Boden among the top municipalities in Sweden for climate adaptation

IVL and Insurance Sweden have carried out this survey for the seventh time to map how Swedish municipalities work with climate adaptation. The survey is sent to all 290 municipalities in Sweden. As in the 2023 ranking, Norrköping and Boden shared first place with the same score, with Norrköping again receiving a higher score in the tiebreaker question. Boden’s placement is proof that the municipality is on the right track, especially during an ongoing major societal transformation.

Three Key Success Factors Identified

In IVL’s description of Boden’s work, three key success factors are highlighted:

• Boden has worked with these issues for a long time, making it natural for many to consider climate adaptation.
• Several effective collaboration forums for different topics or locations.
• Clear political prioritisation of climate adaptation, making it a priority to produce studies to support planning processes.

"We have had a green profile for a long time and have been an eco-municipality since 1998. This provides a stable foundation to build upon," says Elin Lindahl, Environmental Strategist and Boden’s project manager for the Viable Cities initiative Climate Neutral Cities 2030.

Changing Winters Demand Flexibility

Examples of external factors affecting Boden’s climate include changing winters, increased temperature variations, and altered water flows. Variable winter weather puts more strain on infrastructure and makes snow clearance and ice control more difficult. The spring flood is also affected – it can arrive earlier or not occur at all. Climate change thus brings not only new risks but also requires flexibility to manage the unpredictable climate that is already here. The fact that the municipality has long worked broadly with environmental issues is highlighted as a success factor in meeting these challenges.

Strategic Plans Guide Climate Adaptation

IVL also points to Boden’s Climate Adaptation Plan from 2024 as an example of strategic work. The plan is based on prioritisation work supported by SMHI’s methodology and identifies both risks and concrete action needs. It aligns with the comprehensive plan and its detailed additions, for example regarding climate adaptation corridors for cloudbursts, ensuring that the issue is integrated into planning processes.

"We have solid data from the comprehensive plan down to detailed levels. That makes a big difference. When politics prioritises the issue, it becomes possible to produce the kinds of studies that can truly guide physical planning," says Elin Lindahl.

Examples of strong collaboration structures include the stormwater group, where functions such as parks, water and sewage, planning, and streets meet every six weeks to jointly address concrete challenges. The Boden Lakes Group is another forum where energy companies and external stakeholders also participate. According to Elin Lindahl, these collaborative arenas with regular meetings are crucial for integrating climate adaptation into all stages of planning and implementation. Rural service points are also highlighted as important actors, for example through nature conservation funding (LONA) resulting in wetland restorations.