Pollution, grime or other environmental problems in Sweden

Sweden: Pollution, grime or other environmental problems was 5.0% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
5.0%
Change on year
down 15.3%
World rank
44th
of 47 countries
All-time high
9.6%
in 2008
All-time low
5.0%
in 2005
Years of data
18
2004–2023

Pollution, grime or other environmental problems in Sweden, 2004–2023

02468102004201320232004: 5.9 Percentage2005: 5 Percentage2006: 6.9 Percentage2007: 7 Percentage2008: 9.6 Percentage2009: 9.1 Percentage2010: 7.9 Percentage2011: 7.2 Percentage2012: 8 Percentage2013: 8 Percentage2014: 8.1 Percentage2015: 7.6 Percentage2016: 6.3 Percentage2017: 6.8 Percentage2018: 6.4 Percentage2019: 6.6 Percentage2020: 5.9 Percentage2023: 5 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

In 2023, pollution, grime or other environmental problems in Sweden stood at 5.0%. That is the lowest value across all 18 years on record.

The figure is down 15.3% on the previous year and down 37.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, pollution, grime or other environmental problems in Sweden peaked at 9.6% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 5.0%, in 2005.

That places Sweden 44th out of 47 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 18 years of available data.

Pollution, grime or other environmental problems in Sweden, year by year

Annual values for Pollution, grime or other environmental problems in Sweden, 2004 to 2023.
Year Percentage Change
2004 5.9% —
2005 5.0% -15.3%
2006 6.9% +38.0%
2007 7.0% +1.4%
2008 9.6% +37.1%
2009 9.1% -5.2%
2010 7.9% -13.2%
2011 7.2% -8.9%
2012 8.0% +11.1%
2013 8.0% +0.0%
2014 8.1% +1.2%
2015 7.6% -6.2%
2016 6.3% -17.1%
2017 6.8% +7.9%
2018 6.4% -5.9%
2019 6.6% +3.1%
2020 5.9% -10.6%
2023 5.0% -15.3%

Sweden compared with similar countries

  • Sweden's 5.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 10.4%, 48% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
  • Sweden's 5.0% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 10.3%, 49% of the median. (34 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 7.2% 5.0% 9.6% 6
2010s 7.3% 6.3% 8.1% 10
2020s 5.5% 5.0% 5.9% 2

Countries ranked near Sweden

  1. 42 Slovakia 5.8% compare
  2. 42 Slovakia 5.8% compare
  3. 45 Croatia 4.2% compare
  4. 45 Croatia 4.2% compare
  5. 47 Albania 3.9% compare

See the full ranking of 52 places →

More environment data for Sweden

All data for Sweden →

Frequently asked questions

What is pollution, grime or other environmental problems in Sweden?
Pollution, grime or other environmental problems in Sweden was 5.0% in 2023, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest pollution, grime or other environmental problems recorded in Sweden?
The highest recorded value was 9.6% in 2008.
What is the lowest pollution, grime or other environmental problems recorded in Sweden?
The lowest recorded value was 5.0% in 2005.
How does Sweden rank for pollution, grime or other environmental problems?
Sweden ranks 44th out of 47 countries with data for 2023.
Is pollution, grime or other environmental problems rising or falling in Sweden?
Over the last ten years it is down 37.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Sweden data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Pollution, grime or other environmental problems. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Pollution, grime or other environmental problems in Sweden. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 25 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/pollution-grime-or-other-environmental-problems/sweden/

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About this data

Indicator
Pollution, grime or other environmental problems
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
52 places, 816 data points, 2003–2023
Last refreshed