9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Goal 9 is about building resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialisation and fostering innovation. At national level, Sweden has a well-developed infrastructure and has long worked to promote sustainable industry. Sweden is also well placed in terms of a climate that favours innovation. For Sweden, the challenges are about the need to transition from a linear and fossil-based to a circular and bio-based economy. The challenges are also about creating a resource-efficient industry, mitigating climate change and achieving a transport infrastructure that reduces dependence on fossil fuels (Glocal Sweden n.d.).

The goal in a local context

Goal 9 is of particular relevance to Malmö, a city undergoing rapid transformation with challenges linked to sustainable industrial development, technological innovation and modern infrastructure. Malmö used to be an industrial city, but in recent decades it has transformed into a knowledge- and service-based economy. To strengthen the city's competitiveness and reduce socio-economic gaps, Malmö needs to invest in inclusive and sustainable industrial development, modern infrastructure and innovations that benefit the whole of society.

What it looks like in Malmö

Creating sustainable, resilient and inclusive infrastructures

The City of Malmö is working on many different levels with sustainable urban development, and an important part of this is various types of investment in expanded public transport and cycle lanes. Through the Sweden Negotiation and the framework agreement the city has signed with the state and the region, investments can be made in expanded and electrified public transport. The agreement also enables the bicycle network to be expanded with three miles of new cycle lanes. The agreement also included the expansion of the so-called Lommabanan, which enables more frequent departures with the Pågatågen trains. A future main line extension is also planned between Stockholm and Malmö. Other initiatives that can be mentioned in this context are the expansion of stations at three new locations in Malmö: Rosengård, Östervärn and Persborg (Malmöläget 2024). Statistics also show that commuting in and out of the city in terms of gainful employment has increased since 2015. According to some analyses, a large part of Malmö's sustainability challenges lie in the transport infrastructure, not least in terms of reducing carbon dioxide emissions from transport (City of Malmö 2023). Improvements to the railway system and the development of projects such as the Öresund Metro are highlighted as important measures to promote sustainable mobility and reduce emissions.

Sustainable and inclusive industry

Creating a sustainable and inclusive industry and growing industry in a way that benefits everyone and is sustainable for the environment is another area of focus for this objective. It is about creating jobs and economic growth, but at the same time ensuring that all parts of society benefit from this growth. Malmö has a two-tier economy. It is made up of a growing knowledge-intensive sector, but at the same time a large part of the population is outside the labour market. High unemployment and long-term unemployment, especially among young people and those born abroad, are major obstacles to achieving inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and sustainable growth (City of Malmö 2023).

This objective also focuses on making industry and the infrastructure we use more environmentally friendly. It is about using resources in a smarter way and investing in technologies and innovations that reduce emissions and create a more sustainable future. We need to accelerate the transition to a circular economy, where both businesses and cities can be drivers of change. This means increasing the reuse of materials and resources to reduce waste and environmental impacts. A systematic change where many actors need to work together to drive this transition has been discussed. In addition, more technological innovation is needed. Malmö faces the challenge of promoting technological innovations that can lead to more sustainable industries. The municipality can be a driving force in supporting the development of more efficient technologies through public procurement and investments (City of Malmö 2023). This is done, for example, through the Resource Hub initiative, which is an initiative to support companies in finding circular business models and becoming more resource-efficient (City of Malmö 2024a). Malmö has also produced a roadmap for the circular economy, which has been developed in consultation with businesses and companies in Malmö (City of Malmö 2024b).

In Malmö, there are various types of initiatives to make industry more sustainable. One such project is the Energy Harbour in Malmö. It is a pilot project to develop a self-sufficient energy system that will make industries less vulnerable to the availability of electricity and gas (Vinnova 2024). One way to examine the sustainability of industry is to measure electricity consumption (MWh) in construction and industrial activities. The statistics show that the use of electricity has fluctuated over the last decade but that there is no major change over time. Malmö has a lower level of electricity consumption in industrial and construction activities than Gothenburg (data for Stockholm is largely missing).

Financing, research and innovation

Driving innovation and sustainable growth in industry is another focus of this objective. Malmö is actively working to improve access to financial services and venture capital for SMEs. The city is investing in promoting technological innovation and research by developing incubators and start-up districts. This helps to strengthen technological development and also contributes to the creation of new jobs. In Malmö, various collaborations between universities, business and the public sector are taking place to drive research-based development and build a long-term sustainable economy. The diversification of the business community, particularly in knowledge-intensive sectors such as IT and the gaming industry, is a key objective to reduce the city's dependence on single industries and promote sustainable economic growth (City of Malmö 2023).

Indicators

9.1 Population living near public transportation, percentage (%)

9.2 Electric vehicle charging stations, number

9.3 Electricity consumption, industry, MWh

9.4 Business climate according to ÖJ (Insikt), Customer Satisfaction Index

9.5 Working commuters, number

9.6 Access to fixed broadband, percentage (%)

References

Glokala Sverige (u.å.). Arbetsbok – Agenda 2030. Tillgänglig: https://fn.se/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Arbetsbok_Glokala_Sverige_2021.pdf

Malmöläget (2024). Tillgänglig: Malmöläget 2024 (malmo.se)

Malmö stad (2023). Tillväxtkommissionen för ett inkluderande och hållbart Malmö (2023). Malmö. En stad, två berättelser. Tillväxtkommissionen för ett inkluderande och hållbart Malmö. Tillgänglig: Malmö Tillväxtkommission Slutrapport maj 2023 (malmo.se)

Malmö stad (2024a). Resurshubben i Malmö - Malmö stad

Malmö stad (2024b.). Cirkulär ekonomi | Komin

Vinnova (2024). Tester i verkliga miljöer för en resilient och hållbar industri | Vinnova