Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari’s participation in a major event at the premises of Fosilfritt Sverige in central Stockholm was abruptly canceled for security reasons, according to reports from Altinget. The press officer for Fossilfritt Sweden, Jenina Dahlberg, stated that Pourmokhtari’s staff made the decision to cancel the event, but did not provide further details regarding the security concerns.
The event was intended for Pourmokhtari to receive the cement industry’s updated roadmap for achieving net-zero emissions by 2030. Pourmokhtari was also scheduled to participate in a conversation regarding climate policy and the cement industry’s climate goals.
Fosilfritt Sweden clarified that only the open part of the event was canceled, and the flight plan remained on schedule. However, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson linked the decision to cancel the event with the organization Extinction Rebellion in a Facebook post.
Kristersson criticized Extinction Rebellion, claiming that they claim to care about the climate but hinder constructive conversations about climate policy. He expressed disappointment in the cancellation and described the situation as “really, really bad.”
The reasons behind the security concerns and the specific involvement of Extinction Rebellion have not been disclosed. Pourmokhtari’s cancellation raises questions about the impact of activist groups on climate discussions and the potential challenges faced by policymakers in navigating these conversations.