New goal for efficient energy use

The plan wants to tie climate goals to concrete, numbered proposals and see ambitious environmental goals followed up by sharp legislation. A non-binding qualitative goal provides no such steering. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal's demand for a quantitative and measurable goal for efficient energy use.

• numbered climate goalsdecisive»klimatmålen med konkreta, siffersatta förslag. Det gör det möjligt att« (party programme ↗)“climate goals with concrete, numbered proposals. That makes it possible to”
• goals followed up sharply»miljömål som följs upp med skarp lagstiftning och praktiskt arbete.« (party programme ↗)“environmental goals followed up with sharp legislation and practical work.”
• strengthened climate governance»Investeringar i grön teknik, industri och infrastruktur, utbyggd energikapacitet och stärkt styrning utifrån nya, skärpta klimatmål behövs.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Investments in green technology, industry and infrastructure, expanded energy capacity and strengthened governance based on new, tightened climate goals are needed.”
• fixed frameworks for transition»Vi vill sätta fasta ramar för att ta Sverige ur fossilberoendet, med en« (party programme ↗)“We want to set fixed frameworks to take Sweden out of fossil dependence, with a”

The plan establishes that the climate policy framework - which is based on measurable goals - shall remain fixed and requires climate perspective at all levels of decision-making. A quantitative and monitorable goal for energy efficiency is the prerequisite for steering towards it, and the plan explicitly wants to increase the pace of energy efficiency. The plan does not pronounce on the goal's technical design.

• climate framework remains fixeddecisive»Det klimatpolitiska ramverket ska ligga fast. Genom statliga investeringar kan vi öka takten i industrins omställning och underlätta ett klimatsmart liv.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The climate policy framework shall remain fixed. Through state investments we can increase the pace of industrial transformation and facilitate climate-smart living.”
• climate governance in all decisions»Klimatperspektiv på alla nivåer av beslut och beslutsfattande.« (party programme ↗)“Climate perspective at all levels of decisions and decision-making.”
• increased pace in energy efficiency»Takten behöver därför öka och kunskapen om hur rot-avdraget kan användas för energieffektivisering behöver breddas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The pace therefore needs to increase and knowledge about how the renovation deduction can be used for energy efficiency needs to be broadened.”
• functioning electrification»Elektrifiering som fungerar för människor, industri och samhälle.« (party programme ↗)“Electrification that works for people, industry and society.”

The plan requires legally binding climate targets in line with research and a Swedish emissions budget, that is, measurable steering rather than general ambitions. Energy efficiency is singled out as a prioritized tool with powerful support. A quantitative and measurable target, as the counter-proposal requires, follows from this line.

• measurable emissions budgetdecisive»ta fram en svensk utsläppsbudget som gör att vi når klimatmålen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“develop a Swedish emissions budget so that we achieve our climate targets.”
• binding climate targets»juridiskt bindande klimatmål som ligger i linje med forskningen.« (party programme ↗)“legally binding climate targets that are in line with research.”
• support for energy efficiency»införa ett kraftfullt stöd för energieffektivisering till både hushåll och industrier.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“introduce powerful support for energy efficiency for both households and industries.”

The plan sets out measurable ambitions in the energy field, including that Sweden shall become the world's most resource-efficient country and that energy use in homes shall decrease, and demands leadership that prioritizes effective measures over symbolic politics. A non-binding qualitative goal gives weak steering and therefore aligns less with the plan than the counter-proposal's demand for a quantitative and measurable goal. The plan does not comment on the goal formulation's legal form, so the conclusion is derived.

• resource-efficiency as goaldecisive»Sverige ska bli världens mest resurseffektiva land och ekonomin mer cirkulär.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall become the world's most resource-efficient country and the economy more circular.”
• effective measures, not symbolic politics»Ett ledarskap som prioriterar effektiva åtgärder framför symbolpolitik eller passivitet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Leadership that prioritizes effective measures over symbolic politics or passivity.”
• reduced energy use»Det ska vara enkelt och billigt att installera solpaneler, bygga laddning till elbilar och minska energianvändningen hemma — vare sig man bor i hus eller lägenhet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It should be simple and cheap to install solar panels, build charging for electric cars and reduce energy use at home — whether you live in a house or an apartment.”
• science-based climate goals»Klimatpolitiken ska utgå från vad vetenskapen visar är nödvändigt för att undvika farliga förändringar.« (party programme ↗)“Climate policy should be based on what science shows is necessary to avoid dangerous change.”

The plan's goal is emission targets — net zero by no later than 2045 within the framework of a growing economy — and it counts on climate transition requiring twice as much electricity as today. A binding quantitative target for energy use lies outside that logic, and the plan explicitly warns against detailed steering that works against the free economy's prerequisites. The counter-proposal's requirement for a measurable quantitative target thus has no support in the plan.

• emission targets within growing economydecisive»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 goals – no net emissions of greenhouse gases by no later than 2045 and thereafter negative emissions – within the framework of a growing economy.”
• electricity use shall increase»Klimatomställningen kräver dubbelt så mycket el som i dag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Climate transition requires twice as much electricity as today.”
• no detailed steering»De krav på förändring som miljöhoten innebär får inte leda till ökad isolering mellan länder, detaljstyrning av människors vardagsliv eller motverkande av den fria ekonomins förutsättningar.« (party programme ↗)“The demands for change that environmental threats entail must not lead to increased isolation between countries, detailed steering of people's everyday lives or working against the free economy's prerequisites.”
• general policy instruments foremost»Generella och teknikneutrala ekonomiska styrmedel, såsom koldioxidskatt och breda system för handel med utsläppsrätter, är det mest effektiva redskapet.« (party programme ↗)“General and technology-neutral economic policy instruments, such as carbon tax and broad systems for trade in emission allowances, are the most effective tool.”

The plan formulates energy policy goals qualitatively - fossil freedom, supply security and strong competitiveness - and warns against regulations that hollow out business competitiveness or cause drastic price changes. A binding quantitative efficiency goal is a governance the plan does not seek. The plan simultaneously values energy efficiency highly, which pulls in the other direction.

• three qualitative pillarsdecisive»De tre grundpelarna för den svenska energipolitiken ska vara fossilfrihet, leveranssäkerhet och en stark konkurrenskraft.« (party programme ↗)“The three pillars of Swedish energy policy shall be fossil freedom, supply security and strong competitiveness.”
• protect competitiveness»Energiskatter och regelverk behöver utformas med hänsyn till förhållanden i omvärlden för att inte näringslivets konkurrenskraft ska urholkas.« (party programme ↗)“Energy taxes and regulations need to be designed with regard to conditions in the world around us in order that business competitiveness shall not be hollowed out.”
• fossil freedom without strains»Målet är ett fossilfritt energisystem utan drastiska prisförändringar, elbrist eller andra betydande påfrestningar på välfärd och sysselsättning.« (party programme ↗)“The goal is a fossil-free energy system without drastic price changes, electricity shortages or other significant strains on welfare and employment.”
• energy efficiency pays off»Energieffektivisering är ett lönsamt och effektivt sätt att trygga energiförsörjningen och nå våra miljö- och klimatmål.« (party programme ↗)“Energy efficiency is a profitable and effective way to secure energy supply and reach our environmental and climate goals.”

The plan's energy policy line is that the goal should be fossil-free rather than detailed quantitative targets, and it starts from the assumption that electricity need more than doubles by 2045 and therefore must be met with more predictable production. A binding quantitative efficiency target risks steering in the opposite direction from the electrification the plan is built on. The plan wants instead to make it cheaper for households to reduce their electricity consumption through tax deductions.

• fossil-free instead of quantitative targetsdecisive»Ändra det energipolitiska målet från 100 procent förnybart till 100 procent fossilfritt« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Change the energy policy goal from 100 per cent renewable to 100 per cent fossil-free”
• greatly increased electricity need»Fram till 2045 kommer Sveriges elbehov mer än fördubblas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“By 2045, Sweden's electricity need will more than double.”
• efficiency through tax deduction»Göra det billigare för privatpersoner att minska sin elkonsumtion genom att förstärka och utvidga det gröna skatteavdraget« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Make it cheaper for private individuals to reduce their electricity consumption by strengthening and expanding the green tax deduction”
• no to symbol targets»Klimatpolitiken får aldrig reduceras till dyrbar symbolpolitik eller snäv klimatnationalism.« (party programme ↗)“Climate policy must never be reduced to expensive symbol politics or narrow climate nationalism.”

The plan's energy policy goals are fossil freedom and supply security, not quantitative control of how much energy may be used, and electricity tax shall be lowered permanently to facilitate electrification. A binding quantitative efficiency target is precisely the type of oversized regulation the plan criticizes and wants to avoid beyond EU level. The counter-proposal's demands are therefore rejected on the merits.

• targets for fossil freedom and supply securitydecisive»Sätta upp mål för fossilfrihet och att ett mål för leveranssäkerhet införs« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Set targets for fossil freedom and that a target for supply security be introduced”
• against oversized regulations»Svensk klimatpolitik har istället kommit att förvandlas till en kostsam plakatpolitik där det är viktigare att spendera mycket skattemedel, införa nya skatter och införa överdimensionerade regelverk än att göra skillnad på riktigt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Swedish climate policy has instead come to be transformed into costly poster politics where it is more important to spend large amounts of tax revenue, introduce new taxes and implement oversized regulations than to make a real difference.”
• climate targets at EU level»De svenska klimatmålen bör anpassas till den klimatlagstiftning som finns på EU-nivå« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden's climate targets should be adapted to the climate legislation that exists at EU level”
• cheaper electricity for electrification»Sänka skatten på elenergi permanent för att underlätta elektrifieringen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Lower the tax on electrical energy permanently to facilitate electrification”