SE26 project
Sustainability for the sake of life
The Swedish Church in Skellefteå wants to contribute to sustainability in all aspects of life through all its activities. Climate-neutral funeral services by 2030 and a focus on existential and spiritual sustainability are two cornerstones that will guide our activities going forward.
The Swedish Church in Skellefteå wants to contribute to the sustainable transition of both Skellefteå and the world, partly by showing how our funeral services are working towards the goal of becoming fossil-free by
2030, and by highlighting the importance of spiritual sustainability that strengthens people, community, and decision-making. The goal is to reduce emissions, increase biodiversity in cemeteries and other outdoor environments, and help more residents find respite, meaning, and hope in the transition.
– We are implementing a plan for fossil-free operations, nature conservation efforts, and climate-friendly cremation services in our cemeteries. The parishes are actively working with sustainability in our premises and operations. We also want to create places where people can meet in an open environment to share their views on life, says Annika Lundström, acting vicar of the Swedish Church in Skellefteå.
Contributing to sustainability
The Swedish Church in Skellefteå wants to contribute to sustainability through reduced emissions, strengthened biodiversity, and resource-efficient management. From a social perspective, it is about existential health, spiritual deepening, the ability to deal with grief and maintain hope, and offering inclusive meeting places, contexts
characterized by presence, openness, and hope – spaces where people can reflect on life's big questions in a time often marked by unrest and change. By safeguarding the existential dimension, we contribute to
inner sustainability and cohesion in society. Based on economic sustainability, the Church of Sweden in Skellefteå is working towards more efficient operations, lower energy costs, and better long-term management.
– Work is underway with ongoing initiatives and procurements; the plan will be scaled up in 2026-2030. What we in the Church of Sweden refer to as "the fourth dimension of sustainability" involves a conscious effort to be a church that, with one foot in its thousands of years of history, constantly strives for relevance and applicability in the present day. In 2026, a rights reception center will also open at Stiftsgården, a center where people can get support and help with contacts with authorities, financial assistance, and help to help themselves, says Annika Lundström.
Questions and answers about Skellefteå's new travel center
The project addresses several key societal challenges: climate change, the need for a fossil-free transition, reduced biodiversity, and increasing social and existential ill-health. By working toward climate-neutral funeral services, strengthened biodiversity, and support for people's existential well-being, the Church of Sweden is meeting both ecological and social societal needs. A rights reception center is also under development, where citizens can receive support and help to help themselves when contact with authorities is difficult or when society is not sufficient in various contexts.
The project is driving the transition forward through concrete measures: fossil-free operations, ecological management, and nature conservation. In addition, the project contributes to social sustainability by opening up discussions about recovery, outlook on life, and inclusive meeting places. The combination of ecological and existential measures creates a whole that strengthens the pace of transition in the municipality.
Locally, the project contributes to reduced emissions, increased biodiversity, and a stronger community. Regionally, the project is becoming a model for sustainable funeral services and existential health in the north, including through study visits and collaboration within the diocese. Nationally, the project contributes to the Swedish Church's Climate Roadmap. Internationally, the project contributes to the Swedish Church's global climate roadmap and shows how faith-based organizations can drive climate and sustainability work.
Short term:
- Reduced emissions through electric and battery-powered machines.
- Nature conservation initiatives that promote pollinators and biodiversity.
- Increased public awareness through lectures, discussions, and study visits.
- Sharing knowledge about what the Church of Sweden is, not just what it does.
Long term:
- Climate-neutral funeral services by 2030.
- Strengthened inner sustainability and existential health among residents.
- Improved water management, resource-efficient maintenance, and continued biodiversity.
- Long-term meeting places for existential/spiritual deepening in our parishes, as well as meeting places for knowledge exchange in our churchyards, such as the "Sustainability Room."
Sustainability is ensured through time-bound targets for 2030, gradual upscaling of measures, long-term nature conservation, the introduction of fossil-free technology, and continuous open dialogue. The project is integrated into the church's regular activities and is followed up through lectures, open houses, and a living roadmap.
Yes. The project requires collaboration between the church, the municipality, civil society, schools, and national actors. Collaboration is a strength, but it can also create a need for clear processes, common goals, and continuous communication to avoid gaps and misunderstandings.
The project is located close to several strategic areas, particularly A place to thrive.
The project is aimed at
- The general public (children, young people, families, seniors)
- Schools and teachers
- Municipal officials and decision-makers
- Civil society and actors in healthcare/social care and existential health
- Suppliers and partners in green technology, gardening, and recycling
The project contributes directly to the vision by creating both ecological and social sustainability. It strengthens everyday life by:
- reducing the climate impact of a central municipal service
- increasing the presence of nature and biodiversity in the residents' immediate environment
- creating space for meaning, community, and recovery
- offering safe, inclusive meeting places and activities over time
It shows how the transition can be made concrete, human, and hopeful—entirely in line with SE26's focus on future solutions and social development.
Read more: SE26 project
Sidinformation
- Senast uppdaterad:
- 14 January 2026