Potential analysis of consumption-based emissions in Malmö

To meet the climate targets set out in the Paris Agreement, we need to make far-reaching and rapid changes to the way we produce, consume and live. RISE, working closely with Malmö City Council, has analysed which changes have the potential to reduce emissions from private consumption and how the council can play an active role in this process.

Private consumption accounts for a significant proportion of Malmö’s climate impact and includes emissions generated both within and outside Sweden’s borders. To achieve the municipality’s climate targets, emissions need to be reduced from around 5.7 tonnes of CO₂e per person (2022) to 3.1 tonnes by 2030 and further to around 1 tonne by 2050. Today, emissions vary greatly between different households and neighbourhoods, often in line with income levels and lifestyle. This means that measures need to be designed to take social and geographical differences into account.

Therefore Malmö City Council commissioned RISE to produce an in-depth analysis and decision-making document setting out the scale of emissions reductions required, where the potential is greatest, and how the municipality can support a fair and effective transition.

Purpose and implementation

The aim of the project was to carry out a scenario-based analysis of the potential for reducing Malmö’s consumption-based emissions, to serve as a long-term strategic basis for the city’s ongoing climate work.

The work was carried out in three stages:

Analysis of the current situation and variations in emissions across different parts of the city
Development of four future scenarios with different levels of ambition
Identification of possible measures, with a focus on feasibility, equity and societal benefits

Key findings

The results clearly show that the targets can only be achieved through a combination of lifestyle changes, infrastructure investments and technological development, with these measures reinforce one another. With only a few years remaining until 2030, the pace of the transition is crucial.

Measures need to cover all major areas of consumption, not just those with the highest emissions today, and many of the proposed measures can reduce emissions whilst also strengthening social cohesion, improving public health and contributing to more attractive urban environments.

The transition requires collaboration – within the municipality and with politicians, the business sector, civil society and residents, supported by national and international policy instruments. The municipality has a key role as a driving force through urban development, investment and norm-setting, and can thereby contribute to sustainable, positive and equitable social change.

Benefits

The project provides the City of Malmö with a concrete and action-oriented basis for prioritising and coordinating measures for climate-smart consumption, in both the short and long term. The results can also be used to support dialogue with residents and external stakeholders, as well as in efforts to integrate the consumption perspective into the city’s other areas of transition.

The methodology and conclusions are also relevant to other municipalities and regions facing similar challenges.