Civil society's solutions are crucial for climate change

Published: 9 February 2022

Sweden's objective is to become the world's first fossil-free welfare country. In a new effort, initiatives led by civil society can get support to contribute to climate change.

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Sweden's objective is to have zero net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2045 at the latest. To succeed, unprecedented collective action is required, in which non-profit associations and other parts of civil society can play a decisive role.

- Historically, civil society's capacity to mobilize and break new ground has been decisive for social change at critical times. Many community services that we take for granted today, such as home care, childcare and pharmacies, spring from innovations in civil society. It is an ability for innovation that we need to make use of to meet the climate challenge, says Sara Hugosson, Vinnova.

In a new effort from Vinnova, initiatives led by civil society organizations can apply for up to 1.5 million in order to further develop and test innovative solutions for climate change in close cooperation with business, the public sector and academia. The focus must be on one of the areas of industry, mobility, community building and food.

- The aim is to contribute to innovation which in the long run affects the entire system and that requires cooperation. Climate change needs to happen quickly, but it also needs to happen fairly and in synergy with the other sustainability goals in Agenda 2030, says Sara Hugosson.