Karlskrona becomes climate smart

by Johnny Lilja

To make Karlskrona climate smart is a complex process which works inwards in the city council and outwards. For this work, the Executive Board of Karlskrona has a parliamentary group for projects that work with climate and energy questions. The goal is to be independent of oil for heating, to make buildings more energy efficient and to change the transports for better sustainability. You will make this through setting clear environmental goals, in an energy plan and influence the procurement and putting demands on "green food" for old people's homes and schools.

Less dependence of oil and a change to renewable energy sources take place through further expanding the district heating and the awareness rising. To make buildings more energy efficient Karlskrona works with different projects and partners, e.g. "Energy Trophy" and the National Environmental Protection Boards "KLIMP".

In the cooperation with the Swedish authority for Energy Karlskrona runs a program called Prio Ett, which has the goal to secure the energy situation in case of disturbances in power supply. Within this program the municipality will built up a construction which will have the capacity to supply the city with electricity. The heat from the production will be cooled off in the district heating system.

Karlskrona is trying a new concept to make the city as free of cars as possible changing car parks into recreational areas. The municipality cooperates also with Region Blekinge to achieve the climate goals i.e. to decrease the green house effects.

A sustainable municipality is the next challenge. In cooperation with the Swedish authority for Energy Karlskrona will run a program where the change over in energy is the key factor. The development work is done in cooperation with the Swedish Authority for Energy, other municipalities and the Blekinge Institute of Technology with the Back casting model as the starting point.