Greenhouse gas emissions from Swedish consumption increased in 2024

Definitions and explanations

These statistics form part of the environmental accounts. The environmental accounts are based on the National Accounts and present national environmental statistics and economic statistics in a common framework. Environmental data is systematised according to the same industry classification and areas for final use as economic data. The main goal of this systematisation is to analyse the relationship between economic and environmental performance.

The National Accounts measure gross domestic product in two different ways – from a supply perspective and from a demand perspective. The environmental accounts also measure the gross domestic product, but from an environmental perspective. While the production perspective answers the question "Who is emitting?", the consumption perspective answers the question "For whom are the emissions being generated?".

The method used to produce these statistics is based on environmentally extended input-output analysis, using the framework of the national accounts. The specific methodology is based on the results of the research project, PRINCE[1], see also Palm et al. 2019.

Relationship to other official emissions statistics

In Sweden, official statistics on greenhouse gas and other air emissions are presented from three complementary perspectives:

• From Sweden’s economy with a consumption perspective (these statistics)
• From Sweden’s economy with a production perspective
• From Sweden’s territory (territorial statistics)

Statistics Sweden (SCB) is responsible for the consumption-based and production-based statistics within the environmental accounts.

Consumption-based statistics describe the environmental impact arising throughout the entire production chain of the goods and services demanded in Sweden, regardless of where in the world the emissions occur. This means that the statistics include both emissions generated abroad because of Swedish imports and emissions generated in Sweden as a result of domestic production, as well as households’ direct emissions. Emissions associated with goods and services exported from Sweden are not included in Sweden’s consumption-based emissions, as these emissions should instead be accounted for in the consumption-based emissions of other countries. However, statistics on emissions associated with Sweden’s exports are published in the statistical database as part of the consumption-based statistics.

Production-based statistics report emissions that can be linked to production within the Swedish economy.

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for territorial emissions statistics, which cover emissions occurring within Sweden’s borders.

Read more about the differences between the various emissions perspectives here (in Swedish): http://www.naturvardsverket.se/Sa-mar-miljon/Klimat-och-luft/Klimat/Tre-satt-att-berakna-klimatpaverkande-utslapp/

Revisions

The entire time series for statistics on the environmental impacts of consumption is updated with each annual release. In this publication, revisions have been made to the underlying data, resulting in differences compared with previous releases.

New data source for measuring environmental pressures embodied in imported goods and services

Statistics Sweden (SCB) has previously used the global multi-regional input-output database EXIOBASE to estimate emissions associated with imports. This year, Statistics Sweden has instead used FIGARO, the global multi-regional input-output database developed by Eurostat, to estimate emissions from imported goods and services.

For the reference years 2008-2009 and 2024, input data from FIGARO are not yet available. To produce estimates of Sweden’s consumption-based emissions from imports for these years, a backcasting and forecasting approach has been applied. International emissions intensities from the reference year 2010 were used for 2008 and 2009, while international emissions intensities from the reference year 2023 were projected forward for 2024.

Revisions to National Accounts economic data

With each annual release, revisions are implemented across the entire National Accounts time series for production, intermediate consumption, final demand, and foreign trade in the Swedish economy. As a result, the statistics on the environmental impacts of consumption are also revised.

The statistics are based on the latest available National Accounts time series with product-level detail. Every five years, a comprehensive revision of the National Accounts is carried out. Consequently, there are two breaks in the National Accounts time series used as input for these statistics: one between the reference years 2014 and 2015, and another between 2020 and 2021. Comparisons across these breaks should therefore be made with caution, especially for certain product groups.

Revisions on air emissions from Swedish production

Revisions have been in the compilation of Sweden’s production-based emissions, including the introduction of several new emission factors following revisions to IPCC reporting.

Result of revisions

Further information on the revisions described above and their effects on the time series is available (in Swedish) on the product page System of Environmental and Economic Accounts, see the heading of Documentation.

[1] PRINCE - Policy Relevant Indicators for Consumption and Environment was a four-year research project aimed at developing indicators for measuring Sweden’s Generational Goal as part of the national environmental objectives follow-up system. The final report was published in November 2018. Miljöpåverkan från svensk konsumtion – nya indikatorer för uppföljning