History

The Agenda 21-document was signed at the UN-conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992. The City of Växjö approved an environmental policy already in 1993.

The Agenda 21-process in Växjö became a successful co-operation with the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and with stakeholders in Växjö. After the round-table process, the local Agenda 21-strategy was adopted in the City Council in 1999.

The City of Växjö has for a long time successfully worked with climate and environmental issues and unanimous politicians has given the Växjö the epithet as the Greenest City in Europe.

All municipal departments and companies are responsible for their work to get a sustainable development. The City of Växjö cannot solve the world’s environmental problems, but wants to be part of the solution and take our responsibility. What we do locally also has a global impact!

New goals 2006

Enviromental programme for the City of Växjö has been adopted by the City Council in May 2006 with three profile areas: Living Life, Our Nature and Fossil Fuel Free Växjö. The Environmental Programme will be revised during 2009.

Environmental Programme

City of Växjö receive the Baltic Cities Award 2007

About the award UBC webbpage

City of Växjö received Sustainable Energy Europe Award 2007 during the European Sustainable Energy Week.

Fossil Fuel Free Växjö is an overall programme initiated by the City of Växjö to reduce human impact on the global climate change. In 1996, Växjö politicians decided unanimously to strive towards a fossil fuel free municipality. The share of renwable energy is now over 50%.

The Fossil Fuel Free Växjö programme incorporates different types of activities, such as as biomass-based district heating and power generation, smaller scale district heating, district cooling, biomass boilers for households, energy efficient street lightning, energy efficient building/contruction, solar panels, cycle paths, environmental friendly cars, biogas production, large scale bio-DME production etc. The Fossil Fuel Free program is developed in co-operation between the city administration and a lot of stake holders, local enterprises, Växjö University, etc. All these initaitives together with announced national incentives is estimated to give 50% reduction of CO2 emissions by 2010 which means that the goal will be met.

Carl-Olof Bengtsson, the former mayor of Växjö, receive the price from Evelyne Huyterbroeck, Brussels.