Policies

National Methane Action Plan

Last updated: 8 February 2023

Sweden's National Methane Action Plan, submitted to the Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) in 2022, maps current and projected methane emissions and reviews the national strategies, policies and measures targeting mitigation. 
The agricultural sector is responsible for the majority of emissions, followed by waste, land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) and the energy sector. Economy-wide emissions have decreased by roughly 42% from 1990 levels to reach a total of 4.6 Mt CO2-eq in 2020. Emissions are projected to decrease by 53% compared to 1990 levels by 2030 under current policies. 
The Swedish government adopted a climate change policy framework in 2017 that requires the annual submission of a climate action plan reviewing progress and proposing additional measures for GHG emission reduction. Measures for reducing methane emissions are being considered by various government agencies for inclusion in the next plan, which will be presented in 2023. 
The Plan outlines EU and national key policies and measures concerning methane emissions in each sector:

  1. For the agricultural sector, applicable regulations include the EU Common Agricultural Policy, domestic biogas production support and the advisory service “Focus on nutrients.” 
  2. For the waste sector, policies include the EU Landfill Directive, the Swedish strategy for a circular economy, the landfill tax, the ban on landfilling combustible and organic waste and methane collection, extended producer responsibility for producers and the municipal waste planning requirement. 
  3. In the LULUCF sector, strategies are focused around the management of wildfires and conservation fires. 
  4. Strategies in the energy and IPPU sector include the EU methane emissions reduction in the energy sector proposal, domestic biogas and liquid biogas (LBG) production support and a voluntary commitment programme for biogas producers called EgMet.

Finally, the Plan outlines Sweden's engagement in international initiatives concerning methane, including the CCAC and bilateral environmental cooperation. 

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