Dagens Nyheter's review shows that the county administrative boards had a total of 31 positions working on climate adaptation and protection against extreme weather in 2023. In the 2024 budget, the government removed the county administrative boards' earmarked appropriations for this, and this year the number of positions has decreased to eleven.
In Västernorrland, which was hit by heavy flooding in September, there is no service left.
I was just about to recruit someone to work on the issues when we received the news that the money had disappeared, says Viveka Sjödin, head of the community development unit at the Västernorrland County Administrative Board.
Kalmar, Värmland, Skåne and Örebro also describe how projects have been paused or closed. Only Jönköping has continued its work, with its own funds.
Climate Minister Romina Pourmokhtari (L) writes to DN that it is unfortunate that the county administrative boards are cutting back on work when needs increase, and that the county administrative boards must prioritize. "The county administrative boards are large organizations that receive significant funding, the majority of which lacks earmarking," she writes.
