The latest research on climate change makes for fascinating, albeit worrying, reading. On 20 March, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) presented its Synthesis Report, the final, summarising instalment of its sixth assessment cycle. The report draws on the most recent science to offer policymakers the data they need to understand the effects and risks of climate change, and suggests effective measures to tackle it.
Hans Wiklund, University Director
Photo: Mattias Pettersson
The IPCC concluded that it is mankind’s emission of greenhouse gases that has caused global warming, and that these emissions continue to rise around the world. If we want to have a shot at reversing this negative trend and adjusting our society to climate change, we need to take action right now. Because the planet is in a critical state.
In 2017, the Swedish Riksdag adopted a climate policy framework, which included a climate act and climate targets and which founded the Swedish Climate Policy Council. One important stipulation of the framework was that the year following elections, the new Swedish Government has to present a climate policy action plan, to explain what it will be doing to meet national and international climate goals.
On 29 March, the Swedish Climate Policy Council submitted its annual report, in which it assesses Sweden’s climate policy, to the Government. Last week’s debate at our University began with a presentation by Docent Annika Nordlund from the Department of Psychology, who is one of the members of the Swedish Climate Policy Council. She listed the ten recommendations of the Council’s report. One of the Council’s conclusions was that Sweden’s climate policy lost steam in 2022. For the first time in years, Sweden’s politics risk leading to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The Council stressed that when the new Government presents its climate policy action plan later this year, it must step up its efforts if Sweden is to fulfil its climate commitments by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2045. Basically, the Swedish Climate Policy Council is calling for stronger political leadership to deal with climate change.
One worrying trend is the way public trust in science seems to be crumbling. Research results are not always what we want to hear. Naturally, they should stand up to critical scrutiny. But that does not negate the fact that democratic decisions and effective policy should always be built on up-to-date knowledge and expertise. In a survey that Dagens Nyheter, one of Sweden’s largest daily newspapers, sent out to all Swedish universities, and which roughly 200 climate and environment researchers responded to, more than half of respondents said they felt public faith in science had dropped in the previous five years. More than one in four researchers stated they had felt criticised by their environment because of their research or because of statements they had made in the press. Professor Jon Moen from the Department of Ecology and Environmental Science addressed this issue during last week’s climate policy debate.
During its gathering on 16 March, the Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions adopted a joint statement to speak out against the hate and threats researchers are subject to, and to protect academic freedom and people’s freedom of speech.
Umeå University has an important role to play in addressing the climate challenges we face. Our research leads to new knowledge. Our education equips students with the skills they need to handle society’s challenges, both today and tomorrow. Personally, I am hopeful ahead of the future, as a result of the meetings and discussions I have had with researchers and students at our University. But it remains important for us to do our part and reduce our environmental footprint. Both as a university and as individual employees or students, there is always more we can do!