Strategies for governing fair low-carbon transport transitions in Sweden and beyond

The document identifies that up to 40% of Sweden's population is at high risk of being adversely affected by low-carbon transport transitions, particularly those in low-density areas and those at risk of poverty. It argues that transition policies must be tailored to socioeconomic and geographic factors to avoid exacerbating inequalities and political resistance. The authors propose a framework of four key strategies—structural transport design, group-tailored assistance, mitigation of external vulnerabilities, and continuous evaluation—to ensure a socially equitable and politically viable transition to net-zero emissions by 2045.

• Approximately 40% of the Swedish population is identified as being at a relatively high risk of negative impacts from low-carbon transition plans if supportive measures are not implemented. This group is characterized by a significant number of retired individuals, young singles, low-income students, and young to middle-aged families.
• Households in low-population density areas who are also at risk of poverty or social exclusion are most vulnerable to negative wealth and access effects. These groups depend heavily on cars and face limited public transport options to reach essential services like health, retail, and education.
• The group most at risk of losing in the transition also represents the highest proportion of total greenhouse gas emissions in Sweden, despite having the lowest carbon footprint per capita.
• Interviews with vulnerable groups revealed three primary fairness concerns: the financial burden on low-income households compared to high-income ones, the lack of public transport and charging infrastructure in rural areas, and the pace of the transition.
• The authors propose a policy support framework consisting of four strategies: structural transport system design (targeting rural and urban peripheries), group-tailored transition assistance policies (TAPs) for specific vulnerable groups, mitigation of external vulnerabilities (such as housing affordability), and a system of evaluation, transparency, and flexibility.

APA

Strambo, C., Maltais, A., Gong, J., Xylia, M., Nykvist, B., Dawkins, E., Axelsson, K., Grah, R., & Kartha, S. (2024). Strategies for governing fair low-carbon transport transitions in Sweden and beyond. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/170946/strategies-for-governing-fair-lowcarbon-transport-transitions-in-sweden-and-beyond.pdf

Chicago

Strambo, Claudia, Aaron Maltais, Jindan Gong, Maria Xylia, Björn Nykvist, Elena Dawkins, Katarina Axelsson, Rok Grah, and Sivan Kartha. Strategies for governing fair low-carbon transport transitions in Sweden and beyond. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2024. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/170946/strategies-for-governing-fair-lowcarbon-transport-transitions-in-sweden-and-beyond.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Strambo |first1=Claudia |last2=Maltais |first2=Aaron |last3=Gong |first3=Jindan |last4=Xylia |first4=Maria |last5=Nykvist |first5=Björn |last6=Dawkins |first6=Elena |last7=Axelsson |first7=Katarina |last8=Grah |first8=Rok |last9=Kartha |first9=Sivan |title=Strategies for governing fair low-carbon transport transitions in Sweden and beyond |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=June 2024 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/170946/strategies-for-governing-fair-lowcarbon-transport-transitions-in-sweden-and-beyond.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{strambo2024strategies, author = {Strambo, Claudia and Maltais, Aaron and Gong, Jindan and Xylia, Maria and Nykvist, Björn and Dawkins, Elena and Axelsson, Katarina and Grah, Rok and Kartha, Sivan}, title = {{Strategies for governing fair low-carbon transport transitions in Sweden and beyond}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2024}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/170946/strategies-for-governing-fair-lowcarbon-transport-transitions-in-sweden-and-beyond.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }