Municipalities

Climate change impacts various activities within municipalities, including physical planning, water infrastructure, emergency services, healthcare, social services, schools, and childcare facilities.

The municipality is the authority under various legislation, that include granting building permits, conducting environmental inspections, environmental protection, and nature conservation. Municipal companies specializing in real estate, energy, and water management also play a vital role in societal adaptation.

Since 2018, comprehensive planning has required municipalities to evaluate the vulnerability of their built environment in connection with climate change.

This assessment considers the risk of damage from events such as flooding, landslides, and erosion, as well as whether these risks are anticipated to decrease or increase. A municipality may also require a so-called land permit in detailed planning to control the extent of impermeable surfaces in urban areas, thereby reducing the risk of flooding and mitigating the impact of heatwaves.

It is beneficial to add parts of climate adaptation into municipal risk and vulnerability evaluations to analyze ways society can safeguard itself during extreme weather events.

For instance, extreme heatwaves can significantly impact health and social care, potentially leading to fatalities among vulnerable people.

Many municipalities have developed specific action plans or strategies describing their approach to climate adaptation, and in the best-case scenario, they have also designated a coordinator to oversee these efforts.

SKR and the municipalities' activities

Sweden's 290 municipalities, along with the interest group SKR (Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner), play a key role in adapting our society to climate change.

Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKR)

Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner (SKR), the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, monitors and supports municipalities' efforts in climate adaptation. This includes organizing seminars and conferences, creating informational brochures, and sharing practical examples from municipalities. SKR also manages many networks within the built environment sector, encouraging dialogue and exchanging experiences from a climate adaptation perspective. In its final report, the SKR Programme Committee for Sustainable Transition outlines recommendations for enhancing and intensifying municipalities' and regions' efforts in climate adaptation

Programme Preparation for Sustainable Transition (SKR) External link.

Municipalities

Every two years, Insurance Sweden and the Swedish Environmental Research Institute collaborate to conduct a municipal ranking, assessing the progress of climate adaptation efforts in Sweden's 290 municipalities. The results indicate substantial advancements by many municipalities, even more are on the way. The County Administrative Board is tasked by initiating, supporting, and monitoring the municipalities' climate adaptation work. This monitoring is carried out through the annual reporting of county administration boards to the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI).

Over the years, municipalities have worked on climate-proofing the planning of new buildings and preventing the risk of flooding. In the 2010s, particularly following the summer of 2018, there has been a raised awareness of issues related to the impact of heat on human health, the consequences of prolonged drought on drinking water supply, and the increased risk of forest fires. As climate change has a broader impact on businesses and individuals, there is growing awareness of the need for more effective administrative involvement in addressing these challenges.