Visions and Conditions for a Fossil-Free Welfare Society

1. Visions for a fossil-free welfare society

The Swedish government has stated that Sweden shall become one of the world’s first fossil-free welfare societies and a global forerunner. However, concrete visions regarding what a fossil-free welfare society would mean are lacking. How can we better understand the links between reducing greenhouse gas emissions and quality of life, on individual and societal levels? How can initiatives and examples of measures and practices be spread and scaled up? Who is responsible for societal transformations, and how can issues of justice and distribution be addressed? In this theme we also encourage applications that contain elements of design, visualization and communication of existing knowledge or new results.

2. Reaching negative emissions – possibilities and conditions

According to the UN panel on climate change, greenhouse gas emissions need to be drastically reduced in order to keep global warming below 2 degrees. In Sweden, national climate goals stipulate that the net emissions should be zero at the latest by 2045, and thereafter become negative. However, the possibilities for reaching negative emissions to the extent that is needed are very uncertain. What conflicts of interests appear when existing and new technology for achieving negative emissions are developed and scaled up in the scope that is predicted? How can political, legal and ethical questions about incentives and economic risks be addressed? What are the conditions for different sectors, and countries, in a global perspective?