System demonstrator
for an emission-free city center in 2030
Stockholm is working towards a goal of an emission-free inner city by 2030 with an ambition to create efficient and emission-free transport in a vibrant and equitable city by 2030. Within the framework of its mission, STOLT serves as a central platform and a powerful tool to advance the city's goal of an emission-free inner city by 2030. This goal is achieved through the implementation of demonstrations that individually and collectively aim to reduce car travel, electrify transport and work vehicles, and improve the environmental attractiveness of the city. STOLT leverages the introduction of the Class 3 Environmental Zone and the Urban Environmental Zone as strategic windows of opportunity to undertake a comprehensive transformation towards an efficient and emission-free transport system.
Large parts of the city, like many other cities, have adapted to the car as the norm. Although there have long been goals and ambitions to change the transport system, there is a strong inherent inertia that means that developments in recent years can be seen as incremental rather than radical. Major changes have often been hindered by strong opinion from people and businesses that benefit from the status quo. The system demonstrator will address challenges that are directly linked to the introduction of the Class 3 Environmental Zone in Stockholm city and the Urban Environment Zone in the Old Town.
Challenges linked to the introduction of a Class 3 environmental zone in the city:
Challenges linked to the introduction of the Urban Environment Zone in the Old Town:
Martina Arnell, Innovation and Project Manager at Trafikkontoret Stockholm, martina.arnell@stockholm.se
STOLT is implemented in broad collaboration with business, academia and civil society, where everyone contributes to and benefits from the project's transition efforts in regulation and policy, infrastructure, vehicles and logistics, and business models and behaviors. The constellation of actors in STOLT is a quadruple helix that starts with the public actor Stockholm City, and is complemented by innovation and knowledge actors, business and civil society.
STOLT includes several real-world demonstrations, including the introduction of a class 3 environmental zone in Stockholm city and an urban environment zone in Gamla Stan. These measures are expected to significantly reduce air pollution and noise levels while promoting electrification of the vehicle fleet and creating more attractive urban environments.
The demonstrations associated with the launch of the project are:
STOLT also has a so-called. Incubator in which development ideas that are deemed to have transformative potential and contribute to overall goals have the opportunity to develop and mature. The following ideas are currently being developed there: 1) co-loading hub and 2) ways to strengthen compliance in environmental zone class 3.
Through its demonstrations and incubator for development ideas, such as co-loading hubs and methods to strengthen regulatory compliance, STOLT serves as an important test bed for innovations in sustainable urban development. STOLT will focus its actions mainly in two geographical areas:
A class 3 environmental zone is being introduced in Stockholm city under new legislation for the first time ever, scheduled for 31 December 2024. Only fully electrified, fuel cell or gas-powered vehicles will be allowed to operate in the zone. The area is central to both the city's residents and tourism, with 20 000 workers, many shops, restaurants and generated freight traffic. Despite low residential density, traffic is intense, mainly through traffic, leading to problems such as low air quality and high noise levels, as well as limited space for sustainable transport options.
The Urban Environment Zone in Gamla Stan was introduced in the City of Stockholm as part of the 2024 budget and is gradually being implemented from June 2024. The aim is to reduce the dominance of cars and parking in favor of a vibrant city life and meeting places. The Old Town, with its history and many residents and workplaces, is a popular destination visited by millions of people every year. Measures include improving pedestrian infrastructure, creating more open spaces and increasing greenery and space for outdoor seating in places like Mälartorget, the quays and Kornhamnstorg, as well as reducing the number of parking spaces.
STOLT is implemented using a flexible methodology where each quarter (increment) is planned, evaluated and adjusted. This approach allows for continuous learning and flexibility to adapt to new conditions and insights from implementation. The project is focused on not only demonstrating technologies and strategies but also ensuring their scale-up potential. This is done through systematic portfolio management and collaboration with different actors, including public, private and civil society organizations.
STOLT is not just a technical demonstration but a model of how cities can collaborate across sectors to accelerate the transition towards sustainable urban development. By implementing and disseminating its successful initiatives, STOLT leaves a significant legacy of knowledge and tools for future urban transformations, both within and beyond Stockholm.
Mission statement
Ecosystem of actors
Multidimensional portfolio of interventions
Local test bed
Learning and scaling up
Creating the new normal
In the system demonstrator SnabbSam, the City of Stockholm and its partners will work for a comprehensive change in travel habits, land use and vehicle fleet in the inner city of Stockholm. This is a step towards an emission-free inner city and a climate-positive Stockholm 2030. In Snabbsam, the environmental zone planned in central Stockholm will be used both as an engine and a window of opportunity in the quest for a transport-efficient and emission-free transport system that eventually extends far beyond the zone's boundaries.
SNABBSAM plans a broad system transformation in areas such as regulation and policy, infrastructure, vehicles and logistics, business models, behaviors and culture. The planning phase creates conditions for system demonstration by: 1) creating an understanding of the system to be transformed, 2) creating a portfolio of interventions and establishing structures for orchestration and portfolio management, and 3) creating a mandate by mobilizing actors and perspectives. This portfolio of actions will be demonstrated and contribute to an accelerated climate transition.
SNABBSAM is coordinated by the City of Stockholm and an orchestration team including IVL and Lindholmen Science Park. The team will develop an iterative process which, together with the partners, will be implemented in four work packages. The work packages focus on (1) system understanding, (2) developing the portfolio, (3) creating a mandate and mobilization, and (4) enabling learning, method development, scaling and dissemination. The results will be a portfolio of interventions that can be rapidly implemented in large-scale demonstrations.
This initiative is part of Viable Cities and Vinnova's call #12 System demonstrators for climate neutral cities, planning phase.
FAST electrification and transition to zero-emission transport in SAMverkan (Stockholm, Järfälla, Nacka)
The purpose of the SnabbSam system demonstrator is to accelerate electrification in the Stockholm region and contribute to achieving the goal of an emission-free inner city in Stockholm by 2030. The goal of the Design phase is for the City of Stockholm, Järfälla and Nacka to work together to develop a common future picture of electrification in the region by 2030, address the key issues and conflicting goals that need to be resolved, and plan for stakeholder collaboration and citizen involvement (quadruple helix stakeholder collaboration).
This initiative is part of the Viable Cities and Vinnova's call #11 System demonstrators for climate neutral cities, design phase..
