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Sweden Establishes Ministry of Sustainable Development


In his always wonderfully informative Salon.com column, "How the World Works," Andrew Leonard reported today on Sweden's new Ministry of Sustainable Development. So few have commented on Part V of "The Green Emperor Gets Naked" that I thought I might be off the mark or just too bufoonish for words. However, on the day GetUnderground.com posted my essay, Sweden was announcing the formation of its new ministry, proving that I may indeed have written something folks should be paying attention to.

I'll give you a few choice tidbits in a moment, but let me just say that what I wrote in Part V is extremely important. We are not going to get off the dime with creating a new economy, weaning ourselves from fossil fuels, and limiting the damage we've done to the global climate system unless sustainable development and environmental justice are merged into a new movement that is separate from--although, obviously, linked to--the environmental movement.

As usual, Sweden is far ahead of this country in meeting the challenges of democratic economic reality. Here's the lead paragraph from Leonard's article, "All Hail the Green Welfare State:"

"Sweden has a Ministry of Sustainable Development. Just stop and think about that for a second. In the United States, we have a Department of Interior and a Department of Energy, both of which are controlled by former executives of the mining, oil and gas industries that they are supposed to regulate. But in Sweden, Mona Sahlin's job, as minister of sustainable development, is to wean the entire country away from oil, gas, coal and any other non-renewable form of energy."

From the Swedish government themselves, the mission of the Ministry of Sustainable Development is:
The green welfare state - a vision for the Ministry of Sustainable Development
The Government aspires to make the idea of the green welfare state a reality. To this end, it will use new technology, construction and planning and pursue an active energy and environmental policy. The goal is to modernise Sweden so as to make our society more resource-efficient, a process of change that will drive innovation, new jobs, growth and welfare. In the green welfare state, our country will reconcile good economic progress with social justice and protection of the environment, to our own benefit and the benefit of future generations. Being at the forefront of development, we will also be in a position to succeed in the export market and support environmentally sustainable social development in countries that are now experiencing strong growth. In this way, national progress is a source of global opportunities. The modernisation of our societies has to help ensure that the resources of our planet are sufficient for us all! We must pass on to the next generation a Sweden where the major environmental problems have been solved. Welfare includes a healthy living environment with clean air and closeness to nature. This requires clear environmental objectives, effective policy instruments and international cooperation. A cohesive climate and energy policy must guarantee the future supply of energy, limit climate impact and at the same time be a motor for change in Sweden. Society must be steered towards energy efficiency and must in the long run obtain all energy from renewable sources. Sweden must have both a living countryside and healthy cities and suburbs whose development is guided by active planning. This requires a national policy for housing, construction and urban development. Everyone must have the chance to live in good and affordable homes in a secure and sustainable living environment.

Finally, in late November, the Swedish government issued this press release:

24 Nov 2005
Sweden aims to break oil dependency by 2020
STOCKHOLM, Nov 24 (AFP) Swedish Prime Minister Goeran Persson on Thursday announced the creation of a commission to find ways to end the country's dependence on oil by 2020. The eight-member committee consists of business executives, energy experts and professors, and includes Volvo Trucks chief executive Leif Johansson among others, a government statement said. The committee has been tasked with hammering out a strategy together with Persson, and is expected to present its first report in the first half of 2006.

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