Erikshjälpen's Election Platform

The climate crisis is creating a growing gap between children’s rights and the decisions that shape their future. Already today, one billion children—nearly half of the world’s children—are at extremely high risk from climate-related hazards, and nearly 40 million children have their schooling interrupted each year due to climate-related natural disasters. In Sweden, young people’s hope for the future is fading. Only 10% of the young people surveyed through our work (in Sweden) feel confident that the climate crisis will be resolved.

Climate change leads to increased health risks. It also causes food and water shortages and damages social infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals, which directly affects children’s survival and development. In other words, the climate crisis is a children’s rights crisis, and current climate policies are failing to meet their goals.

The UN reports that only 2.4 percent of the most important climate funds specifically address children’s needs in the context of climate change. Furthermore, political voices have been raised calling for changes to or the abandonment of national climate goals. The Climate Policy Council believes that it is still possible to achieve both short-term and long-term climate goals, but this will require concrete and decisive action early in the next legislative term.

All children have the right to a safe upbringing, but in Sweden we are seeing growing disparities in the conditions under which children and young people grow up. Child poverty, rising rates of mental health issues, and unsafe living environments affect children’s opportunities in the present—but also their future. Access to education and meaningful leisure activities are key protective factors in promoting good and safe living conditions and counteracting inequality. At the same time, we see that young people in areas with poorer socioeconomic conditions are less likely to complete their education, face greater obstacles to entering the labor market, and participate in leisure activities and community life. Empowered parents raise more secure children, and interventions empower parents through community, support, and the exchange of experiences help prevent social vulnerability and exclusion.

When we asked children and young people what was important for them to feel safe, we received many suggestions. These included living in safe environments, attending safe schools, and having a safe family. But they also mentioned feeling supported by trustworthy adults, having financial stability, and feeling heard. At the same time, the survey shows that trust in politicians is generally low. 47 percent of those surveyed trust politicians very little or not at all, while only 10 percent have high trust in those in power. At the same time, a large proportion—43 percent—are neutral. Here, politics can play an important role in building trust and confidence, which are crucial when it comes to preventing social vulnerability and exclusion.

In Sweden, we consume as if we had four Earths. Our way of life depletes the Earth and fuels the climate crisis, leads to biodiversity loss, and pollutes our living environments. Within the Environmental Objectives System, Sweden has adopted a generational goal stating that we must “hand over to the next generation a society where major environmental problems have been solved, without causing increased environmental and health problems outside Sweden’s borders.” The goal is further clarified by the statement that “Consumption patterns of goods and services cause as few environmental and health problems as possible.”

Sweden accounts for just 0.13 percent of the world’s population but consumes as much as 3 percent of the planet’s resources. Less than 4 percent of our economy is circular, making us heavily dependent on virgin raw materials and fossil fuels. Sweden’s consumption-based greenhouse gas emissions amount to nearly 8 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per person per year. By 2050, these should average no more than 1 ton of carbon dioxide equivalents per person per year. To achieve our environmental and climate goals, a broad transition from a linear economy to a circular economy is necessary.

Our overconsumption is both unsustainable and unfair, and more needs to be done to accelerate the transition to a sustainable circular economy. Investments must be made, and the right conditions must be created for the actors driving this transition.

Sweden’s budget for international aid has fallen sharply from the previous 1 percent target (1 percent of GNI) to 0.85 percent of GNI by 2025. Sweden is thus the country that has cut its per capita aid the most. In total Swedish kronor (SEK) over 9 billion Swedish kronor (SEK) has Swedish kronor (SEK) from aid outside Ukraine. Above all, the major reduction in aid is directed at the least developed and most vulnerable countries. The government has decided to phase out aid to 13 partner countries. After the phase-outs, two-thirds of Sweden’s partner countries will be middle-income countries, and most of them will be upper-middle-income countries.

Although gender equality is a priority area in the reform agenda, there has been a continued decline in the proportion of official development assistance where gender equality is identified as a “primary” or “important” objective, as defined by the OECD DAC’s gender equality markers. Similarly, Sweden’s aid for health and sexual and reproductive health and rights has decreased by 10 percent between 2023 and 2024, which, taking inflation into account, is the lowest level since 2012.

In a world where needs are growing due to climate change, conflicts, and increased migration, Sweden must stand firm and be a strong voice for the most vulnerable.