Reduction levels for petrol and diesel

The plan establishes a climate emergency where the transition must happen immediately and where consumption shall be steered away from the polluting when technology shifts are not enough, with the transport sector as the largest source of emissions. A lowered reduction obligation goes straight against this, which is why the plan supports stopping the proposal and maintaining a higher level. The plan also counters the committee's reasoning about household costs through the requirement that politics shall make affordable climate-smart alternatives available.

• steer away polluting consumptiondecisive»Där inte teknikskiften räcker för att minska utsläppen måste konsumtionen styras bort från det smutsiga och alla ges förutsättningar att leva mer hållbart.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Where technology shifts are not sufficient to reduce emissions, consumption must be steered away from the polluting and everyone must be given the opportunity to live more sustainably.”
• the climate crisis governs all decisions»Omställningen behöver ske omgående och alla politiska beslut behöver ta hänsyn till den akuta kris som vi befinner oss i.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The transition needs to happen immediately and all political decisions need to take into account the acute crisis we are in.”
• transport sector's emissions»Koldioxidutsläppen är störst inom transport- och energisektorn.« (party programme ↗)“Carbon dioxide emissions are largest in the transport and energy sectors.”
• politics is responsible for affordable alternatives»Det är politikens, och inte individens, ansvar att skapa möjligheter för människor att välja enkla och billiga klimatsmarta alternativ.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is politics', not the individual's, responsibility to create opportunities for people to choose easy and affordable climate-smart alternatives.”

The plan states that the climate policy framework is to remain fixed, that the pace of emission reductions must increase towards net zero 2045 and that Swedish production of renewable fuels shall increase so that it becomes easier to refuel fossil-free. A sharp reduction of the reduction requirement goes against this, which is why the plan supports the counter-proposal's demand for a maintained higher level. The plan's warning against burdening car-dependent households is a counterweight but concerns targeted compensations, not scrapping the control measure.

• more renewable fuelsdecisive»Vi vill öka den svenska produktionen av förnybara drivmedel, så att det blir lättare att tanka fossilfritt i Sverige.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to increase Swedish production of renewable fuels, so that it becomes easier to refuel fossil-free in Sweden.”
• fixed climate framework»Det klimatpolitiska ramverket ska ligga fast.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The climate policy framework shall remain fixed.”
• increased pace of emission reduction»Redan nu minskar utsläppen i vårt land, men takten måste öka.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Already now emissions are falling in our country, but the pace must increase.”
• consideration for car-dependent households»Klimatkrisen kan aldrig lösas med att skuldbelägga människor som behöver ta bilen till affären« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The climate crisis can never be solved by burdening people who need to drive to the shops”

The plan's crucial commitment is a transition act that phases out coal, oil and fossil gas by no later than 2030 and an emissions budget that ensures climate targets are met, with powerful economic instruments where climate-damaging activities are expensive. A reduced reduction obligation, by contrast, makes fossil fuels cheaper and increases emissions. That the proposal should not pass and that a higher reduction obligation is retained thus follows from the plan.

• phasing out fossil fuelsdecisive»införa en omställningslag så att all industri fasar ut kol, olja och fossilgas till senast 2030.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“introduce a transition act so that all industry phases out coal, oil and fossil gas by no later than 2030.”
• emissions budget»ta fram en svensk utsläppsbudget som gör att vi når klimatmålen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“develop a Swedish emissions budget that ensures we meet climate targets.”
• powerful climate policy instruments»Kraftfulla ekonomiska styrmedel är nödvändiga. Klimatsmarta val« (party programme ↗)“Powerful economic instruments are necessary. Climate-smart choices”
• what is harmful should be expensive»ska vara billigt, det som är dåligt ska vara dyrt och« (party programme ↗)“should be cheap, what is bad should be expensive and”

The plan wants to multiply the production of biofuels and biogas and lower taxes as much as possible on biofuels blended into gasoline and diesel, thus meeting high fuel prices with lower taxes rather than with lower blending requirements. It also states that it should cost more to pollute and that transport emissions must go away. The plan therefore speaks for maintaining a higher reduction obligation.

• cheaper biofuels via taxdecisive»Sänk skatten maximalt på biodrivmedel som blandas in i bensin och diesel. Det skulle sänka bilisternas kostnader, gynna klimatet, skapa jobb och minska Sveriges oljeberoende.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Lower taxes as much as possible on biofuels blended into gasoline and diesel. This would lower motorists' costs, benefit the climate, create jobs and reduce Sweden's oil dependence.”
• multiply biofuel production»Sveriges energioberoende måste stärkas, bland annat genom att mångdubbla produktionen av biobränslen och biogas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden's energy independence must be strengthened, among other things by multiplying the production of biofuels and biogas.”
• polluter pays»Det ska kosta mer att smutsa ner.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It should cost more to pollute.”
• eliminate transport emissions»Transporternas utsläpp ska bort och ny utsläppsfri infrastruktur ska komma på plats.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Transport emissions must go and new emission-free infrastructure must be put in place.”

Worldstate weighed in: High inflation and strained household finances — The cost problem is real, but the plan's answer is lower taxes on biofuels rather than lower blending

The election manifesto states that fossil emissions from the transport sector shall be eliminated and that blending of fossil-free fuels shall continue, within the goal of no net emissions by 2045 at the latest. A reduction of the reduction mandate to 6 percent and abolished increases thereafter pulls in the opposite direction. The counter-proposal's requirement for a retained higher reduction mandate thus lies closer to the plan.

• continued blending of fossil-free fuelsdecisive»Fossilutsläppen från transportsektorn ska bort. Fler ska välja elbilen och en inblandning av fossilfria bränslen ska fortsätta.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Fossil emissions from the transport sector shall be gone. More shall choose the electric car and blending of fossil-free fuels shall continue.”
• climate targets shall be achieved»Vi ska nå klimatmålen – inga nettoutsläpp av växthusgaser senast 2045 och därefter negativa utsläpp – inom ramen för en växande ekonomi.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall reach the climate targets – no net greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 at the latest and thereafter negative emissions – within the framework of a growing economy.”
• break fossil dependence»Beroendet av fossila bränslen måste brytas« (party programme ↗)“Dependence on fossil fuels must be broken”
• the polluter pays»Det är den som förorenar – ingen annan – som ska betala.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is the one who pollutes – no one else – who shall pay.”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The election manifesto requires that petrol and diesel prices be reduced significantly for everyone, primarily through reduced use of expensive biofuel, which is exactly the reduction obligation reduction the counter-proposal wants to stop. The plan particularly sees those who live outside major cities and are dependent on their cars. Climate transition should, according to the plan, be conducted in a way that both works and is effective.

• reduced biofuel blendingdecisive»Sänk bensin- och dieselpriserna rejält för alla, främst genom minskad inblandningen av dyrt biobränsle.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Lower petrol and diesel prices significantly for all, primarily by reducing the use of expensive biofuel.”
• car-dependent countryside»Vi ser den som bor utanför storstäderna och är beroende av sin bil.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We see those who live outside the major cities and depend on their car.”
• effective climate transition»Sverige är världsledande i klimatomställningen och det ska vi fortsätta vara på ett sätt som både fungerar och är effektivt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden is world-leading in climate transition and that is what we shall continue to be in a way that both works and is effective.”
• car as prerequisite»Tillgång till bil är för många en förutsättning för att« (party programme ↗)“Access to a car is for many a precondition to”

The plan explicitly promises to lower the price of petrol and diesel and points out the world's highest diesel prices as one of the mistakes to be cleared away. Maintaining a higher reduction obligation keeps fuel prices up and thus conflicts with that commitment. The plan also demands lower tax on fuel for farming and that the car should be affordable regardless of fuel type.

• lower fuel pricesdecisive»Sänka priset på bensin och diesel så att du klarar din vardagsekonomi« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Lower the price of petrol and diesel so you can manage your everyday economy”
• bring down diesel prices»Det har blivit orimligt dyrt att vara svensk. Världens högsta dieselpriser.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It has become unreasonably expensive to be Swedish. The world's highest diesel prices.”
• car should be affordable»Där du som behöver åka en bit för att skjutsa dina barn till fotbollsträningen eller musikskolan har råd att ta bilen, oavsett om den går på bensin eller el.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Where you who need to drive a bit to take your children to football training or music class can afford to take the car, regardless of whether it runs on petrol or electricity.”
• lower fuel costs for farming»Moderaterna vill förbättra förutsättningarna att driva lantbruk genom att sänka skatterna, vilket vi redan börjat göra på drivmedel, och minska regelkrånglet så att kostnaderna för administration går ner.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Moderates want to improve the conditions for running a farm by lowering taxes, which we have already started doing on fuel, and reduce regulatory red tape so that the costs of administration go down.”

The counter-proposal wants to stop the reduction and maintain a higher reduction obligation. The plan explicitly demands lowered petrol and diesel prices through lower fuel tax and reduced reduction obligation, and that the requirements for blending inefficient biofuels that raise prices at the pump should decrease. Maintaining a higher reduction obligation therefore goes directly against the plan.

• reduced reduction obligationdecisive»Sänka bensin- och dieselpriset genom sänkt bränsleskatt och minskad reduktionsplikt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Lower petrol and diesel prices through lower fuel tax and reduced reduction obligation.”
• lower blending requirements»Kraven på inblandning av ineffektiva biodrivmedel som höjer priset vid pump och vars miljöeffekter är osäkra behöver minska.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The requirements for blending inefficient biofuels that raise the price at the pump and whose environmental effects are uncertain need to decrease.”
• lower prices at pump»Bensin- och dieselpriset vid pump måste minska där särskilt dieseln idag påverkas av en radikal svensk biodrivmedelspolitik som till stor del handlar om att importera ohållbara biodrivmedel från utlandet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Petrol and diesel prices at the pump must decrease where diesel in particular is affected by a radical Swedish biofuel policy which is largely about importing unsustainable biofuels from abroad.”
• less imported biofuels»Minska användningen av miljöskadliga och dyra biodrivmedel från utlandet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce the use of environmentally harmful and expensive biofuels from abroad”