Denmark is the country on everybody’s mind these days, but another Scandinavian powerhouse just joined the list for taking climate change action. Sweden announced this week that it would provide the European Union with 8 billion kronor ($1.12 billion) to help developing countries deal with the effects of climate change.
Europe as a whole will be taking steps to support developing countries in fighting climate change; the EU has pledged a total of €2 billion ($2.94 billion) annual endowment to help these places.
Sweden isn’t only investing money in supporting other countries, domestically the government has applied an equally progressive policy, pledging five billion kronor ($7o5 million) in reducing climate impact and adaptation to climate change between 2009 and 2011.
We applaud our Scandinavian friends for their efforts!
As the world gathers in Copenhagen for the UN Climate Change Conference, we’re following along by covering all sorts of aspects of the issue. You can read all of our climate related posts here.
john besmer on 
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SFindle on 
This seems like a pretty strange strategy and the article you link to doesn’t give much info either– What does this ‘aid’ look like? I mean, what does, ‘help developing countries deal with the effects of climate change’ mean? This is kind of backwards strategy if you ask me– The developing world is responsible for about 3% of CO2 emissions worldwide yet they are affected. Seems like Sweden (and any developed nation for that matter) OWES this kind of aid for being the polluters– not that any developed nation would admit to that. But that said, I’m not really sure Sweden needs a pat on the back for ponying up money to give a man a fish rather than teach him how to fish, and I’d rather see money spent on a strategy to curb emissions than one aimed at distributing aid aimed at putting off the inevitable.
It’s a “fast-start” program. Sort of a kick in the climate change pants. Now granted, there’s some discussion around whether it’s enough and whether it’s long term enough, but it’s still putting money towards attacking climate change, not just its effects.
More here:
http://solveclimate.com/blog/20091209/developing-countries-weather-global-warming-cold-shoulders
And I would argue that Sweden has one of the more progressive attitudes towards curbing emissions…