Policy mix for decarbonization of the transport sector
Khan, Jamil LU
and Johansson, Bengt
LU
(2025)
Transport and Energy Transition.
p.113-144
- Abstract
This chapter explores the evolution and effectiveness of Sweden's climate policy mix for decarbonizing the transport sector—a major contributor to national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Despite early leadership in climate policy, Sweden faces challenges in aligning policy implementation with ambitious goals, such as a 70 % reduction in transport emissions by 2030. The chapter shows that Sweden's policy mix has developed through a process of “policy patching,” where instruments from various domains interact, often inconsistently. While there is substantial support for low-carbon technologies and energy carriers, efforts to improve transport efficiency and reduce demand remain weak. Institutional fragmentation, path dependency, societal... (More)
This chapter explores the evolution and effectiveness of Sweden's climate policy mix for decarbonizing the transport sector—a major contributor to national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Despite early leadership in climate policy, Sweden faces challenges in aligning policy implementation with ambitious goals, such as a 70 % reduction in transport emissions by 2030. The chapter shows that Sweden's policy mix has developed through a process of “policy patching,” where instruments from various domains interact, often inconsistently. While there is substantial support for low-carbon technologies and energy carriers, efforts to improve transport efficiency and reduce demand remain weak. Institutional fragmentation, path dependency, societal norms, and political acceptability constrain transformative change. Moreover, recent political shifts and rising energy costs have led to weakened policies and setbacks in emission reductions. The chapter emphasizes that even in favorable contexts, strong climate policy is difficult to sustain without public support, policy coherence, and mechanisms to manage trade-offs. Lessons from local cases and other countries suggest that shifting societal norms, improving governance coordination, and managing vested interests are crucial. The Swedish experience offers broader insights into the complexity of developing effective, acceptable, and resilient climate policy mixes for transport decarbonization.
(Less)
- author
- Khan, Jamil
LU
and Johansson, Bengt
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-01
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Decarbonization, Implementation, Policy barriers, Policy mix, Sweden, Transport policy
- host publication
- Advances in Transport Policy and Planning
- editor
- Haikola, Simon and Perl, Anthony
- volume
- Transport and Energy Transition
- pages
- 32 pages
- publisher
- Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105013646527
- ISBN
- 9780443239250
- DOI
- 10.1016/bs.atpp.2025.07.004
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 52197bad-70b0-4035-8de4-ebfa537a8e1c
- date added to LUP
- 2025-11-19 10:50:49
- date last changed
- 2025-11-19 10:51:44
@inbook{52197bad-70b0-4035-8de4-ebfa537a8e1c,
abstract = {{<p>This chapter explores the evolution and effectiveness of Sweden's climate policy mix for decarbonizing the transport sector—a major contributor to national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Despite early leadership in climate policy, Sweden faces challenges in aligning policy implementation with ambitious goals, such as a 70 % reduction in transport emissions by 2030. The chapter shows that Sweden's policy mix has developed through a process of “policy patching,” where instruments from various domains interact, often inconsistently. While there is substantial support for low-carbon technologies and energy carriers, efforts to improve transport efficiency and reduce demand remain weak. Institutional fragmentation, path dependency, societal norms, and political acceptability constrain transformative change. Moreover, recent political shifts and rising energy costs have led to weakened policies and setbacks in emission reductions. The chapter emphasizes that even in favorable contexts, strong climate policy is difficult to sustain without public support, policy coherence, and mechanisms to manage trade-offs. Lessons from local cases and other countries suggest that shifting societal norms, improving governance coordination, and managing vested interests are crucial. The Swedish experience offers broader insights into the complexity of developing effective, acceptable, and resilient climate policy mixes for transport decarbonization.</p>}},
author = {{Khan, Jamil and Johansson, Bengt}},
booktitle = {{Advances in Transport Policy and Planning}},
editor = {{Haikola, Simon and Perl, Anthony}},
isbn = {{9780443239250}},
keywords = {{Decarbonization; Implementation; Policy barriers; Policy mix; Sweden; Transport policy}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{113--144}},
publisher = {{Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.}},
title = {{Policy mix for decarbonization of the transport sector}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/bs.atpp.2025.07.004}},
doi = {{10.1016/bs.atpp.2025.07.004}},
volume = {{Transport and Energy Transition}},
year = {{2025}},
}