” campaign to build new housing, networked in to extensive public transit, schools, daycare, parks, and to social services. These homes fostered affordable living for Swedes and for millions of migrants, most of whom have found safety, care, freedom, and a new life in Sweden. Low-income people, refugees, and ethnic minority groups are the first beneficiaries of Sweden’s strong social systems, and these policies are racially equitable as well as climate-friendly.
Progressive movements also fought for broad environmental protections. Sweden is covered in nature reserves. It has developed renewable energy on a broad scale, notably hydro and wind power. It is true that much of Sweden’s energy is nuclear and that having substantial forests for biomass burning and water reserves give Sweden natural advantages other countries lack. But dense and thoughtful development has preserved those forests and generally allowed energy consumption far below U.S.
Some dismiss Sweden’s success as due to ethnic homogeneity or some mythical Nordic virtue. These arguments fail on many levels, but the clearest rebuttal look at the U.S. and see what places most closely resemble Swedish energy use and lifestyle patterns. Places like New York City and Washington D.C. are thein the U.S., with density and high public transit use. And they have emissions much closer to Swedish levels than to the rest of the U.S. They are also — like Sweden’s cities — very diverse.
Putin’s war in Ukraine is a warning to history. Partly a warning against imperialism, and partly a sign of Russian intentions in eastern Europe. But it’s also a warning against fossil fuel dependency. The same fossil fuel industries powering this warTrump’s 2016 election victory on our side of the Atlantic. Dependence on fossil fuel industries gives them power over us, and inevitably empowers their political allies.