Sweden community action

Climate change has received significant scientific, public and political attention in Sweden. In 1896, Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius was the first scientist to quantify global heating. Sweden has a high energy consumtion per capita, but reducing the dependency on fossil energy has been on the agenda of cabinets of the Governments of Sweden since the 1970s oil crises. In 2014 and 2016, Sweden was ranked #1 in the Global Green Economy Index (GGEI), because the Swedish economy produces relatively low emissions. Sweden has had one of the highest usages of biofuel in Europe and aims at prohibiting new sales of fossil-cars, including hybrid cars, by 2035, and for an energy supply system with zero net atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.

Since the end of the 19th century, the average annual temperature has risen by almost two degrees Celsius, which can be compared to global warming of just over one degree. Sweden's winter temperature is predicted to further increase by as much as 7°C (13°F) by 2100 in a worst case scenario. This will increase the percentage of precipitation that comes from rain instead of snow. The Baltic Sea could see a surface water temperature increase of up to 4°C (7°F). This will decrease sea ice cover by the end of the century.

The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) produces guidelines and resources to help citizens adapt to climate change. The MSB keeps flood and landslide maps online, and guidelines for decision-making in case of disasters.

Governmental efforts include policy instruments and legislation to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Policy instruments include taxing carbon dioxide emissions, issuing renewable energy certificates, subsidizing renewable energy initiatives, and making investments in R&D.

Climate change has received significant scientific, public and political attention in Sweden. In 1896, Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius was the first scientist to quantify global heating. Sweden has a high energy consumtion per capita, but reducing the dependency on fossil energy has been on the agenda of cabinets of the Governments of Sweden since the 1970s oil crises. In 2014 and 2016, Sweden was ranked #1 in the Global Green Economy Index (GGEI), because the Swedish economy produces relatively low emissions. Sweden has had one of the highest usages of biofuel in Europe and aims at prohibiting new sales of fossil-cars, including hybrid cars, by 2035, and for an energy supply system with zero net atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.

Since the end of the 19th century, the average annual temperature has risen by almost two degrees Celsius, which can be compared to global warming of just over one degree. Sweden's winter temperature is predicted to further increase by as much as 7°C (13°F) by 2100 in a worst case scenario. This will increase the percentage of precipitation that comes from rain instead of snow. The Baltic Sea could see a surface water temperature increase of up to 4°C (7°F). This will decrease sea ice cover by the end of the century.

The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) produces guidelines and resources to help citizens adapt to climate change. The MSB keeps flood and landslide maps online, and guidelines for decision-making in case of disasters.

Governmental efforts include policy instruments and legislation to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Policy instruments include taxing carbon dioxide emissions, issuing renewable energy certificates, subsidizing renewable energy initiatives, and making investments in R&D.

Greenhouse gas emissions

Regarding greenhouse gas emission as a whole, the country has 4 targets: from the level of 1990, emissions should be reduced by 40% by the year 2020, by 63% by the year 2030, achieve net zero emissions by 2045, and reach negative emissions after this year.

In 2020, 2 years before it was planned to be done, Sweden closed its last coal fired power station and became coal free, the third country in Europe after Belgium and Austria. As of 2018, 54% of energy came from renewable sources. The country has a target to achieve 100% electricity from renewables by 2040.

In 2019 Sweden placed number four in the Climate Change Performance Index by Germanwatch with 76.28 points out of 100. No country was granted position one to three in the list as "No country is doing enough to prevent dangerous climate change.” Sweden ranked first in both the 2014 and 2016 editions of the Global Green Economy Index (GGEI) where Sweden performs well overall and within the topic of climate change performance where it is one of the top developed countries due to the relatively low emissions intensity of the Swedish economy.

The following table shows the yearly total emission of greenhouse gas in Sweden in million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO₂). Values for EU28 and world to compare trends.

The following table shows the yearly emission of greenhouse gas in Sweden in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per capita (t CO₂/capita).

For the total carbon dioxide emissions in 2009, without other Greenhouse gases or land use, at 50.56 million tonnes Sweden ranked in place 60 out of 216 countries, below Libya 55.0 million tonnes, Serbia 52.3 million tonnes and Finland 52.15 million tonnes. For the per capita carbon dioxide emissions in 2009, at 5.58 tonnes per capita (t/capita), Sweden ranked shared place 82 out of 216 countries having the same emissions as Ukraine. This was only slightly below the carbon dioxide emissions per capita in China 5.83 t/capita.

In 2000, Sweden ranked in place 76 out of 185 countries for the per capita greenhouse gas emissions when taking any land use changes into account. Without considering land use changes the country ranked at fifty eighth.

Climate gas emission in 2018 of public workers in Sweden was 410,000 tonnes (196,000 workers, ca 2 tonnes pro person). Naturvardsverket encourage to reduce the annual emissions in public sector. In 2019 nine first months Karolinska institutet have reduced 5% all air travels and 18% Swedish air travels compared to year 2018.

Road emissions

Share of biofuel increased from 22% to 23% in 2019. Road emissions declined by 2% from 2018 to 2019. To reach transport climate target by 2030 road traffic climate emissions must decline 8% a year (Sven Hunhammar, director in Trafikverket).

Aviation emissions

According to Swedavia there was 40 million aviation travels in Sweden in 2019. Number decreased 9% in domestic flights and decreased 2% in international flights compared to 2018. Swedish population in August 2019 was ca 10.3 million. This makes approximately in average 3.88 air travels per each citizen in Sweden in 2019.

Swedish aircraft greenhouse gas emissions equaled those of Swedish personal car traffic in 2017 according to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and a Chalmers University study published 31 May 2019. Total emissions in 2017 was one tonne carbon dioxide equivalent per Swedish person. This is five times the global average.

According to Swedish TV news, the Swedish government supports taxing aviation equal to private car traffic in 2019. Swedish TV news calculated that tax will make travel to Thailand 8,900 Swedish krona more expensive.

Chalmers University report 2019

Global civil aviation accounts for 4–5% of total greenhouse gas emissions and these emissions are increasing. Greenhouse gas emissions from air travel are substantial for high-income countries like Sweden. Chalmers University Gothenburg developed methodology to calculate Swedish aviation emissions.

The climate impact of aviation comes from CO₂ emissions, emissions of nitrogen oxides above 8000 meters, and the warm aircraft emissions forming ice crystals. Total emissions were estimated by calculating the CO₂ emissions by 1.9 for international flights, and by 1.4 for domestic flights. Calculation excluded emissions from the production of fuel which is 10-20% in the EU.

The Swedish population's air travel emission based on country of residence was 10 million tonnes CO₂eq, in business 20% and in private travel 80%. The amount 10 million tonnes CO₂eq can be compared with the bunker fuels metric which showed a total of 3.1 Mt CO₂. Emissions were ca 1.1 tonnes CO₂ equivalents per Swedish capita in 2017 compared to global average 0.2 tonnes per capita.

The Swedish aviation emissions are in total approximately equal to the emissions from the Swedish passenger vehicle traffic. Calculation exclude contribution of the tourists aviation visiting Sweden. Aviation emission was 170 g CO₂ per passenger kilometre compared to 50 gram per kilometre and person in a car with three passengers.

Statistics on "large emitters in Sweden"

Listed below, an overview of large emitters of CO₂ equivalents registered in Sweden in the European Union Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS). In 2018, the 584 entities registered in Sweden in EU ETS, emitting at least one tonne of CO₂e, combined had verified emissions of 22,624,282 tonnes of CO₂e. The column "Part of SE sum in EU ETS" is based on this sum, not the total emissions in Sweden.

Impacts on the natural environment

By the end of the century, Sweden's climate will be different from today's. There are uncertainties regarding the exact scope of the change, one uncertainty being the world's political trajectory regarding climate policy.

Temperature and weather changes

By the 2080s average temperatures are set to rise by 3–5 °C. The climate in the Mälardalen region will be similar to that of northern France. Winter temperatures are likely to see a greater increase than spring, summer and autumn temperatures. By the end of the century winters could be up to 7 °C warmer than today on average. The Norrland coast will probably be the region that sees the highest increases in temperature. In May 2018 mean temperature was more than in average +5 °C in most Sweden and +2.5 °C in most Europe. In July 2018 mean temperature was more than +3–4 °C on average in most of Sweden. In July 2018 Italy, Norway, Poland and France sent help to fight the dozens of forest fires in Sweden.

Precipitation

Sweden's future climate is expected to be wetter, with an increase in intense rain events. Most of the increase in precipitation will be during winter and a larger proportion will fall as rain. Summers will be drier and see a reduction in heavy rain events, particularly in the southern parts of Sweden.

Wind

Climate models differ on whether Sweden's climate will get windier or not. Some models predict an increase in average wind speed, whilst others predict a decrease. The predictions of one climate model able to resolve wind gusts show an increase in the speed of wind gusts in the future.

Baltic sea

The surface temperature of the Baltic Sea will increase as the air temperature increases. Some models predict up to 4 °C increases in surface water temperature. Sea ice cover is expected to decrease and be localized to the northern Gulf of Bothnia by the end on the century. The salinity of the Baltic Sea is predicted to fall in some climate models as a result of increased influx of freshwater from the mainland, though other models differ significantly with some even showing an increase in salinity.

Historical overview

Since the beginning of the Quaternary time period approximately 2.5 million years(Before present), Sweden's climate has alternated between glacial periods and interglacial periods. The glacial periods lasted for up to 100,000 years with temperatures possibly 20 °C lower than today's. Colder temperatures resulted in ice sheets covering most or all of Sweden. The interglacial periods were shorter, lasting 10,000–15,000 years. During these periods the climate was similar to today's with extensive forests and ice-free summers. The latest of these glacial periods was the Weichselian glaciation, lasting from about 115,000 years BP until about 11,500 years BP. At its peak 20,000–17,000 years BP, it extended into the northern parts of Germany and Poland. The transition to the current interglacial period was marked by a retreat of the Ice sheets and gradually warmer temperatures. By 6,000–7,000 years BP, the temperature was slightly warmer than today and most of the southern half of the country was covered in deciduous forests. The temperature has fluctuated since then with a weak cooling trend, leading to a relative increase in coniferous tree-cover.

Impacts on people

Economic impacts

Winter storms Gudrun in 2005 and Per in 2007 in southern Sweden overthrew huge volumes of forest and caused power cuts. Storm Per on 14 January 2007 affected 440,000 electricity users and Gudrun 620,000 customers. The reallocation of capital due to power disruptions during and after storm Per was estimated to be between SEK 1 800 and 3 400 million. The network operators cost was ca SEK 1 400 million, of which SEK 750 million compensation for affected customers. The costs for electricity consumers was estimated to SEK 180–1 800 million.

Health impacts

Climate change may affect the health status of the population in several ways.

• Warmer weather conditions can affect the elderly and vulnerable people in periods of extremely warm weather.
• Spread of vector-borne diseases, in particular, tick-borne infections like Lyme disease (borreliosis) and tick-borne encephalitis. Ticks have spread northwards and can now even be found in the regions of Norrland. Also, there are still five species of mosquitoes in Sweden that may spread the malaria parasite. With the last indigenous case reported in the 1930s, a few new cases of malaria may appear with increasing temperature. The anopheles species of mosquitoes that spread the malaria parasite are sensitive to weather conditions that can be affected by climate change. Increased precipitation affects the number of hatching places of the mosquitoes, while an increase in humidity and temperature increases the life span of the mosquitoes and the development of the malaria parasite inside the mosquito.
• Quality of water and food can be affected by higher temperatures in the summer and by changes in the water cycle. For example, there are concerns that increased groundwater level fluctuations can mobilize soil contaminants such as heavy metals and that these will spread to the groundwater. Droughts can affect water availability for irrigation and impact crop yields.
• Air quality may be changed with a different composition of dust and pollen grains. Studies of future scenarios project that the spreading of ragweed northwards may cause new cases of allergy and asthma.

Cyclone Gudrun in 2005

Estimates of about 730,000 users were without electricity the night of 8 January. The storm also damaged distribution networks of Vattenfall, Kreab Öst and other smaller companies. All the electricity damage also affected telephone and computer networks.

Cyclone Gudrun hit Sweden on 8 January 2005. Before the wind speeds stopped, they had reached a maximum of 43 m/s. Wind speeds were at their strongest in the Bay of Hanö where they reached hurricane level of 33 m/s with gusts of 42 m/s. Areas like Skåne, Blekinge, Halland, Kronoberg, Gotland, and parts of Jönköping, Kalmar, and Västra Götaland counties were hit with winds reaching 30 m/s or more. Additionally, gusts of winds hit Södermanland coast, Lake Mälaren, Lake Hjälmaren and southern parts of Stockholm County. A total of eleven counties were strongly affected by the storm.

Despite the storm occurring in January, the weather at the time was mild which made the need for heat less than usual. District heating systems in urban areas did not suffer from long power cuts to cause problems. However, smaller areas did suffer from heating systems failures. Millions of trees were torn by the roots and others were cut at the trunk. Trees blocked roads and seized traffic. The lack of frost in the ground caused spruce trees to be vulnerable to the high winds. 75 million cubic meters of forest was felled which is equal to several years of normal felling in the affected areas. A major problem was telephone systems failure which delayed the clearing of roads and repair of overhead lines.

Nursing homes and elderly care services were also affected as individual safety alarms did not work. People were stranded in their cars on blocked roads. Seven people were killed in accidents and others were injured on the night of January 8th. Other deaths occurred after the storm, for example, one man was killed while attempting to fix his roof. In addition, people suffered from PTSDs.

Adaptation

Sweden has socioeconomical advantages that help higher the safety awareness to prevent natural disasters. The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) creates guidelines and strategies to help the society adapt to climate change.

Floods

As Sweden is affected every year by damaging floods, the MSB maintains and compiles general flood inundation maps, which are used for risk vulnerability analysis, emergency preparedness and in land use planning by municipalities. Flood prevention can include pumping equipment, embankments and dykes, or devices to shut down water supply and sewage systems.

Forest fires

The MSB has created a national information system for fire brigades. The system is found on the Internet and it provides information about how the climate can affect vegetation fire risks. It provides data that helps with prevention and can assist in decision-making.

Storms

The MSB provides generators that can be borrowed by areas that are hit by a storm and have lost power.

Landslides

Because of Sweden's location and the nature of the ground, landslides can affect some areas. The MSB provides general stability mapping for areas susceptible to landslides. The maps show which areas can be affected and which areas are in need of detailed geotechnical surveys.

Areas where consequences of a storm can be serious, the government grants 40 million Swedish kronor per year for preventions. Municipalities that have preventive measures can apply for subsidy from these allocated funds. A municipality that has been affected by a natural emergency has the right to ask the state for compensation to cover the exceeding costs.

Mitigation

EU Renewable Targets

Sweden met its EU member-agreed binding renewable 2020 target in 2012.

2014 United Nations Climate Change Conference

At the 2014 United Nations Climate Change Conference the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) demanded:

1. Swedish government should confirm the given election promises of 40% emission decline by 2020
2. International 5-years goals
3. Binding for every country
4. SEK4 billion Kr Swedish green fund for 2015–2018
5. Actively aim concrete agreement text already in Lima 2014

181 students took initiative to work in 2015 for two weeks to improve Swedish climate change carbon footprint in relation to green food, solar energy, bicycles, customs, consumption and wastes.

Policy instruments

Sweden has applied policy instruments and measures for climate change mitigation since the 1980s. The instruments used include economic instruments (such as CO₂ tax, subsidies, penalties), legislation, voluntary agreements, and a dialogue between the state and business enterprise. The main instruments are described below:

Carbon dioxide tax instrument

In Sweden, there are so far three different taxes levied on energy products (mainly fossil fuels), namely energy tax, sulphur tax and CO₂ tax. Energy taxation has been used as a policy instrument ever since the oil crisis of the 1970s to support renewable energy and nuclear power. Energy tax was reduced by half in 1991 during the tax reform, simultaneously with the introduction of a CO₂ tax on fossil fuels, with exceptions on ethanol, methanol, other biofuels, peat and wastes.

Renewable energy certificate system

As one part of the Government's long-term energy policy to reduce GHG emissions, the Swedish government introduced a voluntary international system for trading "green certificates", i.e. the renewable energy certificate system (RECS). With effect from 1 May 2003, RECS intends to encourage and increase the proportion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources. This will be done by payment of a levy in proportion to certain fraction of their electricity during the year. For example, during the first year (2003), users will be required to buy 7.4 per cent of the electricity generated from renewable sources.

Renewable energy subsidies and continuous investment on R&D

Since 1991, Sweden started many programs to encourage the use of renewable energy and new technology development, e.g. Energy Policy program (Long and short-term programs that focus on ways to increase the supply of renewable electricity, to reduce electricity consumption, and to promote energy efficiency), Green Certificate Scheme (Generators using solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, wave or small hydro are awarded one certificate for each MWh produced, and all consumers are obliged to buy enough certificates to cover a set proportion of their use).

International collaboration and carbon trading systems

Sweden also shows its leadership in international cooperation and competence on the climate change issues. Sweden actively took part in some international climate policy programs, such as Prototype Carbon Funds (PCF) and Activities Implemented Jointly (AIJ)

Oil independence and phase-out targets

The government created a Commission on Oil Independence (Kommissionen för att bryta oljeberoendet i Sverige till år 2020) and in 2006 it proposed the following targets for 2020:

• Consumption of oil in road transport to be reduced by 40–50%
• Consumption of oil in industry to be cut by 25–40%
• Heating buildings with oil, a practice already cut by 70% since the 1973 oil crisis, should be phased out
• Overall, energy should be used 20% more efficiently

Legislation

A Climate Act that targets zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 was agreed upon by Swedish parliament in June 2017, making Sweden the first country with a legally binding carbon neutrality target. The legislation has been in force since January 1, 2018. After 2045 negative net emissions are targeted. The scope includes compensation projects abroad and emissions trading, but excludes aviation emissions.

The Swedish government published a new plan on 17 December 2019 with 132 actions. Climate law has been in place since 2017. Sweden's goal is to reduce greenhouse gases 85% from the 1990 level by 2045. The 2019 plan outlines specific targeted reductions for aviation and sea travel. The plan includes a carbon tax, tax reform that supports climate and environment goals, a green tax, a climate LCA for buildings in 2022, the requirement that all electricity, heating and transport must be carbon zero in 2045, and promotes private renewable energy projects to make them easier and cheaper. The short-term goal is to reduce emissions from transport sector including aviation within Sweden at least 70% by 2030. Alternatives to private cars in cities are considered. A new price system for collective traffic will be introduced latest in 2022.

Paris Agreement

The Paris Agreement is a legally international agreement adopted at the COP 21, its main goal is to limit global warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. It was ratified by the Swedish parliament on October 16, 2016. The Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC's) are the plans to fight climate change adapted for each country. Every party in the agreement has different goals based on its own historical climate records and the country's circumstances.

In the case for member countries of the European Union the goals are very similar and the European Union work with a common strategy within the Paris Agreement.

Society and culture

Public participation

Public participation is quite important in addressing climate change and its effects and developing adequate responses. Without the support of the public, it is impossible to implement a new policy instrument successfully. For example, one cannot anticipate that bio ethanol and bio diesel could be widely consumed without support and understanding from the general population. Therefore, information to raise the public's level of knowledge concerning the climate issue is necessary.

One public initiative, hosted by the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, is the Viable Cities program, which works with nine Swedish cities, including Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö, to support becoming carbon neutral and sustainable by 2030. The initiative, called Climate Neutral Cities 2030, will include 20 Swedish cities by the end of 2021. A new instrument in Viable Cities work is Climate City Contract 2030. It was signed by the top political leadership of the nine municipalities, by the Directors-General of the government agencies Vinnova, the Swedish Energy Agency, Formas and the Swedish Agency for Growth and by Viable Cities in December 2020. Viable Cities' Chief Storyteller is tasked with increasing public participation by developing effective forms of climate communication that promote public engagement.

Public perception of climate change

A 2002 survey showed that over 95% of respondents said that the use of tax money for addressing climate change was either "Very important" or "Fairly important". A little over half of the respondents were willing to change the use of hot water, electricity consumption and travel arrangement in order to reduce the impact of climate change. A little under half did not want to decrease internal building temperatures as a means of reducing climate change impact. A201

Forest owners

Forest owners and forestry professionals don't seem to be worried about climate change affecting forests in Sweden. For example, Forest owners in Kronoberg believe that climate change effects are distant and long-term. Stakeholders focus more on personal experience rather than results of how climate change will affect forests in the future. Another forest professional says that nothing they can do today can affect the changes that will happen in the future.

See also

• Biofuel in Sweden
• Climate change in Norway
• Regional effects of global warming
• Arctic Climate Impact Assessment
• List of countries by greenhouse gas emissions per capita
• Plug-in electric vehicles in Sweden

References

External links

• Swedish Government Offices – Climate policy
• Swedish Environmental Protection Agency – Climate change page
  • Swedish Environmental Protection Agency – Tables on greenhouse gas emissions
• Emissions from 1990
• Sweden's Environmental Objectives – Climate change page
• Commission on Climate Change and Development – based in Sweden and currently chaired by the Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation

Rewilding Europe is a non-profit organization based in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, dedicated to creating rewilded landscapes throughout Europe. The group's efforts have contributed to increasing the stock of previously endangered species such as the European bison and the Iberian lynx.

Rewilding Europe was formally established on June 28, 2011, as an independent, non-profit foundation (ANBI status) registered in the Netherlands. The four co-founders of Rewilding Europe are Frans Schepers, Staffan Widstrand, Neil Birnie, and Wouter Helmer.

The organization has received funding from the European Investment Bank and the Endangered Landscapes Programme.

Rewilding Europe is actively engaged in ten rewilding areas located in 12 European countries.

The Greater Côa Valley rewilding area is located in Portugal, in the Côa Valley, along the border with Spain. Here, Rewilding Europe is trying to increase the number of semi-wild livestock, such as feral horses and cows. Due to depopulation and land abandonment, there has been a significant decrease in grazing, which has caused natural succession and more plant cover in the landscapes. The organization promotes grazing as a tool to lower the risk of fire. The organization claims more "wild" livestock will lead to more diverse "mosaic landscapes", which may improve conditions for populations of roe deer and other species, including some that are extinct in the region, such as the Iberian ibex. Besides the promotion of conservation grazing, the organization is also occupied with promoting ecotourism, advocacy to convince the Portuguese government to set aside more land to create a biological corridor, and a project to increase the number of wolves in the area.

The 580,000-hectare Danube Delta is home to massive amounts of water birds, most notably pelicans of two species, herons, storks, cormorants, and terns. It is a favourite staging area for passage migrants and wintering grounds for masses of migrating water birds from the steppes, the boreal forests, and the tundras further north. The region has some of Europe's few remaining grazed mosaic forest landscapes, kept in their natural state by the wild horses and wild cattle still present. Working with partners, the Rewilding Danube Delta team is working to significantly improve the ecological integrity and natural functioning of 40,000 hectares of wetland and terrestrial delta habitat, using rewilding principles on a landscape scale. Revitalised and self-governing natural processes, particularly flooding and natural grazing, will govern landscape formation, driving other natural processes, wildlife comeback, increased biodiversity, and the development of a nature-based economy. The Danube Delta rewilding area is part of the Tauros breeding programme, managed by the Taurus Foundation and Rewilding Europe. The programme aims to breed a cattle breed that resembles the aurochs by establishing viable free-ranging populations of cattle in several European locations. Due to translocations in 2016 and 2017, the number of Tauros cattle grazing near Sfântu Gheorghe, Tulcea is now 18 animals. Rewilding Europe works to create new opportunities for delta communities by supporting the development of nature-based business. 2019 saw the release of a water buffalo herd as a proxy for Bubalus murrensis; and 2020, of a Turkmenian kulan herd (a species present in European Russia until the 18th or 19th century, and close relative of the Western European wild ass that became extinct in the Chalcolithic).

The Southern Carpathians were considered a good place for nature conservation work. Rewilding Europe has concentrated on part of the region which counts more than 1 million hectares of protected areas already in place, rich wildlife, large intact forests, a high concentration of biodiversity, relatively intact wild landscapes, wild rivers, and large areas of mosaic vegetation largely shaped by traditional farming and grazing practices.

The work of Rewilding Europe and its partners is focused on bringing back the European bison. Since 2013, Rewilding Europe and WWF Romania have been working together in the Southern Carpathians rewilding area to reintroduce this iconic species. The major objective of this ongoing project is to create a demographically and genetically viable population in the Southern Carpathians, comprising free-roaming sub-populations in the Țarcu Mountains and nearby Poiana Ruscă Mountains.

So far, following bison releases in 2014 and 2015, in June 2016, a third bison release took place as part of the European Commission-funded LIFE Bison project, with a fourth release of nine animals taking place in April 2017. Rewilding Europe and WWF Romania have been working together to create one of the largest contiguous wild areas in Europe.

Situated on a mountain chain on the Adriatic coast in Croatia, the Velebit rewilding area is one of the wildest areas of the whole Mediterranean. The area hosts two national parks, a biosphere reserve, several hiking trails, old-growth forests, deep canyons, ancient open lands and wildlife like Balkan chamois, red deer, brown bear, wolf, and lynx.

Many local inhabitants have moved out of the area towards the coast. As a result, many areas of this region are now characterized by land abandonment, rural exodus and fading cultural tradition. Rewilding Europe is working with its partners to transform challenges into opportunities. This has seen the establishment of the 17,000-hectare Velebit Nature Reserve, situated between two large national parks. Here rewilding is offering a fresh approach to wildlife management and underpinning the development of a local nature-based economy, creating a wildlife and ecological corridor in the Velebit mountains.

Wildlife-watching hides are constructed and it is planned that new ones will be built in future to create job opportunities benefiting the local community. In collaboration with the University of Zagreb's Faculty of Forestry, the Rewilding Velebit team are working to have the Ramino Korito old-growth beech forest, located in the southern part of Velebit Mountains, designated a special woodland reserve, highlighting its rarity and biological value. On the Lika Plains, a grassland located in the foothills of the Velebit Mountains, Rewilding Europe is working to reintroduce wild and semi-wild grazers. Since it began in 2015 the project has doubled in size and now extends across 1000 hectares.

On 10 December 2014 experienced Croatian hiker Zdenko Đanić was killed by a Sayaguesa bull which the project had imported. The shepherd was present but rescuers reached the injured hiker too late due to the remote location.

The Central Apennines are characterized by a rich diversity of ecosystems and therefore also wildlife species. The work of Rewilding Europe and its partners in Central Apennines focuses on developing large "coexistence corridors" by connecting the local economy with wilder nature in four corridors collectively covering more than 40,000 hectares.

In the protected areas (the Abruzzo and Majella National Parks and Sirente-Velino Regional Park) the corridors are intended to benefit the wildlife populations and the quality of nature and nature-related experiences. The 10-year project's goal is to reduce bear mortality and conflict by installing traffic accident prevention measures, removing old fencing, restoring and improving signage, and distributing new mobile electric fences. Furthermore, Rewilding Europe and its partners work on supporting nature-based enterprises in and around corridor areas, and raising awareness about wildlife and nature conservation amongst local communities and people visiting the area.

The Rhodope Mountains are the only breeding area for griffon vultures in Bulgaria and also the most important breeding site for the globally threatened Egyptian vulture on the Balkan peninsula. The work of Rewilding Europe focuses on restoring food chains in the Rhodope Mountains. Restoring natural food chains is a flagship project of Rewilding Europe, supported by the European Commission through the LIFE project "Conservation of black and griffon vultures in the cross-border Rhodope mountains". Rewilding Europe's main focus is to help vultures and other scavenging species by boosting the availability of wild herbivore carcasses, thereby closing the circle of life.

Together with local partners Rewilding Europe is increasing the number of local ungulates through several annual red deer and fallow deer releases, with reintroduced animal behaviour monitored through the use of GPS collars. Rewilding Europe is boosting biodiversity through mosaic landscape creation. Together with partners, Rewilding Europe is creating space for natural processes like forest regeneration, free-flowing rivers, herbivory, and carnivory to impact ecosystems. Rewilding Europe and Rewilding Rhodope extends its efforts to restore steppe habitat, and increase the population of the endangered European ground squirrel.

The Oder Delta region is a unique combination of a rich mosaic of large and wild continental, marine, and freshwater ecosystems in Germany and Poland. The transboundary region stretches over more than 250,000 hectares, of which nearly 70,000 hectares are the open waters of the lagoon. Rewilding Europe, nature conservation organisations and local partners have started working on several pilot conservation and sustainable development projects here in 2013, based on the exploration of nature-based economic opportunities. A professional non-profit organization in the form of a registered association Rewilding Oder Delta e.V. has been established and registered in Germany in 2019 to facilitate this cooperation and to develop further projects for the benefit of nature and people in the region.

The eventual aim is to restore and safeguard regional nature and to develop alternative, sustainable and nature-friendly models of land, freshwater and sea use with local landowners, entrepreneurs, communities and residents. The Oder Delta team is working with partners to boost biodiversity in the delta by improving habitats and their connectivity, rewilding rivers, restoring sensitive peatlands and alluvial areas, supporting sustainable wildlife comeback, and local nature-based economy.

Currently working in collaboration with fishing associations on both the Råne and Piteå, Rewilding Lapland is now working hard to boost fish migration through activities such as spawning ground restoration and the removal of artificial obstacles. Sonar-based fish counters are used on both rivers to measure results. Together with river restoration, Rewilding Lapland is exploring new nature-based business opportunities, providing support to enterprises involved in fishing and otter watching on the lower Råne River.

Rewilding Lapland and local partners support guided reindeer migration, raising awareness of these threats and supporting Sami communities in their fight for traditional grazing rights. Rewilding Lapland collaborates with Sami communities to develop wildlife-watching businesses and guided reindeer tourism. The Rewilding Lapland team and partners are working to grow a local nature-based economy and reduce human-wildlife conflict.

The Iberian Highlands rewilding landscape is located in the Alto Tajo Nature Reserve and the Serranía de Cuenca mountains in central Spain, forming an 850,000 hectares (2,100,000 acres) mountainous area consisting of river canyons, steppe prairie, pine, oak, and juniper forests, and farmland. The selected area had undergone significant land abandonment as a result of rural depopulation, which reduced both the local population density, which dropped to fewer than two people per square kilometre, and the numbers of the sheep herds that had been historically grazed in the area. The lowered human footprint favoured the reestablishment of roe, fallow, and red deer, wild boar, European mouflon, and small herds of Iberian ibex, alongside griffon vultures and the largest population of Egyptian vultures in Europe. Rewilding Europe's programs in this area are primarily focused on the introduction of large grazers and predators.

In 2021, 17 cinereous vultures, which vanished from the area in the 1920s, were reintroduced to forested areas within the highlands.

In September 2023, a herd of ten Przewalski's horses obtained from Monts d'Azur Biological Reserve in France was introduced. The horses are intended to fill a niche similar to that of the extinct European wild horse by opening the landscape through low-intensity grazing and browsing, thus enhancing biodiversity and lowering the risk of forest fires. Future introductions are planned to supplement the starting herd's genetic diversity and the species' low rate of reproduction. Other areas of the park are being used to host semi-wild Serrano horses alongside Tauros cattle, a breed intended to resemble the extinct aurochs.

An experimental release of Iberian lynx is planned for the end of 2023. Local rabbit populations have fallen significantly due to the use of disease as pest control. As rabbits are the lynx's primary source of food, the release is intended to determine whether the lynxes will be able to switch to a different source of prey, such as young deer.

A proposal has been made to establish a natural park around the gorges formed by the Tagus River, which would prohibit hunting, fishing, and logging but permit traditional agriculture. This has faced resistance from hunters and municipalities who depend on wild game and hunting permits, respectively, as sources of revenue.

The rewilding programs are planned to cooperate with local communities to establish sustainable farming and ecotourism. This is hoped to both bolster the local economy and form goodwill with established societies.

Rewilding Europe uses several tools to support its activities.

European Rewilding Network (ERN) is an online network set up to connect areas in the continent where rewilding efforts are taking place, including both the core Rewilding Europe locations as well as many other sites with externally run projects. Promoting the sharing of knowledge and experience between the many projects and locations is the main goal of the network. The tools ERN uses are Online Seminars (webinars) held quarterly on various rewilding topics. ERN forum, open and free to all members, this online platform is used to post questions and information, interact at any time, and view previous webinars on a wide range of rewilding-related topics. ERN Bridge, is a virtual bridge set up in hopes to close the gap between the needs of the vast numbers of rewilding initiatives with students and volunteers searching to gain experience by working in nature conservation and rewilding. Direct access to Rewilding Europe Capital (REC), Europe's first ‘rewilding enterprise’ funding facility that provides financial loans to new and existing businesses that catalyse, support and achieve positive environmental and socio-economic outcomes that support rewilding in Europe. ERN members are eligible for direct access to the European Wildlife Bank, a tool designed to facilitate the reintroduction and restocking of herbivores to rewilding areas across the European continent.

Rewilding Europe Capital (REC) is the first ‘rewilding enterprise’ funding facility that provides financial loans to new and existing businesses that catalyse, support and achieve positive environmental and socio-economic outcomes that support rewilding in Europe.

European Investment Bank provided Rewilding Europe Capital with a 6 million euro loan finance contract. It is the first project of the “Bank on Nature Initiative”, set up by the European Commission. The signing ceremony took place in the Berlaymont Building, the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels.REC forms part of the enterprise component of Rewilding Europe, which is working to build a business case for wild nature in Europe. REC was established to positively stimulate enterprise economies connected to natural landscapes and their wildlife. REC achieves this by providing commercial business loans to businesses that can: positively address negative socio-economic impacts caused by rural land abandonment; directly and indirectly support rewilding processes and activities in Europe and to those that deliver economic returns from nature and wildlife-related sectors that also work to conserve natural landscapes, capital, and rural cultures and heritage connected to them.By 2018 Rewilding Europe in total loaned out to 18 enterprises the sum of 520,000 euros.

European Wildlife Bank (EWB) a tool Rewilding Europe uses to help bring back more natural numbers of the original native herbivores in our rewilding areas. These big grazers and browsers play key roles in the natural functioning of Europe's ecosystems.Tauros cattle, native horses and European bison are examples of the species involved in the European Wildlife Bank. European Wildlife Bank developed a database for all the animals in the bank. This includes information on births and deaths in all relevant areas across Europe, the start and end dates of contracts, the yearly availability of animals, and the demand for animals from new rewilding areas. By 2018 Rewilding Europe signed 16 contracts with partner organisations in nine countries.

Titled "Making Space for Rewilding: Creating an enabling policy environment" is a policy brief written by Paul Jepson, Course Director at the School of Geography and Environment at the University of Oxford and Frans Schepers, Managing Director of Rewilding Europe. The brief was written to make rewilding widely acceptable and recognizable as an innovative conservation method. The brief communicates that rewilding as such represents a growing movement in Europe and has attained scientific, practical, and media presence. The interviews have been conducted with ten experts from the field of EU nature and legislation and in rewilding to explore the opportunities to create a policy environment that would support fuller expression of rewilding visions and principles.

With the help of this brief, Rewilding Europe works on getting support to enable the environment for rewilding in its nature conservation and land-use policies. Four main targets to be implemented in the EU policy are: 1) recognizing rewilding as a new conservation approach emerging from the inter-disciplinary conservation science interacting with currents in culture and society, 2) positioning rewilding as a complementary approach with the potential to extend the scope and impact of the EU nature policy cost-effectively, supporting better implementation of the Nature Directives, and 3) undertakings to support and invest in rewilding initiatives and studies and engage in dialogue with the rewilding movement in preparation for the 2030 biodiversity strategy.

In March 2017, a coalition of five organisations kicked off a new initiative to promote and strengthen the EU ecological restoration agenda. By signing a Memorandum of Understanding, Rewilding Europe, BirdLife Europe, and Central Asia, WWF European Policy Office, the European Environmental Bureau, and the German Institute for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), launched this 3-year initiative funded by WWF Netherlands. The overall aim of the project is to strengthen the EU restoration agenda and ensure that specific actions are taken to create a coherent ecological network in Europe, by promoting and using rewilding principles.

Similarly, in 2020, the WWF, The Rivers Trust, The Nature Conservancy, The European Rivers Network, Rewilding Europe, Wetlands International Europe, and The World Fish Migration Foundation have formed a coalition to restore Europe's rivers and streams to their natural state.

Since its establishment, Rewilding Europe has published annual reviews covering its activities, achievements in rewilding areas, specific ten-year objectives, news about rewilding, nature-based economies, nature-based tourism, wild nature, and more.

Rewilding Europe engages with many European universities, as rewilding is a future-oriented, long-term conservation approach, which requires raising awareness of the younger generations. Some of the universities with which Rewilding Europe has good connections are Oxford, Cambridge, Leipzig, Madrid, Amsterdam, Zagreb, and Warsaw.

• Pleistocene rewilding
• Rewilding Britain

Official website

KRAV is the main Swedish organization that develops and maintains regulations for ecological sustainable agriculture, founded in 1985 by a consortium of organic producers.

KRAV is a member of International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements.

SymbioCity is a holistic and inclusive approach to sustainable urban planning and development based on the experiences of Swedish municipalities and global best practices. Since 2010, SymbioCity has been used as a supportive tool for cities in different countries around the world with the overall goal to improve living conditions for citizens, with a special emphasis on the urban poor. SymbioCity provides flexible tools and process support for a large variety of assignments - from a single neighbourhood to large-scale regional development projects. SymbioCity supports the development of urban development solutions by making strategic use of synergies, participatory methods and holistic analysis. The process is designed to improve sustainability, synergies between urban systems, involvement of various actors in developing, planning and managing urban areas, alternative development scenarios, impact analysis and evaluation. Through processes, methods and tools, SymbioCity integrates economic, environmental, socio-cultural and spatial dimensions as well as gender and pro-poor perspectives in the urban development. SymbioCity approaches urban development with the belief that processes – and not only technical solutions – gradually move us towards improved living conditions.

During the period 2010-2020 SymbioCity has been operational with city support projects and capacity building programmes in more than 20 countries in Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia. The projects are run from the SymbioCity Secretariat at SKL International, a subsidiary of the Swedish Associations of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR).

Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east.At 450,295 square kilometres (173,860 sq mi), Sweden is the largest Nordic country and the fifth-largest country in Europe. The capital and largest city is Stockholm. Sweden has a population of 10.5 million, and a low population density of 25.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (66/sq mi); around 87% of Swedes reside in urban areas in the central and southern half of the country. Sweden’s urban areas together cover 1.5% of its land area. Because the country is so long, ranging from 55°N to 69°N, the climate of Sweden is diverse.

Sweden has been inhabited since prehistoric times, c. 12,000 BC. The inhabitants emerged into history as the Geats (Swedish: Götar) and Swedes (Svear), which together constituted the sea-faring peoples known as the Norsemen. A unified Swedish state was established during the late 10th century. In 1397, Sweden joined Norway and Denmark to form the Scandinavian Kalmar Union, which Sweden left in 1523. When Sweden became involved in the Thirty Years' War on the Protestant side, an expansion of its territories began, forming the Swedish Empire, which remained one of the great powers of Europe until the early 18th century. During this era Sweden controlled much of the Baltic Sea. Most of the conquered territories outside the Scandinavian Peninsula were lost during the 18th and 19th centuries. The eastern half of Sweden, present-day Finland, was lost to Imperial Russia in 1809. The last war in which Sweden was directly involved was in 1814, when Sweden by military means forced Norway into a personal union, a union which lasted until 1905.

Sweden is a highly developed country ranked fifth in the Human Development Index. It is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy, with legislative power vested in the 349-member unicameral Riksdag. It is a unitary state, divided into 21 counties and 290 municipalities. Sweden maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens. It has the world's 14th highest GDP per capita and ranks very highly in quality of life, health, education, protection of civil liberties, economic competitiveness, income equality, gender equality and prosperity. Sweden joined the European Union on 1 January 1995. It is also a member of the United Nations, NATO, the Nordic Council, the Schengen Area, the Council of Europe, the World Trade Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).