Governing a fair transition to a fossil-free welfare society

Published on February 14, 2022

This project aims to further knowledge on how Sweden can govern a transition to a fossil-free welfare state. It will study tensions that can emerge between demographic groups, geography, socio-economic status and gender, and anticipate the requirements and expected impacts on these different groups.

Sweden’s goal to become a fossil-free welfare society with net-zero emissions by 2045 calls for a deep reconfiguration of social systems. Transitioning to fossil-free society will require changes in current consumption patters but also new practices with improved environmental and health benefits. These changes will disrupt the fundamentals of daily life such as food and transport. The impacts upon Swedish citizens will vary across socio-economic demographics, as well as gender and places of residence, which is why it is essential to identify policies that allow for a just transition.

The project aims to further knowledge on how Sweden can govern the transition to a fossil-free welfare state. The research will investigate:

· The differences in climate change footprints across socio-economic and demographic groups, gender and geographic regions in Sweden.

· The equity implications that arise from likely changes to consumption patterns across socio-economic groups, gender and geographies during the transition to a fossil-free society.

· How to govern a fair transition to a fossil-free welfare society.