Interesting article. the renewable energy sources mentioned are : 'distance heating 'and 'pellets' does anyone know what they are? It's good to hear news like this - we need a lot more of it
Linda
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ruth Rosenhek" <ruthr@...>
To: "Anne Goddard" <winter___@...>
Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2006 8:36 AM
Subject: Re: [eco-feministwomen] positive websites
here's some good news too from Sweden...
____
Swedish Press Dec 2005
SWEDEN PLANS ON BEING THE FIRST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO BE FREE FROM OIL
IN 2020
Minister for Sustainable Development Mona Sahlin has declared that Sweden
is going to become the first country in the world to break the dependence
on fossil energy. Sweden will stop using oil by 2020 and eventually the
energy supply of the country will be based on renewable energy only.
The goal is to gradually rid the country of gasoline-run cars and
oil-heated homes. This is going to be achieved through tax discounts, more
efficiency in energy and by large-scale investments in renewable energy and
in research.
Already next year there will be tax incentives for single family homeowners
to switch from oil to renewable energy to heat their homes.
Such financial incentives are already available to libraries, aquatic
facilities and hospitals that want to switch to more efficient renewable
energy.
The expansion of distant heating continues to be an important tool in this
process. The Swedish government also wants to make environmental cars more
affordable. One of the ways it is doing this is by not subjecting fuel that
is free of carbon dioxide to the energy tax or 10 the carbon dioxide
emission tax. Environmental cars will also not have to pay the congestion
tax that will be introduced in Stockholm in January and many municipalities
allow free parking for such cars.
Swedish industry and the economy as a whole are already benefiting from a
lower dependency on oil in an international comparison. Since 1994 the use
of oil in residences and in the service sector has dropped by 15.2 TWH. The
consumption of oil in industries has remained at the same level since that
year, even though industrial production has increased by 70 percent. A
growing number of households make use of the advantages of distant heating
as well as of pellets.
Minister Sahlin's latest statement on the abolition of oil in 2020 is
actually just a confirmation of a goal set a long time ago. Sweden has been
a pioneer in the environmental field and has introduced many innovative
measures through the years to achieve its goals.
Already in 1990 Swedes implemented a "green tax shift". Taxes on energy and
on carbon dioxide emissions were raised, while other taxes, such as those
on payroll were decreased by an equivalent amount. Sweden also invested
heavily
in its cities and towns. Municipalities receive grants to conduct long-term
climate research and make investments in environment-friendly technology.
Not only has this helped cut local pollution, it has also raised the level
of public awareness of environmental issues.
In 1999 a unanimous national goal was established for all the country's
major environmental problems to be solved within one generation, by the year
2020. The Swedish Parliament gave unanimous approval to 15 national targets
including a phasing out of all use of hazardous chemicals by 2020; ensuring
that all lakes and watercourses are ecologically sustainable,
their habitats and ecological and water-conserving function preserved;
providing a safe and sustainable supply of drinking water and contributing
to viable habitats for flora and fauna; pro-lection of the value of forests
for biological production, while biological diversity, cultural heritage
and recreational assets are safeguarded, and a healthy living environment
to be provided by cities and towns where buildings and
amenities must be located and designed with sound environmental principles.
There are interim objectives for each target, regional and local objectives
to match, and an Environmental Objectives Council to monitor progress
towards the goals. Progress is charted through 70 national indicators,
which track results and verify whether the country is heading in the right
direction.
--
Rainforest Information Centre
Box 368, Lismore 2480 NSW
(02) 66213294
http://www.rainforestinfo.org.au/
ruthr@...
From: "Ruth Rosenhek" <ruthr@...>
To: "Anne Goddard" <winter___@...>
Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2006 8:36 AM
Subject: Re: [eco-feministwomen] positive websites
here's some good news too from Sweden...
____
Swedish Press Dec 2005
SWEDEN PLANS ON BEING THE FIRST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO BE FREE FROM OIL
IN 2020
Minister for Sustainable Development Mona Sahlin has declared that Sweden
is going to become the first country in the world to break the dependence
on fossil energy. Sweden will stop using oil by 2020 and eventually the
energy supply of the country will be based on renewable energy only.
The goal is to gradually rid the country of gasoline-run cars and
oil-heated homes. This is going to be achieved through tax discounts, more
efficiency in energy and by large-scale investments in renewable energy and
in research.
Already next year there will be tax incentives for single family homeowners
to switch from oil to renewable energy to heat their homes.
Such financial incentives are already available to libraries, aquatic
facilities and hospitals that want to switch to more efficient renewable
energy.
The expansion of distant heating continues to be an important tool in this
process. The Swedish government also wants to make environmental cars more
affordable. One of the ways it is doing this is by not subjecting fuel that
is free of carbon dioxide to the energy tax or 10 the carbon dioxide
emission tax. Environmental cars will also not have to pay the congestion
tax that will be introduced in Stockholm in January and many municipalities
allow free parking for such cars.
Swedish industry and the economy as a whole are already benefiting from a
lower dependency on oil in an international comparison. Since 1994 the use
of oil in residences and in the service sector has dropped by 15.2 TWH. The
consumption of oil in industries has remained at the same level since that
year, even though industrial production has increased by 70 percent. A
growing number of households make use of the advantages of distant heating
as well as of pellets.
Minister Sahlin's latest statement on the abolition of oil in 2020 is
actually just a confirmation of a goal set a long time ago. Sweden has been
a pioneer in the environmental field and has introduced many innovative
measures through the years to achieve its goals.
Already in 1990 Swedes implemented a "green tax shift". Taxes on energy and
on carbon dioxide emissions were raised, while other taxes, such as those
on payroll were decreased by an equivalent amount. Sweden also invested
heavily
in its cities and towns. Municipalities receive grants to conduct long-term
climate research and make investments in environment-friendly technology.
Not only has this helped cut local pollution, it has also raised the level
of public awareness of environmental issues.
In 1999 a unanimous national goal was established for all the country's
major environmental problems to be solved within one generation, by the year
2020. The Swedish Parliament gave unanimous approval to 15 national targets
including a phasing out of all use of hazardous chemicals by 2020; ensuring
that all lakes and watercourses are ecologically sustainable,
their habitats and ecological and water-conserving function preserved;
providing a safe and sustainable supply of drinking water and contributing
to viable habitats for flora and fauna; pro-lection of the value of forests
for biological production, while biological diversity, cultural heritage
and recreational assets are safeguarded, and a healthy living environment
to be provided by cities and towns where buildings and
amenities must be located and designed with sound environmental principles.
There are interim objectives for each target, regional and local objectives
to match, and an Environmental Objectives Council to monitor progress
towards the goals. Progress is charted through 70 national indicators,
which track results and verify whether the country is heading in the right
direction.
--
Rainforest Information Centre
Box 368, Lismore 2480 NSW
(02) 66213294
http://www.rainforestinfo.org.au/
ruthr@...
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