Re-wetting of ditched wetlands and other restoration measures

The election manifesto explicitly asserts that drained wetlands that leak emissions shall be restored, and the party programme that wetlands play a special role in reducing climate emissions. The counter-proposal's demand for intensified re-wetting of drained peatland and increased environmental and climate consideration in development is the same thing in substance. The plan further requires that all political decisions take into account the acute state of the climate crisis.

• restored wetlandsdecisive»Skogens roll att naturligt minska och lagra utsläpp behöver stärkas och torrlagda våtmarker som läcker utsläpp ska återställas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The forest's role in naturally reducing and storing emissions needs to be strengthened and drained wetlands that leak emissions shall be restored.”
• wetlands' climate role»natur och kompensera för förlorade naturvärden. Våtmarker spelar« (party programme ↗)“nature and compensate for lost natural values. Wetlands play”
• ambitious environmental goals»miljömål som följs upp med skarp lagstiftning och praktiskt arbete.« (party programme ↗)“environmental goals monitored with sharp legislation and practical work.”
• climate consideration in 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.”

The party programme demands climate perspective at all levels of decision-making and protection of biological diversity and valuable natural environments. Rewetting of drained peatland and increased consideration in exploitation of wetlands are direct application of both commitments, because wetlands store carbon. The election manifesto's investment in local climate adaptation provides further support.

• climate perspective in all decisionsdecisive»Klimatperspektiv på alla nivåer av beslut och beslutsfattande.« (party programme ↗)“Climate perspective on all levels of decision-making and decision-making processes.”
• protection of natural environments»Värn av biologisk mångfald och Sveriges värdefulla natur och vattenmiljöer.« (party programme ↗)“Protection of biological diversity and Sweden's valuable nature and water environments.”
• local climate adaptation»Vi vill fortsätta de stora investeringarna så att kommunerna kan klimatanpassa lokalt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to continue the major investments so that municipalities can adapt to climate locally.”
• rapid climate transformation»Skyndsam och rättvis klimatomställning för att göra produktion, transporter och konsumtion mer hållbara.« (party programme ↗)“Rapid and fair climate transformation to make production, transport and consumption more sustainable.”

The election manifesto explicitly requires that drained wetlands be restored at a faster rate, which is precisely the counter-proposal's requirement for intensified rewetting. The party programme wishes for wetlands to be recreated and for protection of wetlands to be expanded and tightened, which supports the requirement for increased environmental and climate considerations in development. Peat is moreover regarded as a fossil fuel.

• faster rewettingdecisive»återställa våtmarker som torrlagts i snabbare takt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“restore wetlands that have been drained at a faster rate.”
• recreated wetlands»Naturskogar, våtmarker och andra utsatta vegetationstyper ska återskapas för att öka den biologiska mångfalden« (party programme ↗)“Old-growth forests, wetlands and other endangered vegetation types shall be recreated to increase biological diversity”
• tightened wetland protection»Skyddet av hav, skogar, våtmarker, stränder och flera andra biotoper måste utvidgas och skärpas.« (party programme ↗)“Protection of seas, forests, wetlands, shores and several other biotopes must be expanded and tightened.”
• peat as fossil fuel»Torv ska betraktas som ett fossilt bränsle.« (party programme ↗)“Peat shall be regarded as a fossil fuel.”

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.

The election manifesto explicitly states that more must be done to restore wetlands, with voluntariness and property rights as the foundation. The counter-proposal's demand for intensified rewetting of drained peatland and increased environmental and climate considerations in exploitation is the same commitment. The party programme furthermore links the use and protection of land to climate benefit.

• restoration of wetlandsdecisive»Mer måste göras för att restaurera våtmarker, bekämpa invasiva arter och underlätta för markägare att bidra, då frivillighet och äganderätt är grunden för en bättre naturvård.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More must be done to restore wetlands, combat invasive species and facilitate landowners' contribution, as voluntariness and property rights are the foundation for better nature conservation.”
• land as climate measure»Att bruka och värna åkermark och skog är också en betydande del i att motverka klimatförändringar.« (party programme ↗)“Farming and protecting agricultural land and forests is also a significant part in combating climate change.”
• cared-for nature»Sveriges natur ska vårdas och den biologiska mångfalden utvecklas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden's nature must be cared for and biological diversity developed.”
• compensation for ecosystem services»Lika viktigt som skyldigheten att betala när man belastar miljön, är rättigheten att få betalt när man producerar ekosystemtjänster.« (party programme ↗)“As important as the obligation to pay when burdening the environment, is the right to be paid when producing ecosystem services.”

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.

The plan explicitly commits to strengthening natural carbon storage by restoring more former wetlands. It also states that it is urgent to address the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and that negative emissions must begin long before the last fossil emissions cease. The counter-proposal's demands for intensified re-wetting and increased consideration when exploiting wetlands are thus the plan's own commitment.

• restored wetlandsdecisive»Den naturliga koldioxidinlagringen ska stärkas genom att fler tidigare våtmarker återställs.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Natural carbon storage shall be strengthened by restoring more former wetlands.”
• urgent carbon storage»Det brådskar att ta hand om den koldioxid som finns i atmosfären.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is urgent to address the carbon dioxide that exists in the atmosphere.”
• early negative emissions»Negativa utsläpp behöver börja göras långt innan de sista fossila utsläppen« (party programme ↗)“Negative emissions need to begin long before the last fossil emissions”
• nature conservation's renaissance»Naturvården måste få en renässans.« (party programme ↗)“Nature conservation must get a renaissance.”

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.

The party programme explicitly states that wetlands need to be preserved and where necessary restored, which is exactly what the counter-proposal seeks to intensify. The stewardship principle furthermore requires that we do not irresponsibly consume natural values and that future generations have access to them, which supports the demand for increased environmental and climate consideration in wetland exploitation. The precautionary principle applies when there is suspicion of irreversible damage.

• restoration of wetlandsdecisive»Våtmarker behöver bevaras och vid behov återställas,« (party programme ↗)“Wetlands need to be preserved and where necessary restored,”
• stewardship for future generations»Miljön och naturresurserna måste förvaltas ansvarsfullt, så att goda livsbetingelser inte äventyras och så att kommande generationer också får del av dem.« (party programme ↗)“The environment and natural resources must be managed responsibly, so that good living conditions are not endangered and so that future generations also have access to them.”
• the precautionary principle»också att agerandet grundas på försiktighetsprincipen.« (party programme ↗)“also that action is based on the precautionary principle.”
• biological diversity»Att slå vakt om den biologiska mångfalden är viktigt av« (party programme ↗)“Protecting biological diversity is important for”

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.

The counter-proposal wants to intensify the rewetting of drained peatland and sharpen consideration in the exploitation of wetlands. The plan's line on land and forest is that more land should be used, not less, and that too large an area has already been taken out of production. The plan also establishes that ownership rights are the prerequisite for sustainable use and that formal protection shall be done through voluntariness, which speaks against new requirements that take productive land out of use.

• more land should be useddecisive»Idag är närmare 30 procent av skogsmarken tagen ur produktion. Det är dåligt för Sverige och för klimatet – mer skog ska brukas, inte mindre.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Today nearly 30 percent of forest land has been taken out of production. It is bad for Sweden and for the climate – more forest should be used, not less.”
• reduced exempt area»Minska ytan av skog som är undantagen från skogsbruk« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce the area of forest that is exempt from forestry”
• voluntariness in protection»Stärka skogsägarnas äganderätt genom att formellt skydd av skog ska ske genom frivillighet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen forest owners' ownership rights by formal protection of forest being done through voluntariness”
• ownership rights and use»Människors rätt att äga ska värnas så att skogen kan brukas långsiktigt och hållbart till nytta för klimatet och miljön.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“People's right to own shall be protected so that forest can be used sustainably and long-term to the benefit of climate and environment.”

The plan establishes that land shall be used, that forest owners' right to use their forest shall be protected and that property rights shall be strengthened. Intensified rewetting of drained peatland and tightened consideration when developing wetlands take productive land out of use and restrict the landowner's room for manoeuvre. The plan also prioritizes adapted management before setting aside and seeks measures that give most environment per krona.

• the right to use landdecisive»Värna skogsägarnas rätt att bruka sina skogar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Protect forest owners' right to use their forests”
• land shall be used»Att jordbruksmarken brukas och att igenväxning motverkas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That agricultural land be used and that overgrowth be counteracted”
• strengthened property rights»Stärka äganderätten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen property rights”
• management before setting aside»Att anpassad skogsskötsel prioriteras före reservatsavsättning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That adapted forest management is prioritized before setting aside reserves”