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Sweden and Its Goal of Becoming a Model Sustainable Society |
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# Sweden--the many faces of a neutral
Scandinavian power |
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Sweden has an area of 450,000 square kilometers, making it around 1.2 times the size of Japan, and roughly the size of Spain or Thailand, however 80% of the country is covered in mountains, rivers and forests. The population is 8.9 million, considerably less than Tokyo. I did some searching and found a few facts about this country that has not been involved in a war since 1818, almost 200 years: |
People on the island of Oland have been using
wind power for centuries, and
many old windmills still remain.
Wind-powered power stations are
the windmills of today. |
Turning even in snow!
Electricity generation by wind power
on the island of Gotland. |
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In the 2001 "Information Society Index" (ISI) published by US organizations IDC and the World Times, Sweden ranked at No.1, the same as last year.
http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=IDC_P7066
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According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) survey Women in Parliament, Sweden has a higher proportion of female members of parliament than any other nation.
http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm
http://www8.cao.go.jp/whitepaper/danjyo/plan2000/h12/1-1.html (in Japanese)
3.
Sweden ranked fourth in the world from 1998 through 1999 for the proportion of GNP spent on ODA (overseas development aid).
http://www.ssb.no/en/uhjelpoecd/arkiv/art-2001-03-05-01-en.html http://www.asiapacific.ca/data/devt/donor_dataset4_compare.cfm
4.
In a 1998 DIHS (Dentsu Institute for Human Studies) survey of global values comparing the six nations of Japan, the US, Britain, Germany, France and Sweden, in response to the question "Do you think your country will be better in ten years time?" 58.6% of Swedes answered in the affirmative, the second highest proportion after the US (63%).
http://dci.dentsu.co.jp/publication/wvs/index.asp (In Japanese)
(2005-, Dentsu Communication Institute Inc.)
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In Japan, the image of Sweden is very much one of an advanced welfare state, and a search of Japanese books under "Sweden/welfare" on the amazon.com Internet bookstore site turned up 152 items.
Recently I have been focusing on Sweden as a leader in environmental issues. I spoke to Lena Lindahl, a Swede who has resided in Tokyo for the past 11 years, about the latest environmental developments in Sweden.
Lena lived in Kyoto from 1982 to 1984. During time back in Sweden, she experienced the changes in that country as a result of heightened awareness of environmental issues. At the same time, she felt unable to stand by and do nothing about the Japanese situation--Japanese companies destroying rain forests, ODA causing environmental damage, the issue of nuclear power--and returned to Japan in 1989. After working as a volunteer for several environmental NGOs and in a position that involved the Japanese Diet, in 1997 she began publishing the Sweden Kankyo News, an up to date source of advanced environmental information from Sweden for Japanese readers. |
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"...The burden on the country's finances is considerable and some sectors have been privatized, however I think you could still say Sweden has a more advanced welfare system than Japan and other countries. People in Sweden started getting involved in environmental issues when they realized that something more fundamental than social welfare was being threatened, that is the safety of basic essentials for human life such as air and water.
Sweden and its people learned from welfare that 'prevention is better than cure.' Swedes had experienced for themselves how preventing problems before they occur reduces the final burden on them, so they applied this same principle to environmental issues." |
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In 1996 Prime Minister Goran Persson announced that Sweden would make an international contribution by taking active steps to become a model "environmentally sustainable society." |
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"I think it would be more accurate to say that rather than the Prime Minister taking the lead with that announcement, ordinary Swedes and companies etc. were already on the way to making it reality, and his declaration was a result of this. I have been publishing the Sweden Kankyo News her e in Japan for four years now, and during this time the Swedish government has been putting in the work required to achieve that objective.
Certainly there is no shortage of stories for me." |
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# Biogas* as a practical motor fuel alternative |
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The most recent issues of Lena's news have been dominated by articles on energy matters. I asked Lena which Swedish energy initiatives she was currently interested in. |
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"The problem of cars was not discussed for a long time, however concrete steps are now being taken to deal with it. These include mixing ethanol refined from wheat into gasoline, using biogas and natural gas, and car pooling, in which several people join together to share vehicles. There is also now an environmental group for motorists ." |
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What you've said about motor fuels there is quite revolutionary. To what extent are people using these alternatives?
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"In the city of Goteborg the state energy company, taxi firms, and the Volvo Car Corporation*are cooperating with the city to develop and encourage use of taxis that run on biogas or natural gas. In the city of Boras, food scraps are used to make biogas, which is used to run garbage trucks and public vehicles.
At gasoline stands in Stockholm motorists can purchase 'gasoline containing ethanol made from wheat' and 'biogas collected from sewage treatment plants' from automated dispensers alongside ordinary gasoline.
There are plans to sell gasoline containing wheat-based ethanol at more locations in and around Stockholm. These are some of the main examples, however most local authorities in Sweden have formulated plans (known as Local Agenda 21) for building sustainable communities, and are engaged in a variety of environmental initiatives. |
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Gasoline/gas hybrid taxi in Goteburg. |
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Incidentally, according to data from Fordonsgas (lit. 'vehicle gas'), which supplies gas in Goteborg, while ordinary gasoline is priced at 9.99 kronor/liter and diesel 8.72 kronor/liter, the equivalent biogas or natural gas to one liter of gasoline costs 6 kronor. Environmentally friendly fuel is in fact cheaper." (Note: 1 krona = around 12 yen) |
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* Biogasis a combustible gas obtained by fermenting suitable organic material (the excrement of livestock, raw food waste, sub-standard agricultural produce) in an oxygen-free environment. The gas is around 65% methane (a component of natural gas), with the remainder mainly carbon dioxide, and can be used as fuel.
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* There are in fact two "VOLVO" organizations:
the Volvo Group , and the Volvo Car Corporation. The name Volvo is generally associated with the latter, the car manufacturer, which since 1999 has been part of the Ford Motor Company conglomerate. The Volvo Group is in the process of shifting from vehicle sales to designing transport systems, and selling services that supply cars as a means of mobility. |
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# Environmental policy is not the only area in which
Sweden is a leader |
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Since last year Lena has been planning ecotours to enable interested people to see for themselves how environmental policies are being implemented in Sweden.
 Ecotourists experience the majestic natural surroundings of Sweden (at Stora Sjofallet National Park.)
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"People seem to go on the tours with the aim of seeing environmental technology put to practical use. Japan, in particular, has already made some excellent technological advances in this area. Where Sweden is ahead is in the systems and non-technological aspects of environmental strategy, such as education and disclosure of information. I would like people on the tours to be able to talk with people actually on the spot, and learn about these aspects.
One thing Swedes can be proud of is their ability to communicate, plus their tendency to explain things exactly and truthfully. Most Japanese would be surprised to hear some chap in overalls carefully explaining his factory's environmental policies using terms anyone can understand, but in Sweden where people are taught to say what they think, it is taken for granted.
PR material issued by the government and companies is quite stylish and designed to be understood by everyone. In buses and trains, and on the streets, you will see advertising every day by local authorities and waste treatment companies telling you how to sort rubbish or deal with toxic waste.
Companies in the container and packaging industry have even joined with an environmental education foundation to publish pamphlets on recycling containers and packaging."
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Waste treatment companies use advertising
in trains to educate consumers
on the disposal of toxic waste.
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Poster on a street corner urges passersby
to "Look at page 45 of the pamphlet put out
by the city to find out about disposing of toxic wastes."
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The design of the pamphlets produced by associations and processing
companies explaining recycling and environmental plans are also outstanding |
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No matter how much you try to get these good things happening, or make the right laws, unless everyone understands them nothing will actually be done, will it?
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"From childhood Swedes are trained and taught at school and at home how to explain their views to others, and how to find information.
People from citizens' groups visit schools and teach children things like what they can do to express their views to the government, and how they can find the information they need.
...The idea is to make sure individuals know they have the power to change things, and the right to express their views, to eliminate feelings of helplessness and uncertainty about the future."
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It's a very positive way of thinking isn't it? I get the feeling that having hopes for the future is also an important element of building a sustainable society.
Finally, Lena made the following suggestions.
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"In Japan the word 'consumer' tends to conjure up images of women, doesn't it, in pa rticular of housewives.However each one of us is a 'consumer' whenever we eat something, or just go about our daily lives. Whether it is looking at the beer we drink every day and switching to organic beer one day a week, or drinking tea or coffee at work bought at a fair trade shop (http://www.TransFairUSA.org), there is always something we can do." |
Eco-beer made from organic wheat can be purchased
at ordinary supermarkets,
and is priced much the same as ordinary beer.
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Speaking to Lena made me realize that Sweden cannot be encapsulated in the phrase "environmental leader." I gained the impression Swedes have concluded that in order to build a "society in which everyone has equal access to information," "a society where everyone can live safely," and "a society with hope for the future," it is important to build a sustainable society that does not place unnecessary strain on the environment.
My thanks to Lena for agreeing to be interviewed.
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 About Lena Lindahl
Born in Sweden. Lived in Kyoto 1982 to 1984. Returned to Japan in 1989. Following various activities including time spent as a volunteer for several environmental protection groups, employed for four and a half years from 1990 at the Japanese office of GLOBE International* (Global Legislators Organization for a Balanced Environment). Here she realized the difficulty of changing things in Japan through the medium of Japanese politics, and at the same time felt that information from overseas could be a stimulus for change. In 1997 she began publishing the Sweden Kankyo News* to inform people in Japan about the constructive and positive steps being taken in Sweden in environmental policy. Currently in addition to publishing the News she writes and gives lectures to educate people in Japan on Swedish environmental activities and policies, and conducts surveys and supplies reports for foreign companies on Japanese environmental policy. In June 2000 she became Deputy Director of Natural Step Japan*, a designated non-profit organization (NPO). In summer she plans to run the "Swedish ecotours" mentioned in this article. Please direct any inquiries to VZQ11450@nifty.ne.jp.
* Sweden Kankyo News (Swedish Environmental News)
http://www.netjoy.ne.jp/~lena/english.html
* GLOBE International http://www.globeinternational.org/
* Natural Step Japan http://www.tnsij.org/index.html
+ Natural Step http://www.naturalstep.org/ (in English/Swedish/Japanese)
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Interview: Mariko Harada, Think the Earth Project
Photographs: Soichi Ueda, Think the Earth Project
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