Swedish municipalities have large potential to advance sustainable consumption

This policy brief, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute, details the findings of the UNLOCK project regarding the role of Swedish municipalities in advancing sustainable consumption. It examines current practices, the use of data, and the barriers local governments face, concluding that while there is strong momentum, greater national coordination and financial support are required to amplify impacts.

• A significant majority of Swedish municipalities are actively addressing sustainable consumption, with over 60% of 119 survey respondents reporting they work systematically through strategies, action plans, or environmental programs, and another 23% planning to do so. These efforts are primarily focused on food, transport, energy, and waste within their own operations, often driven by ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.
• Municipalities rely heavily on informative and administrative policy instruments rather than economic ones. Specifically, 86% of survey respondents use "information and advice," while 78% utilize "plans and strategies" and "participation in networks and other initiatives."
• Public procurement is a major lever for sustainable consumption, as municipalities conducted nearly 70% of all public procurements in Sweden in 2017. However, implementing sustainable procurement is described as time-intensive and complex, often relying on incomplete information. Joint innovation procurement—where the public sector acts as an early adopter of innovative solutions—is rare, used by only 15% of survey respondents.
• While municipalities value consumption data and indicators for monitoring impact and communicating the importance of sustainable consumption to gain political support, they lack the necessary skills and methods for overall monitoring. They emphasize that data alone does not guarantee policy action and must be accompanied by central support systems and stakeholder engagement.
• The primary obstacles to advancing sustainable consumption at the local level are a lack of staff capacity, time, financial resources, and clear national direction. Political support is critical but can be challenging because sustainable consumption measures targeting residents and businesses can be "politically sensitive."
• Internal 'local champions' and inter-departmental cooperation are essential for driving sustainable consumption agendas, with 85% of survey respondents identifying their own staff as the most important actors. Additionally, networking is highly valued, with nearly 60% of municipalities participating in two or three of twelve listed Swedish and international climate and consumption networks.

APA

Dawkins, E., Axelsson, K., André, K., Swartling, Å. G., & Eriksson, A. (n.d.). Swedish municipalities have large potential to advance sustainable consumption. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/210319a-dawkins-unlock-pb-2102a-1.pdf

Chicago

Dawkins, Elena, Katarina Axelsson, Karin André, Åsa Gerger Swartling, and Aina Eriksson. Swedish municipalities have large potential to advance sustainable consumption. Stockholm Environment Institute, n.d. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/210319a-dawkins-unlock-pb-2102a-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{dawkinsndswedish, author = {Dawkins, Elena and Axelsson, Katarina and André, Karin and Swartling, Åsa Gerger and Eriksson, Aina}, title = {{Swedish municipalities have large potential to advance sustainable consumption}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/210319a-dawkins-unlock-pb-2102a-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }