Kristianstad Municipality'smain focus is:
The municipality's climate targets apply to the period 2023–2027 and are set out in Kristianstad Municipality's climate and environmental plan, which has been adopted by the municipal council.
An important step was taken in the fall of 2024 when the municipal council adopted a strategy for sustainable development. It sets out the conditions necessary for sustainable development to permeate everything in the municipal group. In connection with the adoption of the strategy, it was also decided to implement training initiatives in the organization for management teams, managers, and other key personnel. The work on local Climate City Contract provided a platform for strengthened cooperation between the municipality and businesses in the climate transition. It is clear that many local actors have raised their level of ambition.
In the city's latest update, they talk about the work, the transition arena, the project portfolio and much more.
Linnea Skoogh, process manager for Climate Neutral Kristianstad 2030, linnea.skoogh@kristianstad.se
The farm at the center:In this project, local actors will work together to identify measures that can be taken on farms to either reduce greenhouse gas emissions or increase carbon storage. The measures will be supplemented with investment and financing scenarios to enable implementation and clarify shared responsibility. The project brings together public actors, private food companies, banks, insurance companies, and farmers.
The municipality's food service operations are constantly working to improve sustainability in public meals. Menus are developed to generate as little climate impact as possible without compromising on taste, food experience, or nutritional content. In 2024, the average for school meals was 0.8 kg CO2e per meal and for the vegetarian option 0.5 kg CO2e. These impressive figures can be explained by the fact that plant protein replaces animal protein in several meals, that more greens are served in the meals, and that the menus are seasonally adapted. During Q1 2025, 45% of purchased food was organic products. All food waste (kitchen, serving, and plate waste) is monitored, and efforts are constantly being made to ensure that more food ends up in stomachs rather than in the trash. Most schools now have "climate boxes." This means that school employees can take food boxes home with them if there is food left over when the school restaurant closes.
The work with local Climate City Contract successful and appreciated by both the municipality and businesses. It is the initiative that has given the most visibility to the municipality's ambitious climate work and has created positive pressure on all participating organizations to do more. The local climate contracts are followed up verbally each year, which provides a good basis for cooperation on common challenges.
"Urban Development Näsby" is a group-wide initiative in which the Näsby district will become a model area for socially, economically, and ecologically sustainable urban development by 2037, based on the municipality's urban development goals of a city for all, an attractive city, and a green-blue city. The goal is to develop the area's strengths and turn its challenges into something positive. In a long-term assignment, we are working together with residents and businesses in Näsby to develop a safe and sustainable district with an improved socioeconomic standard. The project highlights structural obstacles to change in the municipal organization, but has also contributed to resolving these obstacles.
Inspiring and concrete examples can be found in the work carried out in Kristianstad Wetland, covering everything from nature-based solutions to wetlands and visitor sites. In 2005, Kristianstad Wetland was approved as a biosphere reserve by the UN agency UNESCO and is therefore celebrating its 20th anniversary this year! It is an important part of the Kristianstad brand and contributes to creating an attractive municipality with a long-term sustainable living environment by creating, showcasing, and spreading good examples under the motto "Good for nature and people." Within Kristianstad's Wetland, wetlands with multiple benefits are being created.
Renhållningen Kristianstad is currently building "Returen." When Returen opens its doors during Easter 2026, private individuals will be able to drop off items they no longer use so that they can find new owners and a longer life. The store will sell reused furniture and other items to new owners after they have been taken care of and prepared for sale by the municipality's daily operations. Returen brings together both social and environmental challenges and contributes to more sustainable and circular consumption in Kristianstad.
Using storytelling techniques, Kristianstad Municipality has developed two visions for the future for the year 2030. We wanted to find new ways to convey that increased quality of life, optimism about the future, and climate change go hand in hand through "Letters from the Future." One of these, "Mikael's story," is based on material from residents of Kristianstad Municipality. The stories have been used in various contexts: as a framework for workshops, as part of presentations on the municipality's climate work, and in connection with the signing of local Climate City Contract meetings in the transition arena. The films are available on the municipality's website.
The municipality has established a cycling council consisting of cyclists in the municipality who are invited to give their views on various initiatives affecting cyclists. They are also invited to engage in dialogue with municipal officials throughout the year. This is a concrete example of citizen involvement that has increased mutual understanding.
Kristianstad highlights five initiatives that they believe may be of particular interest to other municipalities to spy and apply. Contact the process leader to spy and apply.
Climate City Contract 2030 is a collective effort to achieve the climate transition that we need to implement in a short time to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees. It is an agreement between municipalities, government agencies and Viable Cities where all parties undertake to make a concrete contribution to increasing the pace of climate change.
To achieve deep change, we need to move from fragmented projects to an ecosystem of efforts that all pull in the same direction. Cities are doing this together with Viable Cities, funders government agencies and other partners, in different constellations and with different objectives. It is about moving beyond dealing with symptoms and instead focusing on underlying problems in our social structure. Here you will find the initiatives and studies within the city that have been granted funding under Viable Cities.
This feasibility study will investigate how delimited climate investment plans for a municipal administration and a municipal company can be designed to clarify...
Gävle is part of the NetZeroCities 112 Mission Cities, selected since 2022 to pioneer the EU Cities Mission.
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