How Young People View the Oceans and Climate Change Ahead of the 2026 Swedish Election

Every year, a climate barometer is commissioned by WWF to present the views of different social groups on specific election issues. An ongoing study in Lund and Örebro shows preliminary figures suggesting that young people have put the climate issue behind them. Deep Sea Reporter spoke to young adults in Stockholm about their thoughts on the ocean and climate.

^{Text: Judith Vincent}

‘I am not actively involved, but I am openly against deep-sea mining’ says Ludvig Nyqvist.

‘The sea is important for the environment and for people, and we get resources from it’ says Alice Karlsson, who would consider getting involved in environmental issues if she were given information on how to do so.

WWF’s annual climate barometer, conducted by the polling institute Verian, shows that just over half of those surveyed want politicians to take greater responsibility for climate and nature. They believe that politicians bear the greatest responsibility for halting climate change. Another survey  by Verian shows that climate is not a top priority on voters’ list of key issues for the 2026 Swedish parliament election in September: Defence is more important to voters than climate, and law and order is more important than education, reports SVT.

The climate issue has generally dropped to fifth place among Swedes’ most important election issues, whilst the issue tops the list among academics. Not least, the issue has lost support among young people, according to a study from Lund and Örebro. Yet, over fifty percent of the Swedish citizens think about climate change at least once a week, according to WWF.

WWF’s climate barometer from the previous election year (2022) shows that military conflicts or wars were the social phenomenon that worried young people aged 18–29 the most. Climate change was in second place, followed by environmental degradation in third. This year there are slightly more first-time voters, and among young people there is a sense of hopelessness and lost interest regarding the climate issue.

We spoke to young adults in town about what they think might be the cause behind the declined interest, and whether they themselves consider nature and the environment to be important election issues.

Four questions for first-time voters in town

We at Deep Sea Reporter headed out to the area around the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm on a sunny late winter’s day. We wanted to find out what young adults know about the ocean and the climate, and whether they care about its well-being.

Everyone we asked answered that the sea is important to them in one way or another, but that they do not actively engage in efforts to ensure its well-being. Most could consider getting involved if they were presented with a simple way to integrate involvement into their everyday lives, provided it does not take up too much time.

Knowledge about the role of the ocean for the climate on Earth varies, but there is a consensus that it is important for the Earth’s oxygen supply. Referring to the aforementioned study in Lund and Örebro, our respondents believed that the lack of enthusiasm concerning climate engagement may be due to a certain saturation regarding the climate issue, and that other world events feel more important at present.

Marine life and climate matters may play certain a role when they vote in the September election, but it is not a top priority. A functioning society is a common denominator, but to get there, some believe that crime issues are a key point, whilst others believe that education and gender equality are more important issues.

Is the sea important to you?

‘The sea is important for the environment and for people, and we get resources from it’, replies Alice Karlsson.

‘Yes, it would be awesome if one could go and look at all the fish, and the coral reefs that are disappearing’, says Yassin Gardell.

Adam Lindberg answers: ‘Yes, absolutely, we live by the sea, and I like running by the sea’.

‘I like fishing for fun. The sea is important for ecosystems. It is the lungs the Earth, if I’ve understood it correctly’, says Ludvig Nyqvist.

What do you know about how the ocean affects the Earth’s climate?

‘Quite little, I must admit. I think the general public knows quite little, says Adam Lindberg.

‘Well I have a bit of an idea, I have a background in energy and the environment, says Ludvig Nyqvist.

Do you take the sea and climate into account when choosing which party to vote for in the September election?

‘Yes, absolutely’, say Alice Karlsson and Ludvig Nyqvist.

‘No, I don’t think so’, answers Arvid Roos.

‘Yes, a little bit, but not a huge amount’, says Yassin Gardell.

Elvira Gothell says that it will probably be a contributing factor.

What are the most important election issues for you?

‘It’s probably what society will look like. How we’re going to tackle crime, and that we shouldn’t have thirteen-year-olds in prison’, says Yassin Gardell.

‘It feels like the world is changing a lot right now, so I don’t dare say anything about that yet; we’ll have to wait and see’, says Adam Lindberg.

‘Healthcare, education… and the environment of course’, says Ludvig Nyqvist. Pontus Carlsson Friberg is on the same track, as is Alice Karlsson, who also adds gender equality.

A certain saturation with the climate issue – one reason for lost interest in climate well-being

We asked why they think the study from Lund and Örebro suggests that many young people no longer care as much about the climate.

‘It is perhaps because society has become more right-wing. People are maybe increasingly putting themselves before the team and thinking more about money and such’, says Yassin Gardell.

‘Unfortunately, I think it is a bit overplayed’, says Adam Lindberg.

Pontus Carlsson Friberg says that his Instagram feed was inundated with posts about the climate crisis and ythe need to save nature, but that there were never any concrete tips on how one could contribute to a more sustainable environment.

Now he believes that people have reached some level of saturation for the issue, a term that recurs in several respondents’ answers. He would, however, like to be more involved so that his children and future generations can continue to live on one and only Earth, as he puts it, but like Alice and Yassin, Pontus is calling for concrete and easily accessible information on simple ways to get involved.

Young people about the ocean and the climate

Young people seem to no longer be as engaged in marine and environmental issues as they once were, but some might be willing to get involved if information on how to do so appeared in their daily feeds.

‘If it was a bit easier to know where to go and which demonstrations to attend. You don’t really hear from anywhere what you can do’, says Yassin.

‘If there was a simple way to do it and it didn’t take up too much of my own time, I would definitely consider getting involved. It does affect me, after all. It needs to be easy to integrate into everyday life’, says Adam Lindberg.

‘I’m not engaged, but I’m firmly against deep-sea mining. If my studies didn’t take up so much time, then maybe, maybe I could get involved’, says Ludvig Nyqvist.

Elvira Gothell says she tries to reduce her impact on the climate by eating a vegetarian diet.

‘There has been a lot in social media feeds about how everything is going badly, but nothing about what one can do about it’, says Pontus, sounding a bit despondent.

Alice Karlsson would definitely consider getting involved if such information came her way, for example through adverts in town or on Instagram.

Young people about the ocean and the climate

We also bumped into a group of fifteen-year-olds who were eager to talk to us about the ocean. They talked about the devastation regarding destroyed coral reefs, and about ideas for protecting nature; such as buying second-hand instead of new, and recycling – something they said they do. To encourage more people to recycle, they suggest making it a bit more fun, such as receiving a reward or money – like when you return bottles for a deposit.

Although knowledge about the ocean varies and the climate issue is a low priority for some first-time voters, glimmers of hope shine through in some of the answers:

‘Hopelessness is very dangerous. We must not lose hope’, says Ludvig Nyqvist.

‘We only have one Earth, so we have to care for it’, says Pontus Carlsson Friberg.

^{About Deep Sea Reporter: Our ambition is to examine and report on issues related to the sea and the life that exists beneath its surface. We operate in the public interest and are independent of political, commercial, and other interests in society.}