Can public procurement contribute to better public health, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, higher quality of life in cities, better working conditions - while supporting Swedish innovation? The answer is yes. By setting requirements for electrified construction projects, municipalities and public procurers can accelerate the transition to fossil-free cities.
Fossil Free Sweden, InfraSweden and Viable Cities have together initiated a declaration of intent on emission-free construction, where public clients set a goal that the majority of construction contracts should be emission-free by 2030.
Already today, several municipalities have signed - Gothenburg, Stockholm, Umeå, Uppsala, Skellefteå, Eskilstuna, Strängnäs, Helsingborg and Östersund - and more are encouraged to join. Signing up sends clear signals to the market: electrification is the way forward. It gives entrepreneurs the confidence to invest in new technology and contributes to both cleaner air and reduced noise in our cities.
Oslo is an inspiring example: already in 2019, the world's first electrified construction site was inaugurated, and today all municipal construction sites there are emission-free. In Sweden, similar initiatives are now emerging - and with more signatories, public procurement can become a powerful lever for climate-smart, healthy and liveable cities.
