Helsinki, August 24: Over 50,000 people marched in the heart of Stockholm, Sweden, demanding stronger government action against climate change. This protest took place just three weeks before the upcoming national elections.
According to Swedish media, around 280 organizations participated in the demonstration on Sunday. These included environmental and human rights groups, labor unions, religious organizations, researchers, and cultural groups.
Beatrice Rindewald, president of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and one of the main organizers of the protest, stated that policymakers must take the climate crisis seriously.
As reported by Xinhua News Agency, this demonstration occurred at a time when climate change has become a more significant issue for voters compared to previous elections. Public opinion on this topic appears increasingly divided along political lines.
A recent national survey by the SOM Institute at the University of Gothenburg revealed that approximately 65% of those identifying as politically left-wing expressed significant concern about climate change. In contrast, this figure was below 30% among those with right-wing views.
Another survey conducted by the Swedish agency Novus in June ranked climate change as the sixth most important political issue for voters, up from ninth place in January.
Professor Martin Hultman, a sociologist at the University of Gothenburg, told the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter that there is a new wave of public engagement and interest in climate issues in Sweden.
He noted that previous engagement had waned during the COVID-19 pandemic, influenced by lobbying from the fossil fuel industry, the spread of misinformation, and the electoral success of right-wing nationalist forces. According to him, the growing concern about climate change may also stem from people feeling its impacts more directly in their daily lives.
Elections for Sweden’s parliament, the Riksdag, as well as regional and municipal councils, are scheduled for September 13.
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