🇸🇪 Green planning on the agenda in Boden

Press release from Bodenxt

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the Norrbotten County Administrative Board and 10 municipalities in Norrbotten have met in Boden for a dialog on green planning. In Boden, sustainability has long been on the agenda.

Many gains can be made by incorporating green aspects into municipalities’ strategic planning. Green infrastructure is an important part of the physical environment and a tool for a long-term sustainable society.

Boden was one of the first municipalities in Sweden to adopt a green profile, with source separation in all households 25 years ago and its own biogas plant 20 years ago. The municipality of Boden is a member of the Covenant of Mayors, the world’s largest movement of cities promoting local climate and energy action. Boden is also a part of Viable Cities. Recently, Boden was placed second in Sweden in the IVL Swedish Environmental Institute’smunicipal ranking of climate adaptation work. This was one of the reasons why the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency chose Boden as one of five places in the country to visit during the year to reach out to municipalities about the possibilities of green planning. Participants from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the County Administrative Board and ten municipalities in Norrbotten met here for a full day focusing on green planning.

Strategic climate adaptation work

The participants learned more about the municipality of Boden’s strategic climate adaptation work and examples of concrete practical measures that have resulted from it. Here, local environmental objectives are part of the strategic plan and new evidence and planning processes identify key pathways and areas for climate adaptation.

During the day in Boden, representatives from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency also spoke about the challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change and health inequalities. The role of municipalities in land and water use planning was discussed. They were also given tips on how municipalities can apply for funding to develop green infrastructure initiatives and sustainable cities, and heard examples of long-term sustainable planning, green planning and nature-based solutions. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the County Administrative Board provided guidance, tools and working methods that municipalities can benefit from in order to work sustainably with the challenges.

In addition to the representatives of the municipality of Boden, the municipalities of Luleå, Kalix and Kiruna shared examples of their work on green structure, outdoor issues and stormwater management in the Arctic climate.

A concrete example raised from Boden was Kvarnbäcken, which was prepared in 2023:

In addition to this, the following can also be mentioned:

• Of Boden Industrial Park’s 550 hectares, about 100 are set aside and earmarked as nature areas in the local plan.
• Boden Municipality’s ambition is to inform stakeholders who want to be part of the industrial park at an early stage about their principles and requirements in terms of sustainability.
• The good life is the vision of the municipality of Boden, which will permeate the work of the municipal organization and become part of the municipality’s future and overall strategic plan.

Originally published on 15 December by Bodenxt.

Announcements are published as a service to readers. The sender is responsible for all content.

Announcements for publication can be submitted to [email protected].