Sweden is once again absorbing more greenhouse gases than the country emits in total. This is shown by a recent analysis that points to the increasingly important role of Sweden’s forests in binding carbon dioxide.
According to the report from Kunskapsverket, Sweden’s net emissions in 2024 were around minus seven million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, that is, greenhouse gases converted to CO2.
The change is primarily due to the recovery of Swedish forests. The increased uptake of carbon dioxide has climbed significantly in recent years and is now approaching the levels seen before the forest crises at the end of the 2010s.
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At the same time, the report shows that emissions from the economy are no longer decreasing at the same pace as before. In 2024, Swedish emissions increased compared to the previous year, partly as a result of higher emissions from road traffic and work machinery. Changes to the reduction obligation are highlighted as a contributing factor.
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This means that Sweden’s negative net figure is primarily driven by nature’s absorption capacity rather than comprehensive climate transitions.
Among the lowest emissions in the EU
Sweden stands strong from a European perspective. The report shows that in 2024, the country had among the lowest per capita emissions in the EU while also maintaining a negative net balance for greenhouse gases.
