Sweden cuts tax on flying despite admitting it would increase emissions

Campaigners have accused the Swedish government of doing “everything in its power to stop climate action” after it cut a tax on flying, despite admitting that it would increase emissions.

The flight tax, aimed at cutting pollution from aviation, was introduced in 2018, amid the rise of the “flight shame” (flygskam) movement popularised by Greta Thunberg.

But in its budget for next year, presented on Thursday, the centre-right coalition, which depends on the support of the far-right Sweden Democrats, said that from 1 July 2025 the tax would no longer apply.

The move is expected to cut ticket prices from Sweden by 80 SEK (£5.93) on European flights and 325 SEK (£24.09) on those outside Europe.

Erika Bjureby, a programme manager at Greenpeace Sweden, said: “It feels like the government is trying to dismantle as many climate policies as possible and does everything in its power to stop climate action.

“The government even states that a scrapped flight tax will increase flying, which undoubtedly will lead to increased emissions. On top of that, we have the current tax cut on fuels, while the public transport in Sweden is on its knees with several train connections being cancelled in the near future.”

Although the move is likely to increase flying, and in turn lead to a rise in emissions, the government claims that overall its budget will cut emissions. It also announced a cut in taxes on wages, pensions, savings and petrol.

Miljöpartiet, the Swedish Green party, accused the government of being in “number-crunching denial”.

It said: “The government cannot cope with the climate and nature crisis: instead of a policy that lowers emissions, they subsidise both aviation and diesel. The Baltic Sea is dying, invasive species continue to spread and people cannot get out into the forest and land.”

Maja Rosén, from campaign group Vi håller oss på jorden (We stay grounded), said the move was a “clear example of the huge gap between knowledge and action in the climate issue”.

Rosén added: “The government knows that emissions must urgently be reduced and that the emissions from aviation are very high, yet they choose to drop the flight tax, which will inevitably lead to increased emissions.”

The Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, said earlier this month that the flight tax had resulted in a “heavy competitive disadvantage for Swedish airports. Now it is abolished.”

Meanwhile, Denmark has said it plans to implement a flight tax from 2025 to help fund the industry’s green transition. By 2030 the country plans to make all domestic flights powered by 100% sustainable fuels.