Sweden
Cultivate a thriving food system
Food production contributes to one-third of global GHG emissions [77]—and requires nearly 40% of our world's landmass to grow crops and animal feed and graze livestock.[78] The food we grow often travels vast distances around the world, meeting people's demand for out-of-season produce or goods not locally available. The Swedish situation is no different: while the country produces more than enough to feed its population, large quantities of food—around half of the total—are still imported to make up for lacking crop variety.[79] And while Sweden imports double the food it exports, exports are on an upwards trend. What's more: Swedes' consumption errs on the side of unsustainable, with emissions-intensive meat, dairy and processed foods featuring high on the menu—and just over half of the adult population is overweight, in line with the EU average.[80] In spite of this, the country has made efforts to restrict the impact its food system has on the environment: farming regulations for sustainability are stricter and more complex than in the EU,[81] and animal welfare sparked concern in the nation significantly earlier than other EU Member States. In recent years, the share of organic area (as a measure of total agricultural area) has risen, far surpassing the EU average: 20.4% versus 8.5%.[82] Sweden is, therefore, well-positioned to maximise the impact of strategies for the sector, especially as the topic gains more traction in public discourse for its connection to both human and environmental health.
In this 'what if' scenario for Sweden's food system, we outline opportunities for Sweden to boost its circularity while cutting the sector's heavy material footprint.
Impact on Sweden's circularity
Implementing circular interventions in the realm of food would have a small impact on the Metric—boosting it by 0.27 percentage points (including extractive waste) (0.34 percentage points excluding extractive waste), and a more substantial effect on the material footprint, decreasing it by 7.3%. Shifting to a circular food system would also bring numerous co-benefits to Sweden: minimising the consumption of meat and processed foods—instead embracing plant-based diets—will have positive outcomes on health [101][102] and greenhouse gas emissions, while sustainable production practices will bring numerous other benefits, from boosting biodiversity and soil health to supporting rural communities. [103]
Policies for food sustainability take root in Sweden
Sweden is already taking some action to cut the impact of its foods. In 2018, for example, the Swedish National Food Agency, the Swedish Board of Agriculture and the Swedish EPA launched an Action plan for food loss and food waste reduction by 2030. A list of 42 measures split into nine key action areas, the plan addresses needs from investigation and research to innovation.[104] Efforts to cut food waste have also permeated city-level governments, with Gothenburg leading the way with a new tool that slashes waste in municipal kitchens: The Gothenburg model for less food waste. The tool has gleaned promising results, with decreases in food waste of 50% between January 2017 and December 2018 and the vast majority (95%) of kitchens using the tool to measure their waste levels.[105] Waste hasn't been the government's only target: the Swedish Food Agency and the Swedish Health Agency have been given the mandate to develop and roll out objectives and indicators for sustainable food consumption. With a focus on boosting fruit and vegetable consumption over that of meat—and reducing overconsumption in general—the plan aligns with public health interests as well as Swedish environmental goals for the coming decade.[106]
The Circularity Gap Report is an initiative of Circle Economy, an impact organisation dedicated to accelerating the transition to the circular economy.
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