News · Transport · Published 18 July 2026
Top court rejects Climate Act challenge to major road project
DailySweden
Updated 12:26 · 1 min read
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Sweden's Supreme Administrative Court has rejected an attempt to use the Climate Act to overturn the government's approval of a major road project, ruling that the law is a broad framework for national climate policy rather than a rule directed at individuals.
The judgment concerns Tvärförbindelse Södertörn south of Stockholm, but the challenge raised a wider question about how Sweden's climate framework applies to government infrastructure decisions. Five environmental organisations and three individuals argued that the project's expected emissions conflicted with the Climate Act and protected rights.
The court found no basis for concluding that the approval breached the Act. It also held that the government's assessment remained within its legal margin under rights and environmental law, and rejected objections concerning the environmental impact assessment and its treatment of alternatives. The approval therefore remains in force.
The roughly 20-kilometre Route 259 project will connect the E4/E20 at Vårby with Route 73 at Jordbro. Trafikverket says construction-start approval was granted in April and the road is fully funded through Sweden's 2026–2037 national infrastructure plan.
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