Sweden, the top most eco friendly country in the world

Sweden, the top most eco friendly country in the world

Sweden is famous from some time for its eco-friendly culture and politics. Ever since the 1973 oil crisis, Sweden has made a commitment to reduce dependence of fossil fuels. The Nordic country was depending on imported fossil fuels being vulnerable to price changes on the global market.

The economic politics aiming for that goal were efficient and by 2005 only 32% of the country’s energy being obtained from oil fuels, nuclear power and hydroelectricity completing the country’s energetic needs.

In 2005 the government of Sweden set the year of 2020 as a deadline to reduce the use of fossil fuels. The Commission of Oil Independence created in 2007 established the next targets to be reached by 2020:

- Oil consumption for road transportation to be reduced by half;

- Oil use for heating buildings to be totally eliminated;

- Oil consumption in industry to be reduced by 40%;

- The use of energy to be more efficient by 20%.

The fossil fuel will gradually be replaced by biofuels, solar cells, wind farm, wave energy, fuel cells and geothermal energy.

By 2008, 43% of the energy supply came from renewable sources and the figures will certainly improve in the near future as the new politics are being applied in economy.

The tax policy plays a major role in the oil independence process by stimulating the population and the business sector to adopt the new eco-friendly politics. The 33% tax increase for cars running with gas, higher taxes for gas and 5 years tax exemption for ecological cars, electric, or hybrids that have low CO2 emissions.

At this point Sweden is the most eco-friendly country in Europe and around the world. The oil independence program has just begun and the first results are encouraging. If Sweden keeps it up this way it has all the chances to become the first country in the world free of fossil fuels.