WIREDGOV

Thanks to the Just Transition Fund (JTF) Programme adopted by the Commission, Sweden will receive €155.7 million in EU grants to support the country's efforts to achieve climate neutrality by 2045 and alleviate the impact of the climate transition. Sweden will mobilise a total investment of €311.5 million to help making sure that this transition will not leave anyone behind in the local economy and society. 

Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, yesterday said:

“Sweden's aim to be climate neutral five years ahead of the EU target is truly commendable. The faster we transition to climate neutrality, the better we can mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis. The support from the Just Transition Fund agreed in this plan will help Sweden meet its targets in an inclusive and fair way, offering new perspectives to workers in the country's most industry-heavy regions.”

Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, yesterday said:

“Industrial counties of Sweden produce a significant part of the country's greenhouse gases. With the adoption of the Just Transition Fund, we are helping Sweden curb the emissions while protecting the local population against its negative economic and social consequences.”

The JTF support will help Swedish industry transition to climate neutrality, while maintaining competitiveness and sustaining economic and employment levels in the counties of Norrbotten, Västerbotten and Gotland. As industrial emissions account for 32% of Sweden's total greenhouse gas emissions, the transformation of the steel, mineral and metals industry, main greenhouse emitters, will have an important socio-economic impact. The JTF will help alleviate this impact by investing in research and innovation and in the retraining and reskilling of workers.

Because of the scale of the decarbonisation challenge, the JTF will also support targeted investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in activities covered by the Emissions Trading System, such as steel and cement production. These investments are essential to maintain jobs in these sectors and will ensure that the emissions will be significantly reduced, in line with the requirements of the JTF Regulation.  

Finally, €9 million of the JTF will contribute to the increased capacity of Gotland's electricity grid. A strengthened electricity grid on the island of Gotland as well as an increased share of renewable electricity generation are prerequisites for the conversion of the cement plant in the county.

Click here for the full press release