The fragmentation of climate change adaptation – the Sweden case

What is it about?

Sweden consistently ranks highly in different climate performance indices and has acquired an international reputation as a climate leader. A closer look, however, reveals a more fragmented picture of climate adaptation governance in the country with a myriad of unresolved questions and ad hoc solutions, where adaptation challenges are more pronounced and manifest in the built environment along the coastlines. Through a comprehensive analysis of the internal governing processes of climate change adaptation, this paper challenges the view of Sweden’s climate leadership by problematizing its domestic climate adaptation governance and highlighting the need for a more holistic view of adaptation. Using semi-structured interviews with climate change adaptation officers - adaptation in Sweden is primarily the responsibility of the local level (i.e. municipalities) - and a comprehensive literature review, this paper highlights aspects that are troublesome for, not only the built environment along coastlines, but also the future of Sweden’s standing as a climate leader. Findings point to three fold concerns. First, there is a lack of clarity on roles and responsibilities in adaptation among municipalities, regions, and governmental agencies. Second, the gap between available finance and actual needs for climate change adaptation presents a major challenge when channels and pathways are not clear either. Finally, some adaptation strategies on both the local and national scales may be maladaptive in the long-term. The paper concludes with recommendations addressing each of these key areas and a call for a more holistic view of adaptation, that takes into account resources, collaboration, and coherence of governance vision.

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