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Almost 1 billion will go to green conversion in the industry, 2.2 billion to various forms of nature initiatives and 5.4 billion to climate-smart travel, including public transport that receives specific support of 2 billion , according to the proposal.
– This budget is a game changer for Swedish climate work, said Per Bolund in connection with the presentation of the budget measures.
Investments in the budget that were presented on Monday amount to 9.7 billion in 2021 and are based on an agreement between the Social Democrats, the Green Party, the Liberals and the Center Party.
– If you think about emissions, the fuel change is perhaps the most important measure because it has such a quick effect. In the coming years alone, emissions in Sweden will be reduced by almost two million tons. By 2030, roughly 40 percent of transportation emissions will be reduced through that reform, Bolund says.
Is referring to that The so-called fuel switch was introduced two years ago and means that fuel suppliers must reduce greenhouse gas emissions from gasoline and diesel each year by blending sustainable biofuels. It is not an item of spending in the budget, but an agreement between the January parties on which reduction levels will be applied from 2021 to 2030.
Among other things, they will also invest in so-called close-to-nature jobs, an investment that is primarily aimed at the long-term unemployed.
Per Bolund and Isabella Lövin.
Photo: Pontus Lundahl / TT
The largest items they are measures aimed at reducing emissions from transport. Among other things, SEK 2 billion will be set aside in 2021 in specific support to regional public transport authorities.
According to Kristoffer Tamsons, (M), councilor for the Stockholm traffic region and president of SL, this is far from being enough.
– Those who need traffic, all those who have been heroes and kept it rolling during the crisis, now receive the message that the government intends to thank them with demands for cuts. Obviously, it was easier to raise billions in aviation aid than to offset Sweden’s buses and trains. It’s not green, it’s pitiful, he says.
Per Bolund says it sounds more like “political rhetoric than something that reflects reality.”
– We have reserved three billion during the spring, now two billion more. It must be added to the general support that has been added extra in municipalities and regions and that are free to use. It is also money in addition to the direct costs of the pandemic. We have a special account that covers all these costs. It’s not a lack of resources which means you don’t invest in public transportation, he says.
Among the government investments are the so-called green credit guarantee that will get companies to invest in a climate-smart way and an extension of the so-called industrial life, which finances projects that develop climate-smart technology, with SEK 150 million in 2021.
You will also introduce further changes to the so-called bonus-malus system. Zero emission vehicles can now receive a bonus of SEK 70,000, an increase of SEK 10,000. At the same time, high-emission cars will have to pay more taxes.
The budget for 2021 also includes SEK 900 million, which will go towards new support for energy efficiency and the renovation of older apartment buildings.
The costs of the reforms amount to SEK 20 billion over the next three years, of which almost SEK 10 billion next year.
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