The warmer than normal annual average temperature in Sweden since the 90s continues

The winter continues to be mild, and today Stockholm and other Swedish cities set their heat records for January, according to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. The weather conditions are, according to SMHI's meteorologists, due to southwesterly winds that bring mild Atlantic air to Scandinavia. Although the temperatures for the season are high, it is not possible to connect a single mild winter to global warming. 

- But we have a climate indicator for winter temperatures for the whole of Sweden from 1860. We see a striking change since the 1990s, compared with the period 1961-1990. The cold winters are becoming increasingly unusual, says Erik Engström, a climatologist at SMHI, to TT.

Below you can see that the past two decaedes only one out of 20 years was slighly cooler than normal (2010).

The top maps show the annual average temperature deviation (in ° C) from the normal yearly average temperature (average 1961-1990) for the year 2000 to 2019. The analyzes are based on observations from all stations that daily report temperatures in Sweden. The lower map shows how much the average temperature for the period 1 January to 14 January 2020 deviates (in ° C) from the normal average temperature for the period (average 1961-1990). The analyzes are based on observations from about 200 stations that report daily temperatures (source SMHI).

Sweden electricity export to Finland booms due to delay in Finnish nuclear reactor completion

Swedish Radio reports (LINK) that Sweden exported record amounts of electricity to neighboring countries in 2019, according to new statistics from the industry organization Swedenergy.

It was up 50% last year compared to the year before and equaled about 15 percent of the total production of electricity in Sweden. 

One of the main reasons is problems with the electricity supply in Sweden's neighbors, with a delayed new nuclear reactor Olkiluoto 3 in Finland causing problems, and reservoirs in Norway have been emptier than usual. Once Olkiluoto 3 enters commercial operation early next year, OL3 will supply about 15% of Finland's electricity demand

 

 

Sweden to investigate phasing out fossil fuels and banning sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030

The Swedish government has appointed an inquiry (LINK) to offer proposals on how to implement a ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars, and when fossil fuels should be phased out.

According to Swedish Public Service news, SVT (LINK) the goal is to prohibit to sell new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 onwards. The question will now be investigated, following an agreement between the government, the Social Democrates, the Center Party and the Liberals.

 

“Sweden will be the world’s first fossil-free welfare nation. The transport sector is responsible for a third of Sweden’s emissions of greenhouse gases, and thus has a significant role to play in the climate transition,” says Minister for Financial Markets and Housing Per Bolund.

The inquiry is to:

• analyse the conditions for introducing a national ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars, and how to exempt vehicles that run on renewable fuels and electric hybrid vehicles from such a ban;
• analyse how to bring about an EU-wide ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars and the phasing out of fossil fuels in the EU;
• make the necessary legislative proposals, albeit not in the area of taxation, where the inquiry may only analyse measures and conduct impact analyses; and
• propose a year by which fossil fuels should be phased out in Sweden, and the measures needed for this to happen in the most cost-effective manner possible.