Experts say the slogan is part of a propaganda strategy linking language to pro-fossil fuel policies.

An aerial view of the long beach port with a cruise ship in the background

California governor vetoes bill that would have limited air pollution regulation

California Governor Gavin Newsom has rejected legislation that would have restricted local air regulators’ authority over pollution at the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports, citing the need to preserve tools for combating air and climate impacts.

A pile of British pounds

How a ‘pro-climate’ charity channelled cash to a Koch-funded think tank

A UK charity that portrays itself as a climate leader facilitated a £830,000 donation to the Mercatus Center, a conservative think tank heavily funded by U.S. oil billionaire Charles Koch.

A hat that reads "Make America Great Again"
Credit: Photo by Natilyn Hicks Photography on Unsplash

Trump cuts climate-friendly Energy office jobs

The Energy Department offices impacted by Trump administration layoffs include those focused on climate-friendly energy sources amid the administration’s broader crackdown on renewables.

From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.