A Head Start on Sustainability

“Sustainability starts here,” claims Malmö, and the city certainly got a head start. Sustainability has been core to the city’s strategies since 1995 and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are now incorporated into Swedish national policy and Malmö’s own goals. They’re used to address the ecological, economic and social aspects of sustainability in an integrated manner within Agenda 2030 and the New Urban Agenda, two interconnected policies that directly affect urban governance and planning. This integration can be seen in Malmö’s projects like its Transport and Mobility Plan 2016, equally focused on reducing environmental impact and reducing segregation, and the Lindängen urban regeneration project, which tackled both societal and environmental concerns. After consultation with private landlords and Lindängen residents, new sustainable residential buildings were constructed and original buildings had a sustainability-friendly makeover. There’s now a meeting centre with a café, offering language courses and sustainable community initiatives, and a new family centre offering health, social and preschool care. A new school and faster bus lines are coming soon.

In Malmö, there’s an emphasis on seven SDGs in particular: No Poverty, Good Health and Well-Being, Quality Education, Gender Equality, Reduced Inequalities, Sustainable Cities And Communities and Peace, Justice And Strong Public Institutions. Malmö has also responded proactively to SDG 14, Life Below Water, becoming a Local Ocean Action Hub in 2017.

Malmö was also the first of Sweden’s major cities to establish a commission looking at social segregation and public health inequalities in 2012, and Malmö Convention Bureau was the first Swedish tourism organisation to be granted an ISO 20121 certification (the voluntary international standard for sustainable event management) in 2017.

The city is currently ranked 7th in the Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index, and while it’s working hard to meet its 2030 goal of running entirely on renewable energy, it already has the third-largest wind park in the world, powering 60,000 homes.

Green Leaders

Today, the City is seen as a leader in sustainable development, with other cities looking to Malmö for advice and examples of good practice. The City shares its expertise willingly, offering technical visits on sustainable development and Greentech visits through Green Cooperation Sweden/Denmark for delegations wishing to see green solutions in the Öresund Region.

Food waste is used for compost and biogas production, and that biogas is then used to fuel local buses. There are also several eco-districts in the city:

Sege Park in the north of Malmö will be a new residential area that’s also a testbed for sustainable solutions. New climate-smart builds will complement the existing buildings, which will be improved, creating accessible, attractive new business and residential premises. Solar panels will supply renewable energy through a smart electricity grid and the large green park will be preserved, offering locals the chance to grow their own food. Car and bicycle sharing resources will be available, as will local food waste recycling.

Hyllie is a new district between Malmö and Copenhagen, offers great communication links and a new rail link allowing residents to reach Malmö city centre in three minutes and Copenhagen airport in twelve. It will also link to Lund, home to the MAX IV research park and the planned ESS research facility. The area boasts the multi-purpose Malmö Arena with an adjoining hotel and one of Sweden’s largest shopping centres, Emporia. The climate contract signed in 2011 between the City, E.ON and the municipal authority VA SYD means that the district has integrated energy solutions for heating, cooling and power, using a smart grid system that can react to the weather, for example, by feeding energy into the storage systems when it’s sunny and using it later when it's needed. There are photovoltaic systems on top of green rooftops and smart kitchen appliances in the apartments. Organic waste is delivered to a digestion plant for the production of biogas.

Augustenborg Eco-City, one of Malmö’s most ambitious projects, was the winner of the 2010 World Habitat Award for innovative and sustainable housing solutions. It’s involved renovating much of the existing building stock for accessibility and energy-efficiency while constructing new sustainable buildings, all with green roofs. A good example is the school; designed to make use of natural lighting, it’s built from natural materials and has a ground source heat pump, wind power plant, solar thermal panels and composting toilets. The district is well on its way to its goal of a 90% recycling rate, and green roofs and open stormwater channels leading into ponds have stopped flooding in the area, creating a more biodiverse and attractive environment. New planting of perennials and trees and the installation of bat and bird boxes have renewed green spaces, and wetland areas have been established. There’s also a botanical garden—the biggest green roof in Sweden—and allotments for residents. Community organisations, residents and local NGOs played an integral part in the regeneration process.

The Northern Harbour of Malmö is also being developed sustainably. The City, CMP (who run the port) and other stakeholders work together to ensure sustainable operations and find smart solutions. Companies that establish themselves in the area must contribute to increased employment, strengthen the port's operations and increase the amount of freight shipped. Malmö received the ‘Sustainability Location of the Year’ award for its requirement that Northern Harbour buildings must be used for sea and rail freight operations.

The Expert in Big Green Events

Malmö has a longstanding and excellent track record for hosting sustainable events, and its hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest is a prime example.

When Loreen won the 2012 contest for Sweden, Malmö fought off fierce competition from Stockholm to host the 2013 contest, thanks to its accessibility, excellent infrastructure, choice of activities, accommodation and restaurants, and the proximity of key locations, such as Copenhagen airport and Malmö Arena. Swedish Television were also impressed by the city’s optimistic vibe and felt the city was a place where “bridges are being built between nations and people.”

Malmö was determined to certify the event to a high international sustainable standard—ISO 21021—and to take the Eurovision motto ‘We are One’ to heart, making the contest an inclusive, eco-friendly event. Climate-smart and predominantly organic food was used in catering and vegetarian alternatives were offered. Only green electricity and standard-compliant suppliers were used. Hundreds of volunteers were trained in sustainability practices and assisted with a wide range of tasks. Special drinking-water refilling stations were installed and 5,000 free water bottles were given away to delegates, who were encouraged to use public transport.

Malmö also won the Greener Festival Award for its sustainability efforts for the annual Malmö Festival and set its sights high once again with a bid to host the 2021 ICLEI World Congress. To support its winning bid, the City referred to its internationally recognised award-winning work on sustainable development, its ground-breaking decision to politically implement the UN SDGs and its status as a key logistics and travel hub.

Check in to your accommodation

92% of Malmö hotels have a sustainability commitment or are eco-certified, so here are just a few examples.

The Quality View Hotel is committed to sustainability and like all Nordic Choice hotels, it’s ISO 14001 certified, with ambitious green goals for 2021. This modern hotel also can also host your event, offering 27 meeting and conference rooms and capacity for up to 1,120 people.

The Scandic Kramer is a tastefully renovated building built in 1875 close to Malmö’s Old Town. It holds the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and has six meeting/conference rooms, the biggest of which has capacity for 40 people.

There’s also the Moment Hotel, right by Malmö Central Station, where interior design and furnishing are handled by IKEA. Rooms are kept simple and small (no minibars here!) and conference facilities aren’t offered—the focus is on “affordable, sustainable and surface-efficient” accommodation.

The sophisticated Elite Hotel Esplanade is a short walk from Malmö Central Station and around the corner from Lilla Torg. Like all Elite hotels, it holds the Green Key eco-label and constantly strives to reduce waste, water consumption and energy consumption. The hotel uses 100% green electricity and environmentally certified paper products, from note paper to toilet roll!

For something a little different, Ohboy Hotel offers apartment-style rooms with a kitchenette, lounge area, workspace and a free-to-use foldable bike.

However, if you’re holding a meeting or team-building exercise rather than a large event, choose the Circus Hotel for a really novel sustainable stay. It’s actually a collection of twelve individually-themed circus wagons, each one hand-built by the owner and equipped with two bikes, free to use during your stay. Hop on your bikes and you’re just 15 minutes from the city centre.

Explore friendly—and eco-friendly—Malmö

Whether you’re escaping for lunch, enjoying a night out or have a day or two to explore, Malmö has plenty to see, do and eat!

To soak up the city’s history, visit Malmöhus Castle with its medieval moat, aquarium, natural history museum and Nordic art exhibitions or wander the cobbled streets of the Old Town (Gamla Staden). Here, you’ll find Stortorget, Malmö’s oldest and largest square, lined with beautiful 16th-century buildings. Close by is Malmö’s oldest building, Saint Peter’s Church, and Lilla Torg (‘Little Square’), a cosier square filled with quaint cafés, bars and restaurants.

For more modern sights, check out the Form/Design Centre, an exhibition space for modern art, design and architecture, and the 190m high Turning Torso, the tallest building in Scandinavia and the world’s first twisted skyscraper. A trip over the Øresund Bridge by rail or bus isn’t to be missed either. Lovers of modern art should head to the Modern Art Museum or Malmö Konsthall, while opera lovers can get their fix at the Malmö Opera, which subtitles some performances in English.