How Is the Green Deal Talked About in the Czech Republic and Sweden?

A new study shows that the way we talk about things also shapes reality. The research, led by Zbyněk Dubský, Markéta Votoupalová, and Alžběta Vítková, focused on how European politicians and media spoke about the European Green Deal and the Fit for 55 plan between 2019 and 2022. Specifically, it compared the rhetoric in the Czech Republic and Sweden during the first years of the Green Deal’s implementation.

“Czechia and Sweden are countries with opposing approaches to renewable energy development and climate protection: the Czech Republic has high coal dependency, an energy-intensive industry, and a lower share of renewables, while Sweden stands out with a very ‘green’ energy mix, lower dependence on fossil fuels, and strong focus on climate goals,” Dubský explains. “Yet both countries treated the Green Deal as an essential part of European climate policy. The difference lies only in how the Green Deal was communicated in politics and the media.”

When Prices Decide: The Czech View of a Green Future

Unlike in Sweden, where the Green Deal had been intensively discussed in the media since its launch, in the Czech Republic the topic gained broader media attention only in the summer of 2021, when the European Commission presented the Fit for 55 package.
“The Czech political vocabulary around the Green Deal was from the start filled with words like ‘industry,’ ‘price,’ ‘resource,’ ‘company,’” notes Votoupalová. “The dominant argument was about financial burden – that Green Deal measures must not hurt ordinary people or businesses. Politicians across parties stressed the need to recognize nuclear power and transitional use of gas as ‘sustainable’ sources.”

The Czech debate was often pragmatic and rather cautious. Arguments about loss of competitiveness were frequent, as were concerns that if the world’s biggest polluters like China or the US did not adopt equally strict climate goals, Europe would lose its economic edge while producing no visible positive effect on the climate.

Sweden: A Leader That Wants to Go Further

In northern Europe, the story evolved differently. Swedish discourse about the Green Deal had a positive and determined tone from the outset. Words like ‘climate,’ ‘emissions,’ ‘environment,’ and ‘opportunity’ dominated. Instead of fear of financial costs, the direction was one of leadership – the belief that Sweden and the EU should set an example for the world.

“Swedish rhetoric views the financial costs of sustainability as an investment, whose postponement would mean even higher expenses in the future,” says Votoupalová. “Sweden already has a very green energy mix and sees the Green Deal as an opportunity to strengthen its economy, for example through the supply of raw materials and technologies for energy transformation. Interestingly, the Swedish government rejected calls for new EU climate funds, arguing they would only slow down the shift to clean energy.”

Common Grounds and Major Differences

Despite the different framing, both countries focused on similar topics: energy, transport, industry, finance, and agriculture. But the emphasis differed: in the Czech Republic the focus was on prices, energy self-sufficiency, and protection of industry, while in Sweden the emphasis was on climate goals, innovation, and global leadership.

“Another interesting difference was the issue of security,” adds Votoupalová. “After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Czech debate briefly highlighted energy independence as part of national security. In Sweden, this security framing hardly appeared – even after 2022, the emphasis remained on climate and environmental aspects.”

Government Changes and a Pandemic – The Green Deal Stays

The researchers also noted the impact of domestic political shifts. In the Czech Republic, Andrej Babiš’s government often criticized the Green Deal, though the rhetoric shifted depending on the audience: more conciliatory in Brussels, tougher at home. Petr Fiala’s cabinet was more open but still insisted on considering national specifics.

In Sweden, the basic tone did not change even after prime ministers were replaced: the Green Deal was welcomed, sometimes even seen as not ambitious enough. “Although the emphasis of arguments shifted in both countries, neither the COVID-19 pandemic nor the war in Ukraine fundamentally changed overall support for the Green Deal,” Dubský states.

What Does This Mean for the Future?

The research suggests that the Green Deal has become a new norm in both countries – in politics as well as in media discourse. “Open rejection comes only from fringe political forces. The difference is that the Czech Republic talks about caution and the need to adapt the goals to national conditions, while Sweden pushes for a faster and bolder path,” Dubský concludes.