Alarm: Climate adaptation too slow
Climate change represents a major threat to societal security; yet, while significant investments are being made in defense, climate adaptation has lagged behind.
Although much has been done, the pace is too slow and uneven, the Climate Adaptation Council concludes in a new report.
Cloudbursts, heatwaves, and landslides present serious risks, but more gradual shifts—such as a lengthening growing season or a shrinking snowpack—also have consequences for society.
"It involves a very broad risk landscape. To a large extent, Swedish society was built for a climate that no longer exists," says Karin Lundgren Kownacki, lead author of the report *Monitoring and Evaluation of National Climate Adaptation Efforts*.
Greater integration
In recent years, substantial funds have been allocated to defense and emergency preparedness. The Council would like to see climate adaptation more strongly linked to preparedness issues.
"Historically, climate adaptation has been viewed as an environmental issue. In reality, however, it is a matter of our collective security."
"The message is that climate adaptation could be strengthened if it were more deeply integrated across all sectors of society. From the perspective of crisis preparedness, one must examine all types of crises—and that includes those caused by climate change." The Climate Adaptation Council is tasked with monitoring and evaluating climate adaptation efforts in Sweden. In its first report, published in 2022, the Council emphasized that Sweden needs to shift from planning to actual implementation.
In this follow-up report, the Council notes that while progress has been made, the pace is too slow and the level of effort varies significantly—for instance, between different municipalities—which creates risks.
“The situation is that some have made great strides, working both proactively and reactively. Others, however, have yet to begin at all—which is concerning, given that these events do not respect geographical boundaries. Such unevenness renders the work inefficient.”
Greater state-level guidance
As in the previous report, the Council points to shortcomings in both funding and the division of responsibilities, calling for stronger guidance from the state.
“Resources and clearer direction from the state are essential to ensure that action is taken—so that it isn’t just those actors with existing resources who implement measures. If we want to see more proactive steps that alter fundamental conditions, the state must step in,” says Karin Lundgren Kownacki.
Facts
The Climate Adaptation Council
The National Expert Council for Climate Adaptation—the Climate Adaptation Council—was established by the government in 2018. Its mandate is to monitor and evaluate climate adaptation efforts in Sweden.
Every five years, the Council is required to produce a report that serves as a foundation for the government’s national strategy and action plan for climate adaptation. The report follows up on the work of various societal actors—such as government agencies, municipalities, and regions—regarding climate adaptation.
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