10,000 Expected at Stockholm Climate Rally as Anger Grows Over Sweden’s Rollback of Green Policies

Around 10,000 people are expected to gather in Stockholm on Sunday for a major climate demonstration, just weeks before Sweden heads into a general election where environmental policy has become one of voters’ top concerns.

The protest comes amid mounting criticism of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s right‑wing government, which since 2022 with support from the populist Sweden Democrats has cut petrol taxes and reduced requirements for fuel suppliers to blend low‑carbon alternatives into their products. Experts in Sweden and abroad warn the government’s approach threatens the country’s legally binding climate goals: cutting transport emissions by 70% from 2010 levels by 2030, and achieving net‑zero emissions by 2045.

Kristersson’s administration has also rejected recommendations from a government‑appointed commission that urged stronger measures to meet the 2030 target, including phasing out fossil fuels through higher taxes on petrol and diesel.

“The climate crisis is very real, and it is here,” said Beatrice Rindevall, head of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, one of the groups co‑organizing Sunday’s rally. Organizers say the demonstration aims to pressure political leaders to reverse course and commit to policies aligned with Sweden’s long‑standing climate ambitions.

With the election looming and public concern rising, Sweden’s climate debate is intensifying and Sunday’s turnout may signal how deeply the issue resonates with voters.