Climate Initiatives in Västra Götaland Sweden
Region Västra Götaland's efforts to break the
economy's dependence on fossil energy
ENGLISH VERSION MADE POSSIBLE BY SUPPORT OF THE INTERREG IVC PROJECT LOCARE.
JANUARY 2013
Climate Initiatives in Västra Götaland, Sweden
Region Västra Götaland's efforts to break the economy's dependence on fossil energy
Abstract
This report describes how the regional government in Västra Götaland, Region Västra
Götaland, works to foster a low carbon economy in Västra Götaland. The report describes
methods and specific projects and programs. The report shows that there are a lot of different
activities in Västra Götaland aiming at reducing energy consumption and increasing the use of
renewables. In the areas where Region Västra Götaland has chosen to focus its efforts Västra
Götaland is often the leading actor in Sweden today.
Climate change - a development issue for all
“A Good Life”, the Vision of Västra Götaland points at the transition to a less fossil-fuel and
more independent economy as one of the utmost important questions for the future in Västra
Götaland. Today there are strategies and programs designed to implement climate change
mitigation measures in the Regions own organisation but also to find better and more climatefriendly solutions for the benefit of society as a whole.
The contents of this report will reflect the most important activities undertaken or in progress,
where Region Västra Götaland acts together with municipalities, businesses, research and
others. The report primarily describes the Region´s contribution in terms of strategies,
projects, programs and processes. The purpose of this report is not to evaluate the results of
development work, even if in some cases there are descriptions of the various impacts of the
actions and consequences. Authors are Jessica Algehed and Lina Eriksson, SP Technical
Research Institute of Sweden.
This is an English version made possible by support from the Interreg IVC project LoCaRe.
The English version is updated January 2013.
Borås 2012-07-10
Peter Holmberg
Environmental Director
Region Västra Götaland
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Contents
1
Region Västra Götaland and climate change ..................................................................... 4
1.1
Twelve years of climate focus has paid off ................................................................ 4
1.2
About this report ........................................................................................................ 5
2
Large climate impact but also evident progress ................................................................ 5
2.1
One fifth of Sweden's emissions of greenhouse gases .............................................. 5
2.2
Less greenhouse gas emissions - but not enough ...................................................... 6
2.3
100 new wind turbines in two years .......................................................................... 7
2.4
More passive houses and energy efficient apartment buildings ............................... 7
2.5
Transport – key sector with many challenges............................................................ 8
3
Region Västra Götaland – a driving force for sustainable development ........................... 9
3.1
Västra Götaland's mission .......................................................................................... 9
3.2
Regional Council and three committees for growth and development .................... 9
3.3
Strategic cooperation with the 49 municipalities of the region .............................. 10
4
How Region Västra Götaland works for a fossil free economy........................................ 10
4.1
Visions and strategies - the base for the climate change initiatives........................ 10
4.2
Structures for Collaboration..................................................................................... 12
4.3
Projects and programs ............................................................................................. 13
4.4
Business support promotes climate-related investments ....................................... 13
4.5
Analysis, monitoring and evaluation ........................................................................ 13
4.6
International Co-operation strengthen work on climate change ............................ 14
4.7
The organization itself as a pioneer and leverage ................................................... 14
5
Climate-related efforts that Region Västra Götaland supports and drives ..................... 15
5.1
Investement in sustainable and climate-friendly solutions to mitigate the crisis ... 15
5.2
Renewable energy – sun, wind and water ............................................................... 16
5.3
Biomass and renewable fuels................................................................................... 17
5.4
Energy use in residential and commercial buildings ................................................ 19
5.5
Public transport ........................................................................................................ 20
5.6
West Swedish package - opportunities for more climate-friendly transports ........ 21
5.7
Climate friendly shipping and marine innovations .................................................. 21
5.8
Interaction with industry in Västra Götaland........................................................... 23
5.9
Sustainable consumption and lifestyle .................................................................... 23
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1 Region Västra Götaland and climate change
Region Västra Götaland, established in 1999, is the responsible authority for health care,
infrastructure, public transport and regional development issues, such as culture, environment
and growth. Region Västra Götaland makes the largest financial contributions to regional
development of any region in Sweden. The vision for the development work is summarized in
the concept "A Good Life". To reduce carbon footprint while creating new jobs and a strong
economy is seen as one of the most important challenges for Västra Götaland.
1.1 Twelve years of climate focus has paid off
Region Västra Götaland is one of the largest employers in Sweden with more than 50,000
employees. Today the reduction of fossil energy demand is a task for everyone in the
organisation. Initially though, climate change was seen primarily as a task for the
Environmental Committee. In recent years it has become integrated into all activities - both in
terms of regional development and in Region Västra Götalands own business.
Region Västra Götaland has been working with climate change for 12 years when this report
is written. The work has been both strategic and process oriented. It has been implemented
both by launching new efforts and by contribution of resources to various organizations and
their ideas and projects. The Region has gathered stakeholders and developed strategies and
plans, funded projects, creating meeting places and structures for innovation and
development, has raised questions and brought new knowledge and new ideas.
Region Västra Götaland has always tried to use its own organization as a driving force and
leverage. Not least by setting tough environmental standards when procuring and purchasing
services and products. The work has been formulated in the Environment Strategy, adopted by
the Regional Council in 2000, developed in a broad collaborative process when the Region
was formed. A climate strategy was adopted by the Region 2009. The Climate Strategy
summarizes Region Västra Götaland’s ambition that the Västra Götaland economy is to be
independent of fossil energy by 2030. Other visions and strategies that guide the work is the
vision of "A Good Life", growth programs, and various infrastructure plans.
The political momentum behind climate change efforts has of course been to reduce
environmental damage and global warming. Meanwhile, research shows that it is difficult for
the political system to implement climate reform, where it is clear who will pay more in the
short term and unclear who will benefit in the long term. Thoughts on competitiveness, jobs
and export opportunities, as well as better health and well being of its citizens, have been at
least as important drivers of political decision-making. There is also a political ambition to
make it easier for citizens to make good environmental choices.
It is difficult to draw the line for operations to be counted as climate measures. We know for
example that the issue of a more sustainable lifestyle and reduced material consumption in
Western countries is essential to combat global warming. In this context, Västra Götaland's
determination and strong commitment to sustainable culture and tourism, which offers a real
alternative to climate-consuming shopping and long trips abroad, is perhaps just as important
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for climate effort as to expand wind power or increase the proportion of renewable fuels in the
transport sector.
1.2 About this report
This report attempts to describe Region Västra Götaland's contribution to climate change
mitigation. It reflects the key activities undertaken by the Region itself or acting together with
municipalities, businesses, research and other stakeholders in order to limit climate change.
The report focuses primarily on an account of what the Region contributed in terms of
strategies, projects, programs and processes. To some extent, we also describe the effects of
different interventions. This is not simple because effects often arise only after a long time,
and in most cases it is difficult to retrospectively say who really contributed to what.
The report is based on materials that are primarily published by the Region and is available on
www.vgregion.se. Examples of materials are support and project decisions, evaluations of
programs and projects, web pages and brochures.
2 Large climate impact but also evident progress
Västra Götaland is like a Sweden in miniature. Geographically, Västra Götaland is one of the
largest regions in Sweden, and represents six percent of Sweden's land area. In terms of
population, Västra Götaland is Sweden's second largest region, with 1.6 million residents.
Most people live in the metropolitan municipality of Gothenburg, with half a million
inhabitants and more than 1 million in the travel-to-work area.
From a historical perspective, Västra Götaland, like most other regions in Sweden, has shown
high economic growth over the past decades. The recent economic development, however,
has been strongly influenced by the economic downturn. Västra Götaland's dependence on the
ailing automotive industry resulted in a harder blow to the economy than in the rest of
Sweden 2008-2009. On the other hand, the recovery has been faster in Västra Götaland during
2010-2012, mainly because of a strong upturn in manufacturing. Already in the second half of
2010 industry sales were back on the same level as before the recession, and the effects of the
global financial crisis have so far (summer 2012) been relatively mild. Västra Götaland´s
business structure is quite close to the average of Sweden and of Europe. Manufacturing and
public services have a relatively large share of employment in a Swedish perspective. The
financial sector is relatively small.
2.1 One fifth of Sweden's emissions of greenhouse gases
Västra Götaland is responsible for 20 percent of the Swedish carbon dioxide emissions. The
total emissions in Västra Götaland were 12.5 million tons in 2008, representing about eight
metric tons per inhabitant. The corresponding values in Stockholm and Skåne are around
three and five tons. Half of the emissions of Västra Götaland (more than Stockholm's total
emissions) come from energy demanding processess in the industry and from refineries.
Emissions in transport are slightly higher than in Skåne but significantly higher (nearly one
ton per person/year) than in Stockholm.
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The figure below shows how the relative use of fossil fuels (oil, gasoline, diesel, coal, natural
gas) is distributed between the three areas of housing, transportation and other sectors. As
fossil energy use has declined in housing and other sectors, transport’s share grows. During
the past five years, transportation accounts for about 70% of the total fossil energy use. The
proportion is still increasing.
Figure 1: Relative use of fossil energy in Västra Götaland
Source: Evaluation of Climate Strategy, Ahlbäck, Centre for Environment and Sustainability,
2009)
2.2 Greenhouse gas emissions decrease - but not enough
Greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by around two percent between 1990 and 2008.
Households in Västra Götaland have reduced their energy consumption from 9000 kWh per
capita in 2000 to less than 7000 kWh today. The level is the fourth lowest in the country,
somewhat lower than in Skåne and Stockholm. Emissions from energy supply have declined,
mainly due to a switch from oil heating to biomass and district heating. The reductions are in
part offset by the fact that emissions from road traffic increased, especially from heavy traffic.
Figure 2: Climate affecting emissions of carbon dioxide equivalent, Västra Götaland.
Source: Facts about Västra Götaland, brochure Region Västra Götaland, October 2011
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2.3 100 new wind turbines in two years
There were 416 wind turbines with a total output of 493 megawatts (MW) in Västra Götaland
at the end of August 2011. It places Västra Götaland first in the wind power list in a ranking
of Sweden's 21 counties. In January-August 2011 52 new wind turbines were taken into
operation in Västra Götaland.
2.4 More passives houses and energy efficient apartment buildings
In recent years the market for energy efficient buildings in Västra Götaland has started to take
off. The proportion of new housing being built in the region with passive house technology
has gone from 0.1 to 5 percent from 2007 to 2009. In 2010, nearly a quarter of all newly built
apartments in Västra Götaland met very high energy standards. It is twice the proportion
compared to the rest of Sweden. Of all the new houses about 10 percent used passive house
technology in 2010. For public and business premises progress is slower, but a number of
interesting projects have been completed in recent years, such as energy-efficient offices,
nursery schools and hospitals. The big construction companies have today highlighted the
issue and say they want to build more energy efficient. The same applies to many
municipalities and municipal companies.
Nevertheless, big challenges remain to significantly reduce energy use in buildings. Buildings
have a long life span and most of tomorrow's buildings are already built. It is therefore
important to increase the efficiency of the already constructed buildings. In Västra Götaland
there are over 200 000 flats from the so-called Million Programme years (built 1965-1975,
when one million new appartments where built in Sweden). These houses are not energy
efficient and are in dire need of renovation. Also in the market for detached houses the need
for energy efficiency is high.
Figure 3: Built low-energy houses and apartments
Source: Facts about Västra Götaland, Region Västra Götaland 2011
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2.5 Transport – key sector with many challenges
The transport sector accounts for approx. 70% of carbon emissions in Västra Götaland and is
also the sector where it is most difficult to reduce emissions. The tradition of trade, along with
industry's focus on manufacturing industry, has left its mark on Västra Götaland as the
country's main transport region. Even if we exclude transit traffic - which means that the large
amount of passing goods through the port of Gothenburg is not attributed - Västra Götaland is
significantly over-represented in terms of both incoming and outgoing goods.
Investment in railways
There is great demand for increasing both freight and passenger rail. To get shorter journey
times and provide more commuting without environmental degradation, a development of
train services is required. All tracks around Göteborg are heavily used, and it is almost
impossible to expand the traffic and reduce travel times. Investment in railway between
Uddevalla and Gothenburg has made it possible for Västtrafik (the regional public transport
company) to increase the number of trips, but not to reduce travel time. In 2012 the new
railway between Trollhättan and Göteborg was finalized, reducing travel time with 20 minutes
to 30-40 minutes. Between Borås and Gothenburg there is only an old winding single track,
making even a bus journey faster than taking the train. The majority of public transport
between Västra Götaland's two largest cities therefore goes by bus.
Regardless of these problems, travel by public transport has risen sharply since Västtrafik
was founded in 1999. In 2010 227 million trips were made, compared to 177 million trips in
1999. This represents an increase of about 28 percent. The fastest growing branch of travel is
regional train services, a doubling since its establishment.
Vehicle gas increases sharply
The expansion of the infrastructure for alternative fuels, and energy efficient vehicles, along
with more eco-driving, are other important steps in reducing CO2 emissions. Both the number
and proportion of “green” vehicles have increased rapidly in recent years. In 2010, 15 percent
of all newly registered cars in Västra Götaland were green cars. The proportion of clean
vehicles in operation is significantly lower.
In total there are approximately 32,000 gas vehicles in operation in Sweden, 25,000 of them
are passenger cars. The vehicles are driven by methane, in the form of either fossil natural gas
or biogas. Biogas is renewable methane gas, obtained by digestion of waste and biological
waste products and is currently the most environmentally friendly vehicle fuel, with minimal
environmental impact. There is also a great potential to produce biogas by gasification of
biomass and waste from the forest. The number of gas vehicles has increased more than ten
times in the last decade. A large increase has also occurred in the number of filling stations
for biogas, as well as in the volume delivered. Skåne, Västra Götaland och Stockholm account
for more than 70% of total deliveries in Sweden in 2010 and about 50 % of the Swedish
biogas is produced in these three regions.
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Figure 4: The proportion of fuel in 2010
Source: Facts about Västra Götaland, Region Västra Götaland 2011
3 Region Västra Götaland – a driving force for sustainable
development
3.1 Västra Götaland's mission
Region Västra Götaland was formed in 1999 and is responsible for healthcare and to provide
conditions for good health for those living in Västra Götaland. Västra Götaland has the
functions of a county council and is responsible for hospitals and health centers. Of the 50 000
employees about 90 percent work in health care. Region Västra Götaland also has a
designated role in promoting growth and sustainable development in Västra Götaland. This
role is perfomed in close cooperation with companies, organizations, municipalities, colleges,
universities and government agencies. One of the main tasks in the work of regional
development is to reduce emissions affecting global climate.
3.2 Regional Council and three boards for growth and development
The Regional Council is the supreme decision-making body in Region Västra Götaland and
has ultimate responsibility for Region Västra Götaland's operations, finances and direction.
The council decides on long-term objectives, aims and priorities. The council also decides the
regional income tax that finances most of the regions activities (today approximately 11
percent of income) and splits the money to the various political committees. The 149
members in the Regional Council are elected by the citizens of Västra Götaland every four
years.
There are many different political bodies in Region Västra Götaland. With regard to regional
development the mission is divided into three committees: the Regional Development
Committee, Environmental Committee and Cultural Affairs Committee. These committees
decide on issues relating to each committee´s area of responsibility. The Regional Council
distributes funds to committees for development and activities in each area and decides on
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strategies and policies. When it comes to long term strategical regional development questions
the Regional Executive Board is responsible.
3.3 Strategic cooperation with the 49 municipalities of Västra Götaland
There are 49 municipalities in Västra Götaland. A well-developed cooperation with the
municipalities is seen as the foundation of development. The Sustainable Development
Drafting Committee (BHU) is the most important liaison body between Region Västra
Götaland and the municipalities. It has been appointed by the Region and the municipalities to
deepen collaboration in joint development. Key issues for the joint preparation by BHU for
the Regional Executive Board include strategic long term development questions for Västra
Götaland on the basis of the vision “A Good Life”, such as infrastructure investements, public
transport system, climate change, R&D, innovation systems etc.
4 How Region Västra Götaland works for a fossil free
economy
As mentioned in the introduction, Region Västra Götaland works on the climate issue in many
different ways and does so in broad collaboration with various stakeholders in the region and
beyond. The regions work is vision-driven and uses different policy tools that are available at
local and regional level. These take the form of financial, administrative and, to some extent
legally binding regulations. Although Region Västra Götaland does not have as powerful tools
as the national or international level it is obvious that the Region can make a difference on the
climate issue by combining local and regional tools and use the strength that occurs when 49
municipalities and one region act in the same direction. Below is an overall description of the
types of measures Västra Götaland is working with. Later in the report we highlight examples
of the different activities over the years.
4.1 Visions and strategies - the base for the climate change initiatives
”A Good Life” is the vision and foundation of the development work in Västra Götaland. A
vision-driven leadership is crucial to the climate issue. It indicates the direction of long term
policy and creates the necessary space for businesses and citizens to act. The vision of A
Good Life in more general terms is about the opportunity for every citizen in Västra Götaland
to live a good healthy and sustainable life, also in a global perspective. It is about inclusion
and equality, economic prosperity and about not affecting the environment in a negative way.
The vision has been adopted by the Regional Council and has been developed in an extensive
dialogue with stakeholders and citizens in Västra Götaland.
The Climate Strategy – Smart Energy
To reduce Västra Götaland´s contribution to climate change is one of the cornerstones of the
vision. To deepen the understanding on how to work together to reduce carbon footprint, a
broad dialogue, Smart Energy, started in 2007. The dialogue process was to a large extent
based on a study that analyzed the conditions under which it is reasonable that a region can
take the lead – being a frontrunner - trying to break dependence on fossil energy. The study
showed that it is possible for Västra Götaland to take a leading role, given that it manages to
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drive the climate issue as both an environmental and a development issue. In this way, climate
change becomes a lever also for competitiveness and development.
The dialogue involved more than 600 people from different parts of society and resulted in the
vision: "In 2030, the economy in West Sweden is no longer dependent on fossil energy.
Public and industry have a safe and sustainable energy supply. Accommodation,
transportation and production as well as consumption of goods and services are resource
efficient, energy efficient and renewable energy based. Overall, this has contributed to a
strong economy and an innovative and competitive industry."
The dialogue established the six strategic focus areas that the climate strategy operates within,
and some basic working methods. One basic method is to work with agreements between
different actors in the region inside the six areas. To find well functioning examples that can
be scaled up and implemented broadly in society. At the start, a total of 65 organisations
(municipalities, companies, universities, etc), signed the vision. Before the climate strategy
was formulated, an effort was made to include the perspective of the next generation.
When this is written the process of Smart Energy has been up and running for five years. The
work is performed according to the approach advocated by the participants in the dialogue
process. Today there are agreements signed in the areas of: Energy efficient buildings,
Climate smart purchasing decisions, Transportation of goods, Young participation and
“Climate initiative”. The work is described in Chapter 5.
A central part of the Smart Energy process is to regularly follow up the strategy and the action
done in Västra Götaland. The first evaluation was made in 2010 by the Reserch Centre for
Environment and Sustainibility (GMV). It shows that the organizations that signed the climate
strategy are actively working to reduce their dependence on fossil energy. A total of over 400
new actions were initiated to reduce the dependency on fossil energy, about half was made in
the field of energy use in homes and buildings.
Infrastructure planning and public transport are important cooperation issues
Region Västra Götaland is responsible for several regional processes that are central to the
climate issue, although not always with the prime target of reducing the carbon footprint. One
of the most important is the work on infrastructure planning. The region, together with the
municipalities in Västra Götaland, is responsible for planning of investements in transport
infrastructure and for public transport.
Part of the work when it comes to infrastructure planning and investment is to jointly produce
data that outline the investments in roads and railways that are most important, and then
influence the government, parliament and government agencies, so that they in turn increase
their efforts in Västra Götaland. During the last five years there has been a shift in emphasis
from investment in road, for investment in railways and public transport. Key processes with
a bearing on the transport sector's carbon footprint are K2020 and the so called “West
Swedish package”, described at the end of this report. Region Västra Götaland also works for
deployment of high-quality broadband throughout the region.
Coordination by Regional Growth Program (RGP) for sustainable growth
Regional Growth Program is an instrument, originally introduced by the national Government, in order to coordinate efforts for sustainable growth. RGP in Västra Götaland includes a
series of measures linked to climate-smart solutions and growth in environmental
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technologies. Programs are drawn up in regional partnerships and consist of analysis of the
growth opportunities, programs for sustainable growth from a business perspective as well as
agreements between the players involved in implementing and funding the program. The aim
of the growth program for Västra Götaland 2008-2013 is that Västra Götaland will be an
attractive and internationally competitive region. For 2014-2020 a new strategy is now drawn
up more focusing on development of opportunities for the citizens of the region and more
clearly linked to global responsibility, with climate change as a horizontal perspective.
4.2 Structures for Collaboration
To get good value for the regional tax revenues devoted to development, the Region has
focused on building structures and creating opportunities for players operating in the region to
interact as efficiently and effectively as possible. This has involved the construction of
physical meeting places, networks and collaboration platforms of more virtual character.
Since the start Region Västra Götaland has initiated and funded broad cross-sectoral projects
and programs in the climate area. Today interaction and co-operation is strong in sectors like
hydrogen, solar, energy from waste and collaboration platforms are founded for urban
sustainability and climate friendly food.
Network with industry, research and public activities
The Dialouge Group is an informal network with participation of the leading politicians,
business representatives and university leaders in the region. The actors in the network have
worked in a two year process to describe and highlight the region's main areas of expertise.
The dialogue group has identified five knowledge clusters - Five Clusters, which will market
the region's strengths in both a national and international context. The clusters have a clear
link to climate and sustainability.
The five clusters are
Urban future
The marine environment and the maritime sector
Transport solutions
Green chemistry and bio based products
Life science
The Västra Götaland Energy Session is a major annual regional conference and venue that
has been essential to the overall energy and climate network of Västra Götaland since 2006.
The conference has been held in various locations in the region and each time accumulated
between three and four hundred people from research, industry and public organizations.
World leading innovation system
Another task that Region Västra Götaland has is to promote the regional system of research
and innovation. One of the most prioritized questions in this field is to participate in creating
innovative solutions in the climate area. As part of this work, the Region is involved in
financing a number of collaboration platforms for innovation, business development and
research. They are located adjacent to colleges and universities, and generally consist of the
three components incubator, Science Park with support for small and medium-sized
enterprises and projects arena for major R & D projects. The platforms have different focus
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areas, such as automotive, textile, health care. Their role as neutral arenas and partners
facilitates cooperation between large and small companies, institutes, the academic world and
the public sector. The most important platforms are Lindholmen Science Park and
Johanneberg Science Park in Gothenburg, Gothia Science Park in Skövde, Espira in Borås
and Innovatum in Trollhättan.
4.3 Projects and programs
Since its formation, Region Västra Götaland has financially supported more than 100 climaterelated projects around the region. The funds are allocated both from the Environmental
Committee and the Regional Development Committee. One basic requirement is that the
projects granted funding will be based on collaboration. Over time, project funding in the area
of climate change has become more and more program oriented and based on framework
decisions. The largest projects/programs underway right now are In Motion, Energy-efficient
buildings and Biogas West.
Projects and programs include various types of activities. They contribute to research and
innovation in various fields, to demonstration projects and best practice, to knowledge
sharing, to mobilizing financial and educational resources and to the creation of cooperation
platforms of various kinds. A selection of the most important projects is presented at the end
of this report.
4.4 Business support promotes climate-related investments
Region Västra Götaland also supports growth by co-financing development activities that will
contribute to new investment, increased employment and output. Many of the companies
receiving support are working on climate related issues. There is funding for companies in
various branches and for both manufacturing companies and service companies. There is also
support specifically designed for geographic areas, such as rural or islands. Corporate funding
is aimed at supporting innovation and entrepreneurship. Corporate support is provided
directly to individual companies and in several different forms, such as consultancy vouchers,
research grants and seed funding (concessional loans). In addition, Region Västra Götaland
supports several organizations that work with business development. An example related to
climate change is Miljöbron (Environmental Bridge) that helps companies finding students,
who want to make thesis and shorter project work on environment and sustainable
development.
4.5 Analysis, monitoring and evaluation
Region Västra Götaland is actively working with business intelligence, monitoring, evaluation
and analysis related to regional development in Västra Götaland. The ongoing analysis
includes periodic follow-ups on sustainable development in Västra Götaland, linked to the
vision of “A good life” and the continual monitoring of Smart Energy. The Region also does
follow-ups of individual projects and larger programs.
Some larger “concept reports” have also been initiated by the Region. In the EU Interreg IVC
LoCaRe project, the study on what makes companies, people and politicians act sustainably
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focusing on climate change (“New Leadership – How can consumers, companies and policy
makers join forces towards a low carbon economy?” 2012) has given valuable insights for
future strategies and policy initiatives. The process “Smart Energy” started off with a broad
analysis covering most aspects and facts on the energy sector in Västra Götaland linking them
to international scenarios etc. The study was financed by the Region and the Interreg IIIB
North Sea project ERE (Energizing Regional Economies) and made by ECON, Norway, "A
fossil-free Västra Götaland - Can a region be a fore-runner? Can Västra Götaland?" (2006).
The process "Smart Energy" was supported by a book written by one of Sweden´s leading
experts on climate change and sustainability, Stefan Edman, “Smart Energy – A Strategy for
better Climate and a Stronger Economy” (2008).
4.6 International Co-operation strengthen work on climate change
Region Västra Götaland's international policy was adopted by the Regional Council in
February 2009. It describes the attitude Västra Götaland should have in their international
relations. They can be summarized as – Value international contacts and co-operate with
external partners and organizations to share and take advantage of knowledge and skills.
Several of the projects that the Region supports or operates are implemented in international
cooperation.
4.7 The organization itself as a pioneer and leverage
Significant impact on climate
Region Västra Götaland's environmental impact and resource use are significant. The Region
is actively working to reduce it. One exemple is high ambitions and strong actions to decrease
energy use (electricity, heating and cooling) in its own premises and property. Another
example on action is that the proportion of “clean/green” vehicles has gone from a few
percent to almost 92 percent in just a few years.
Figure 6 Energy use in Region Västra Götaland's own premises and property.
Source: Region Västra Götaland's Environmental Report, 2010
New environmental policy program
To ensure that Region Västra Götaland's administrations and owned companies maintain high
environmental ambitions an environmental program was adopted in 2011. Climate change is
an important part of the program. The Region´s environmental program is the implementation
tool for the environmental policy adopted in 2004. The program runs for periods of three
years. Before each new programming period, the program is evaluated and revised against the
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policy and short-term objectives are adjusted. The program describes how management of
environmental work should be performed and puts down the objectives across seven
environmental key areas: transport, energy, nitrous oxide, products and waste, food,
chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
Under each objective the measures needed to achieve the targets and the responsible parts of
the organisation is listed. Some of the climate-related objectives are:
Region Västra Götaland's passenger and goods transport is to be conducted energy
efficiently and independent of fossil energy by 2020.
Region Västra Götaland is to be independent of fossil energy and fuel in its own offices
and buildings by 2020 and has halved its energy use by 2030 compared with 1995.
In 2020, health care nitrous oxide emissions have declined by 75 percent compared to
2009. An important goal, as nitrous oxide from delivery and anesthesia is one of Västra
Götaland's major emission sources of greenhouse gases.
Region Västra Götaland's real estate organisation Västfastigheter, is very actively working to
reduce the negative environmental impact of energy use. During the period 2003-2008 energy
use decreased by about 20%, 259-206 kWh/square metre. Västfastigheters long-term goal is
an energy use of 190 kWh per square meter of usable area.
5 Examples of climate-related efforts that Region Västra
Götaland supports and drives
Region Västra Götaland has initiated and operates numerous projects related to climate
change. Below is a description of some of the projects under the following headings;
renewable energy, transport, energy-efficient construction, climate friendly food and
sustainable consumption. We start off with a program inaugurated during the first financial
crisis to mitigate the long term effects on the capacity for the energy related industry in Västra
Götaland to compete in the future and to develop new more sustainable and climate-friendly
solutions; InMotion.
5.1 Investment in sustainable and climate-friendly solutions to mitigate the crisis
In Motion is an effort to ramp up work on climate-smart solutions by providing additional
support for ongoing projects and programs. The investment included 150 million SEK (ca 15
MEURO) in 2009 and 2010. The overall objective is to make Västra Götaland one of Europe's
leading regions in sustainable energy and in next-generation transport solutions. Several of the
projects described below have been financed by InMotion.
The focus has been on electrification, ie transition to electric motors, and on reducing
dependency on fossil energy resources. Within In Motion there are four different forms of
financing, feasibility studies, development, corporate finance (including a framework program
for R & D in small and medium sized enterprises) and targeted resources to the strategic
collaboration platforms Lindholmen Science Park (LSP) and Innovatum in the form of
stronger base funding and a project framework.
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The project portfolio includes a mix of more than 20 studies and more than 30 major
development projects. Two-thirds of the development projects are directed at sustainable
transport and one third at electric energy and the environment. The test track ASTA represents
almost half of the funding for sustainable transport. The regional collaboration platforms
Lindholmen Science Park and Innovatum Science Park have chosen different strategies to
exploit the earmarked framework for funding. However, the focus in both cases has been on
developing new environments (open arenas) in new areas, such as energy, manufacturing and
the service sector.
5.2 Renewable energy – sun, wind and water
Region Västra Götaland intensifies its efforts in solar energy
Region Västra Götaland is operating networks and projects to promote the use of solar energy
and to strengthen growth in solar energy related companies. Region Västra Götaland initiated
and supported the network Sunrise West. The work consisted of two parts: municipal
cooperation and trade development through coordination and information. The program has
had a number of plants installed in Västra Götaland. A number of municipalities has
strengthened the market for solar energy by actively promoting a greater proportion of solar
energy in their own organization and by stimulating the use of solar energy in the community.
Increased share of solar energy is also one of the key areas within the Smart Energy process,
with an agreement between a large number of municipalities to promote solar energy within
their territories.
Favourable conditions for wind energy
Västra Götaland has strong wind conditions, major suppliers to and designers in the wind
energy sector and many energy companies. Wind power has during the last years been the
fastest growing renewable energy source. Region Västra Götaland took the initiative to gather
wind energy stakeholders in the western parts of Sweden in a network called Power West.
The objective is a production of 5 TWh wind power in 2020 compared to 0.2 TWh in 2007
and 0.5 TWh 2011. The network is financed by Region Västra Götaland, the Swedish Energy
Agency, Region Värmland, municipalities and wind companies. Power West was developed
from the EU project Power Cluster run 2008 – 2011, that focused on offshore wind around the
North Sea.
Region Västra Götaland is also involved in the Swedish Energy Agency´s and the industry's
research center for wind technology at Chalmers, Swedish Wind Power Technology Centre
(SWPTC). The Centre's activities aim at providing knowledge of wind power design issues
and to educate new generations of engineers in the subject.
Examples of activities going on 2011/2012 in wind power:
Power West is one of the actors in www.windindustry.se, a database for Swedish industry that
wants to be a part of the wind power industry. “Municipalities that lead the way” is a network
of municipalities, in Västra Götaland and the neighbouring region Värmland, that have high
ambitions when it comes to expanding wind power in their municipalities. The "Test area
Gothenburg" contributes to a test site consisting of a 150 meter-high 4 MW wind turbine and
test equipment for high voltage direct current (HVDC) in the Gothenburg harbour. There are
also seminars for local government politicians and officials to learn more about wind power.
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Center for Wave and maritime energy
Also in the maritime sector there are several initiatives that are energy related. The Ocean
Energy Centre (OEC) is a Swedish initiative to support the development of methods and
technology for sustainable harvesting of renewable ocean energy. The Centre is intended to
provide a platform for cooperation and communication in order to produce and implement
knowledge and competence for advancement of the ocean energy industry. The Ocean Energy
Centre is located at Chalmers, supported by Region Västra Götaland and has close
connections to innovative companies dealing with wave, current and tidal energy. The idea of
the Centre is to build long-term knowledge based PhD projects in a problem-oriented industry
research institute and together with the Academy help the industry to a rapid and efficient
development, by solving and highlighting technical problems. Sweden´s largest test ground
for wave energy is located outside Lysekil in Västra Götaland.
5.3 Biomass and renewable fuels
Region Västra Götaland is very active in the promotion of biofuels. One of the first investments made was in the pellets area, where the region contributed to the development of a
common organization of different actors called PellSam. Pellsam have among other things
developed an insurance coverage for consumers.
Another early initiative is the program Energy Farm. The objective of the program, run by
Agro Väst, is that 5 TWh of petrol, diesel and heating oil should be replaced by renewable
energy from agriculture and forestry until 2020. The main activities include information,
skills development, technology and society's energy transition. Energy Farm has been
assessed and the conclusion was that Energy Farm had a positive effect on coordination. The
investment is appreciated by the parties involved and has led to a number of activities.
Biogas West paves the way for renewable fuels
There is a strong political will in Västra Götaland to develop biogas as a vehicle fuel. Biogas
is a renewable fuel that at the same time can solve waste problems and contribute to security
of supply of energy and to increased independence. Local and regional employment can be
promoted while the Swedish industry and technology export benefit. The project Biogas West
started in 2001 with a dozen players. Region Västra Götaland was one of the financiers and
Business Region Göteborg the project manager. During the last ten years Biogas West has
played an important role in contributing to the development of a market for biogas. In recent
years the interest in biogas for vehicles has increased and more and more actors are present. In
2011 Region Västra Götaland took over the leadership of the program.
Biogas West offers players a platform for collaboration, communication and joint efforts to
increase production and use of biogas as a vehicle fuel. As a process manager for Biogas
West, Region Västra Götaland is promoting knowledge and experiences between biogas
operators in the region, creates forums for dialogue and initiation of new partnerships,
identifies challenges and obstacles on the biogas market and, with the various stakeholders,
suggests, operates and implements actions to move forward. The planning target for Västra
Götaland is 2.4 terawatt hours (TWh) generated and used in 2020. This means an increase by
25 times, from the current 0.1 TWh /year.
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Work in Biogas West is conducted in nine areas:
Increase cooperation in biogas development.
Work to establish clear national objectives and increased national support.
Spread knowledge and information on biogas development in Västra Götaland.
Help more players use procurement as a tool for increased biogas use.
See to it that public transport runs on biogas.
Support a domestic market that also leads to an export market.
Develop the regional infrastructure for biogas.
Promote research and expertise.
Increase cooperation with other regions.
Biogas West is implemented in close collaboration with the CAP's Rural Development
Programs and the Swedish Transport Administration and is based on broad cooperation
among all actors in the biogas process. These actors come from municipalities, farms,
automotive industry, fuel companies, research etc.
Examples of projects and activities going on right now in the biogas area:
Smart Energy: Agreement with 31 municipalities for cooperation on climate-friendly
vehicle purchases (about 9500 vehicles). The next step is that all 49 municipalities in the
region now have been invited to participate in a coordinated purchase of vehicles with
contracts starting 2013.
The project BiMeTrucks: a collaborative project that demonstrates and provides a marketbased alternative to diesel-powered heavy vehicles. Made possible by combining the
technology of methane in diesel engines and building an infrastructure for liquid methane.
The project opens up practical and economically feasible options for reducing emissions
in the transport sector and especially from heavy traffic. The project is made in
collaboration between Volvo AB and fuel distributors and will result in three filling
stations and 100 trucks. Region Västra Götaland is one partner investing in trucks based in
Västra Götaland.
The project BiMeBus - energy-efficient bio gas buses for regional traffic. BiMe Bus is a
demonstration and development project 2010-2012 where methane diesel technology
buses for regional traffic will be tested in the field. Business Region Göteborg is the
project manager and Volvo Buses and Västtrafik are project participants.
A project that includes disseminating good practices and identifying bottlenecks to get
more municipalities (today 27 of 49 in Västra Götaland) to sort and collect food waste.
Project for farmers that creates networks between farmers and assists in the creation of
businesses in biogas production at farm level.
Project Implement: To remove obstacles at the planning phase of establishment of biogas
plants and infrastructure. Starting in 2012 this Interreg project is implemented in
collaboration with Swedish, Norwegian and Danish players.
New center for research on renewable fuels for vehicles under construction
The need for a more holistic view on “alternative” fuels for transport has become evident
during the last years. To create better synthesis of knowledge and better coordination between
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research projects Region Västra Götaland contributes to building up the knowledge center F3
(Fossile Free Fuels). F3 implements comprehensive systems analysis. The aim is to provide
guidance to Swedish actors in the development of future transport fuels. F3 is a partnership
between industry, universities and research institutes.
Cooperation on Hydrogen to attract private and public actors
Region Västra Götaland initiated the regional development work on hydrogen and fuel cells in
2003. To foster better co-operation between actors Sam Väte i Väst (Co-Hydrogen in West
Sweden) was founded. From this initiative Hydrogen Sweden was started 2007. By bringing
industry, institutions, municipalities, regions, national authorities, universities and
associations together in a private-public partnerships (PPP), Hydrogen Sweden has succeeded
in creating a proactive and entrepreneurial environment with strong network and credibility.
The association works in the energy and transport area from local to national and international
level, with issues from research to market, including business models, standards and policy
instruments. It represents the Swedish interests in European and Scandinavian partnerships
and participates in several major EU projects (FP7/FCH JU, Interreg and Structural Fund
Objective-2). Hydrogen Sweden has more than 50 members today. The focus is on
establishing more demonstration projects and encouraging the establishment of an
infrastructure for hydrogen as vehicle fuel.
5.4 Efficient energy use in residential and commercial buildings
Despite the fact that today's technology enables lower energy use, new construction and
reconstruction of buildings in most cases is done with conventional principles and traditional
sources of heat. To accelerate the development and strengthening the market for energy
efficient buildings, Region Västra Götaland in 2007 decided to establish a specific program
for energy efficient buildings. During its first part (2007-2011), the program has supported 11
demonstration projects. In 2010 fifteen percent of all built homes in Västra Götaland were
low-energy homes. The agreement for more energy-efficient buildings in Västra Götaland had
been signed by 11 municipalities. The program has broadened its focus from passive houses
to energy efficient buildings (like the national project LÅGAN).
In 2011 the Region decided on a continued program for energy efficient buildings to 2013.
The focus now includes energy efficiency in renovation and refurbishment. The following
objectives have been set:
At least 10 new demonstration projects with technologies and practices for energy
efficient renovations should be carried out
The majority of municipalities in Västra Götaland should be involved in the agreement for
more energy-efficient buildings - new and existing - in the climate dialogue Smart Energy.
At least 20% of all new homes will be built as energy efficient buildings
When the program for energy efficient buildings started in 2007 there was a need to
disseminate information about the benefits of energy efficient homes and buildings. Today the
focus is more on knowledge and knowledge transfer. One of the major challenges is to find
financial models that can deal with the question how to make energy efficient renovation and
refurbishment of existing buildings economically viable. Work under the program for energy
efficient buildings is implemented through participation in demonstration projects that
provide inspiration and practical advice for those who want to build energy efficient homes
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and buildings. The program is implemented in close cooperation with companies from all
relevant sectors.
Passive House Center
Passive House Center (PHC) Västra Götaland is the program's single largest and most
complex project. PHC is a center of excellence for both the construction sector and for the
general public to disseminate information about passive house technology and its possibilities.
PHC, together with the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning and the
Chalmers University of Technology, arranges training courses for various groups such as
architects, builders and developers. The center also works to develop the passive house
concept with other actors in Sweden. The center was started in 2007 and is run by Region
Västra Götaland and Alingsås municipality. The physical center, with an exhibition about
passive house technology, is situated in Alingsås.
The next step - Sustainable building
As the houses built become more energy efficient, focus is changed to creating sustainable
and climate-friendly neighbourhoods and cities. Kungälv municipality, in cooperation with
the program for energy efficient buildings, has made a study on the new district Kongahälla
and how the district could be energy efficient, and what is required to make the district
produce more energy than it uses, seen over the entire year. The study is also aimed to inspire
others and demonstrate the technologies, economic conditions and requirements that a
municipality needs to set in their planning efforts to create next-generation energy-efficient
neighborhoods.
Mistra Urban Futures - International Centre for Sustainable Urban Development
Cooperation with universities and knowledge institutions is important to develop and evaluate
new energy-efficient solutions in buildings and sustainable cities. Region Västra Götaland is
one of seven partners in Mistra Urban Futures, a national centre for sustainable urban
development in Göteborg, with international links to China, UK, Kenya and South Africa.
The centre´s basic idea is to make excellence in both practice and research meet. Planning and
resource-efficient building are important areas. One of the 2012 projects at Mistra Urban
Futures examines the political, legal, organizational and technical barriers to energy efficiency
in buildings.
International perspective
Region Västra Götaland operated the EU Interreg project Build with Care 2008-2012. The
project aimed at promoting energy efficiency in both new and existing buildings. 18
organizations from 10 regions of Belgium, the Netherlands, Britain, Germany and Sweden
participated. Activities were undertaken in education, marketing, dissemination, evaluation
and policy influence.
5.5 Public transport
To increase public transport is a key climate question in Västra Götaland. The proportion who
travels by public transport is significantly lower in Västra Götaland compared to the
Stockholm region and also lower than in Malmö/Skåne, the third big city region in Sweden.
Region Västra Götaland is from 2012 the sole owner of public transport in Västra Götaland.
The company that runs the public transport system for the Region (Västtrafik) has high
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ambitions when it comes to phasing out fossil fuels. Today, six out of ten trips in public
transport are made on renewable fuels.
National research center to develop public transport
A national centre for the development of public transport is established in 2012. Region
Västra Götaland is co-financing the centre with 15 million SEK. Other regional partners are
Region Skåne and Stockholm. The National Centre will be working within five areas.
The role of politics to increase travel and market share
Public transport in urban and regional planning
Customer's perspective and the aims to increase market share
Roles of the interaction between operator and authority
Development of technology and services
5.6 West Swedish package - opportunities for more climate-friendly transports
The “West Swedish Package” is a joint project between the Region Västra Götaland, City of
Gothenburg, Gothenburg region, Halland County Council, Västtrafik and the Swedish
Transport Administration, who is the principal for the project. The intention is that “the
package” will contribute to a strong and attractive Western Sweden. It includes 34 billion
SEK (350 MEURO) and includes investment in public transport, railways and roads. These
investments will help create a larger labor market and promote employment and growth.
Efforts should also be made to slow traffics negative impact on the environment and to reduce
the vulnerability of the infrastructure. Västra Götaland is Sweden's premier transportation and
industrial region, with large volumes of goods from all over Scandinavia and the rest of the
world.
The West Swedish Package has been developed to solve a number of transportation problems:
Capacity: Road and rail network has gaps in capacities and standards. Congestion and
traffic jams are common and vulnerability is high.
Environment: The transport system, in addition to climate change, also impacts on air
quality and health. Travel by public transport needs to increase.
Accessibilty: To make it easier for more people to reach jobs, education and culture, and
for companies to get better access to people with appropriate skills.
Climate: Congestion charging will be introduced in Göteborg to reduce the number of
cars. Charges will be used, among other things, to invest in dedicated lanes for buses and
new platforms for longer trains and thus more travellers.
5.7 Climate friendly shipping and marine innovations
To develop the maritime sector and carry out research on environmentally sustainable
shipping, the industry and the universities have a number of collaborative projects. Region
Västra Götaland is investing in platforms for maritime innovation such as the Swedish Marine
Technology Forum (SMTF) in Uddevalla, Lighthouse at Chalmers University. SMTF’s goal
is to provide eco-efficient and environmentally friendly shipping by developing new products,
efficient production and collaboration between companies, universities and public
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representatives. The forum examines, for instance, opportunities for alternative fuels.
Lighthouse aims to make shipping more efficient, safer and more environmentally friendly
and to ensure that Swedish shipping companies continue to be highly competitive.
Swedish requirements affect international shipping
Although freight by sea is the most environmentally efficient mode of transport the
environmental impact is not negligible. Region Västra Götaland is supporting the Clean
Shipping Project, which coordinates major shippers to strengthen the demand for more
environmentally friendly shipping. The Clean Shipping network consists of about twenty
large Swedish and international companies that procure shipping. Clean Shipping has contact
with 70 of the world's largest shipping companies to find out their performance. The data is
collected in a database - Clean Shipping Index. The index is an important international
instrument for companies that make, or want to make, environmental demands on their
shipping.
River transport alternatives to road
The work on the climate strategy identified energy-efficient transport on the Göta River as an
important area. Transportation of goods with inland vessels operated with gas is an attractive
alternative, reducing emissions. Also, roads can be relieved of heavy traffic and road safety
increased, if more goods are transported on the river. An agreement on increased freight on
the river has been signed and the Göta River, Trollhätte canal and Lake Vänern may become
incorporated in the EU inland waters system.
Ports on dry land
A dry-port is an intermodal terminal away from the port itself where there is a direct link with
regular delivery of goods, usually by rail, but also by inland waterway, and a port. Here
transfer can take place between different modes of tranmsport. An dry port acts as an inland
port which has several advantages both in terms of efficiency and the environment. An
important part is that a larger share of the freight can be done by rail instead of truck.
Dry Port - a modal shift in practice - is a three year EU project (Interreg IVB North Sea
Region), which has been running to 2012. The aim is to promote environmentally and
economically efficient logistics solutions to and from major container ports. Region Västra
Götaland is initiator and lead partner of the project. The Swedish pilot project is run by the
municipality of Falköping in collaboration with other Swedish partners. The focus is on the
establishment of a dryport in Falköping - called Skaraborg Logistic Center, linked to the Port
of Gothenburg. The dry-port in in Falköping is to become a model for expansion into other
geographic locations. The work is conducted in close collaboration with research, primarily
with the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology.
Coordinated food logistics provide climate benefits
Transportation of food is extensive and Region Västra Götaland region contributes to several
projects designed to reduce traffic in the food sector. One example is Food Port, an EU
Interreg project with 15 partners from seven countries. The objective is to streamline and
improve freight flows of foods. Food Port is based on close cooperation between food and
transportation industries, universities and public actors. The project includes, among other
things, climate calculations of the transport system.
Another project in food logistics is LOLOG - local logistics. The project aims at providing
opportunities to start up logistic nodes for transportation, but also at inspiring municipalities
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to develop local logistics. Food deliveries are collected at one terminal in the municipality and
then delivered to stores. This makes food transportation more efficient and reduces carbon
footprint. It also facilitates the spread of locally produced foods on local market. Falköping,
Vänersborg and Trollhättan are three municipalities that are directly involved in the project.
5.8 Interaction with industry in Västra Götaland
The manufacturing industry accounts for over 30% of total energy use in Västra Götaland.
Region Västra Götaland is actively working with the industry to reduce the carbon footprint.
An interesting example is Stenungsund where some of the world's leading chemical
companies have a common vision of Sustainable Chemistry 2030. Together with Chalmers,
SP, Technical Research Institute of Sweden, Region Västra Götaland and Business Region
Göteborg, the industry has developed a collaborative project, which aims to facilitate the
transition to production based on biomaterials. The vision is that Stenungsund in 2030 will be
the hub for the manufacture of sustainable products in the chemical industry in the world. A
business then based on renewable raw materials and energy that contribute to a sustainable
society.
The Region is also involved in more traditional projects such as creating arenas to support
small businesses with experience and business contacts to enable them to become more
energy efficient. Work goes under the name Energy in West.
CSR Västsverige - Unique network collaboration on social and environmental responsibility
CSR Western Sweden (CSR Västsverige) is a nonprofit organization formed in 2008 with
core funding from Region Västra Götaland with an aim to contribute to sustainable growth
and competitiveness in Västra Götaland. A unique feature of CSR Western Sweden is that
CSR is seen as a question that is equally important for all types of employers, public, private,
non-profits - big and small. And all of these can be members. Work is conducted within the
framework of so called actions. The Climate Initiative is an agreement in Smart Energy
operated by CSR Västsverige. The agreement involves 60 sites with more than 92.000
employees that promise to take certain steps to create a less fossil-dependent economy and
increased competitiveness in Västra Götaland.
5.9 Sustainable consumption and lifestyle
To really break the dependence on fossil energy, focus on increased use of renewable energy
and energy efficiency is not enough. More fundamental changes in how people consume and
live their lives are required. And of course this is the toughest part of the climate change issue,
so close to people's personal choices. Region Västra Götaland tries to contribute to more
sustainable consumption patterns and to set examples. The long term objective is to influence
norms and values in society. One example is the priority to reduce meat consumption in all
the Region´s activities in 2012. With 50.000 employees all over Västra Götaland, this will
have impact also in a wider context.
The Region, in its role as advocate for sustainable regional development, contributes to
knowledge development and funds specific projects focusing on both private and public
consumption. In Smart Energy there is an agreement on climate-smart purchases in the public
sector. This includes vehicles (“clean” vehicles), food, green electricity, furniture, textiles and
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construction material/services. Clear environmental standards for goods and services bought
by the public sector will lower climate gas emissions, while at the same time contributing to
business driven environmental development. There are several good examples, where the
public sector has been a fore runner, such as “green” cars, “green” energy, organic food and
eco-labeled products.
More knowledge on sustainable consumption needed
The concept of "sustainable consumption" is vague and there are many different
interpretations of the term. It is difficult for decision makers and individual consumers to
know what sustainable consumption really is. More knowledge is crucial. Region Västra
Götaland tries to help in building knowledge on sustainable consumption. One example is the
part financing of the Center for Consumer Science at Gothenburg University and another
example is the interdisciplinary research project Climate Transition and The Good Life. The
latter studies the trade-offs between a fossil free society and the quality of life. Another
example is the report “Theater or sweater - what is best for the environment?” financed by the
Region, analyzing whether consumption of services and culture (theater, sporting events, hairdresser, household services, etc.) is “better” for the environment than consumption of goods.
Design with Care creates more sustainable furnishing consumption
The single largest project in sustainable public consumption is the award-winning Design
with Care. The project has developed a method of participation in activities to create
sustainable public spaces and at the same time stimulating producers of furniture to create
sustainable products. Design with Care has compiled the so called "Green List", a list of ecofriendly interior design products since 2006. Region Västra Götaland procures according to
the Green List, and it is used by many other purchasing organizations, both private and public.
It has had a clear impact on the availability of “green” products on the interior design market.
Climate smart food
From a climate perspective, food (including transports etc.) stands for about one third of
emissions. Projects are run to prioritize locally grown and organic food. “Locally produced in
Western Sweden” (Lokalproducerat i Väst) works on behalf of the County Administrative
Board and Region Västra Götaland to support and develop small-scale food producers and
processors in Västra Götaland in order to create a viable industry. A project also partly
financed by EU funds. “Regional resource center for small-scale food production and
processing” is a platform to share information and knowledge and to contribute to the
efficiency and development of small and medium-sized food producers and processors in
Västra Götaland.
Knowledge for better school meals and more climate-friendly kitchen
Region Västra Götaland's knowledge-network “The School meal Academy” promotes school
food status, and tries to increase interest and awareness about food, health, culture and
environment for teachers, students, parents etc in schools. The project is also actively working
to reduce food waste, not least to create financial resources to buy more organic food. More
than half of the municipalities in Västra Götaland are participating. An evaluation of the
School meal Academy clearly shows that the project has contributed to an increased focus on
school meals in municipalities and neighbourhoods.
The project “Eco-friendly meals in the public sector” develops a user-friendly tool for
procurement and purchase of foodstuffs and for planning of meal menus. The project is run by
SIK (the Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology). An interim report resulted in a
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comparison of the climate impact from eight school meals in two versions. The project will
result in a checklist and a rating of 15 organic products, ranked by achieving maximum
environmental benefit at lowest additional cost.
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