Policy landscape

The City of Stockholm has firmly integrated carbon dioxide removal (CDR) into its climate strategy, aiming to achieve climate neutrality by 2030. Stockholm reaffirmed its commitment to this goal under the national Viable Cities initiative and the European Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities 2030. Stockholm’s Climate Action Plan 2030 explicitly requires that negative emissions surpass territorial residual emissions by 2030, highlighting the crucial role of CDR in meeting this goal. The city primarily relies on Stockholm Exergi’s bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) project at its existing heat and power biomass plant, which is expected to deliver 800,000 tonnes of negative emissions annually from 2027. Additional CDR efforts planned for after 2030 include enhanced carbon sequestration through improved forest and land management, production and storage of biochar, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) at waste-to-energy plants handling mixed fossil and biogenic waste. Stockholm also prioritizes circular economy solutions, such as biogas production from sewage sludge and food waste, and seeks to lower emissions from wastewater treatment processes. The city’s Environment Programme 2030 reinforces these objectives, emphasising viable ecosystems, biodiversity enhancement, blue-green infrastructure, improved water quality, and innovative wastewater management.

Stockholm’s Waste Plan 2021-2024 includes CCS on combined heat and power (CHP) plants utilising waste incineration, directly complementing broader climate strategies. Additionally, the city’s Budget 2025 emphasizes strategic climate investments, funding through the “Climate Billion” initiative, and explicitly highlights the importance of securing external funding sources at national and EU levels. However, the budget does not set aside specific funding for the “Climate Billion” initiative.

Governance landscape

Stockholm’s City Executive Board oversees the implementation of the climate action plan, with Stockholms Stadhus AB and the Environment and Health Committee specifically guiding the development of a climate-positive energy system. Operational responsibility for CCS/CDR actions is clearly designated across utilities and infrastructure that is partially or fully owned by the city:

• Stockholm Exergi AB operates the primary BECCS facility and is 50% owned by the city.
• Stockholms Hamn AB, alongside Stockholm Exergi and Stockholms Stadhus AB, coordinates CO₂ transport and intermediate storage and is fully owned by the city.
• Stockholm Vatten och Avfall AB assesses and develops CCUS/CDR opportunities related to waste incineration and biochar production, in collaboration with several city committees and enterprises, and is fully owned by the city.

The structure demonstrates that the governance of industrial CDR pathways is split across several organisations over which the city has significant control. This organised decentralisation encourages the uptake of CDR in different urban systems and infrastructure. At the same time, there is not one body in charge of CDR as a cross-sectoral topic, which undermines holistic decision-making and planning of all carbon removal pathways in the urban and peri-urban environment.

Gaps and opportunities

• Despite strong institutional support, Stockholm relies heavily on a single large-scale BECCS project owned by Stockholm Exergi for its residual emissions. This introduces potential delivery and financial risks.
• Integrating CDR into urban planning, development processes, and sustainable procurement (particularly in sectors like regenerative agriculture and supply chain management) can unlock opportunities. Addressing challenging emissions, such as from wastewater treatment, is underexplored. Developing carbon-negative materials such as concrete within the construction sector also presents considerable potential.
• There is a lack of clear methodologies for accounting and verifying CDR. This is particularly pertinent considering anticipated financing models involving multiple private stakeholders beyond the city’s geographical boundaries, including for Stockholm Exergi’s BECCS project.

Core recommendations

1

Map the carbon removal potential and urban planning needs for project deployment in the urban and peri-urban environment, including embedding CDR in urban systems, infrastructure, and public utilities.

 

2

Develop a CDR strategy to integrate CDR holistically in the city’s Climate Action Plan and embed carbon removal objectives horizontally across public policy domains where synergies can be realised.

 

3

Explore CDR opportunities within construction and demolition waste mineralisation. The city of Stockholm could partner with large Swedish construction companies such as Skanska and Sweco.

 

4

Integrate CDR explicitly into sustainable procurement guidelines and bidding frameworks, such as for food, services and construction works.

 

5

Accelerate innovation in wastewater treatment technologies to tackle challenging emissions, working with other cities to exchange best practices and involving wastewater treatment companies.

 

6

Develop and advocate for clear and robust accounting and reporting frameworks for tracking and financing CDR activities and associated GHG inventory changes.

In collaboration with: