ODA Spending

How much ODA does Sweden allocate to climate projects?

ODA Trends

Environment and climate support is extensive, ranging from support to countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Latin America, to regional and global organizations. The work is guided by a strategy for environmental, climate and marine sustainability, and sustainable use of natural resources.

The 2023 OECD DAC peer review commended Sweden’s international leadership on environmental sustainability and climate change, highlighting that support for global sustainable development is in "Sweden's foreign policy DNA". Following the inclusion of environmental and climate indicators in the upgraded version of the UN’s Human Development Index Report, Sweden moved up to the sixth position. Within Sweden’s 2016 Policy framework for Swedish development cooperation and humanitarian assistance, ‘the environment and climate change, and the sustainable use of natural resources’ is one of eight focus areas for Sweden's development cooperation.

According to OECD data, in 2022, 14% of Sweden’s bilateral allocable ODA targeted climate change as a principal goal, slightly higher than the DAC average of 13%. 19% of funding was spent on projects with a significant climate change component ( DAC average: 16%).

How is Swedish climate ODA changing?

Bilateral Spending

A large majority of Sweden’s climate-related ODA went to projects supporting adaptation. As a result, there is an emphasis on the overlap between climate adaptation and the use of natural resources, which drives Sweden’s investment in climate-smart agriculture, including forestry and fishing: agriculture received the third-largest share (13%) of climate-related spending in 2022, just behind energy (18%) and environmental protection (22%). By comparison, agriculture is the tenth-largest sector of Sweden’s overall bilateral funding (including ODA not related to climate objectives).

Focus on climate adaptation is reflected in Sweden’s strategy for development cooperation in sustainable environment, climate and marine resources, and sustainable use of natural resources, in which the government highlights the opportunities for synergies between climate adaptation, sustainable use of natural resources, and disaster risk reduction.

Multilateral Spending and Commitments

In line with its overall ODA policy, Sweden works closely with multilateral organizations, to which it contributes significant amounts of funding, though not all these funds are counted as ODA.

Funding and Policy Outlook

What is the current Swedish government's outlook on climate ODA?

Focus on sustainable development within climate, the environment, and our oceans: Sweden’s ‘strategy for global development cooperation in the areas of environmental sustainability, sustainable climate, and oceans, and sustainable use of natural resources’ covers 2018-2022 (extended to 2024) and highlights three main goals: 

• Climate-resilient sustainable development; 
• Environmentally sustainable development and sustainable use of natural resources; and 
• Sustainable oceans and water resources. 

The strategy is backed by a funding envelope of SEK6.5 billion ( US$740 million).

Climate Change: Sweden sees climate change and the loss of biodiversity as one of the defining issues of our time. Functioning ecosystems, rich biodiversity and a stable climate are essential for all life on earth. Managing and protecting the earth’s resources is a prerequisite for poverty reduction and sustainable development. Environmentally sustainable development is linked to the democratic and economic development of societies. Exploitation of natural resources often leads to impairment of human life, health and safety.

Climate-health nexus: With regards to the emerging climate-health-nexus, it is a priority for Sweden’s government within the context of the 2030 agenda. In December 2020, the Swedish Riksdag (Parliament) approved a government bill with an overarching objective for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Sweden holds the view that the 2030 Agenda to achieve economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable development, including the climate-related SDGs, offers an opportunity to influence and help improve the health situation for people in Sweden and globally.

Key Bodies