Burial associations in Sweden are taking proactive measures to secure enough land to bury thousands of people in the event of war. This initiative follows recommendations from the Church of Sweden’s national secretariat, aligning with crisis preparedness guidelines from the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) and the Swedish Armed Forces.
The decision by Sweden to join NATO and escalating tensions with Russia in the Baltic Sea region have brought a new urgency to these preparedness efforts. According to the Church of Sweden provisions, burial associations are mandated to ensure the availability of sufficient land to bury approximately 5 percent of the population within a parish if the need arises.
The Goteborg Burial Association, operating in Sweden’s second-largest city, is currently facing the challenge of acquiring at least 10 acres of land to accommodate urgent casket burials for around 30,000 deceased individuals in the event of war. Additionally, they require an additional 15 acres for regular graveyard use in Goteborg.
Katarina Evenseth, a senior advisor at the Goteborg Burial Association, highlighted the scarcity of land resources in urban areas, making it difficult to meet burial ground needs even during peaceful times. The association, in collaboration with the local municipality, has identified a suitable area for constructing a large-scale cemetery, but the lengthy approval and building process could take up to a decade, presenting further challenges in uncertain times.
The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) continues to emphasize the importance of crisis preparedness, acknowledging the proactive efforts of the Church of Sweden in civil defense planning. Jan-Olof Olsson, a Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) expert at MSB, noted that the government had tasked various authorities in 2015 to engage in civil defense planning, with the Church of Sweden leading the way.
Recent events, such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine, have prompted Sweden and Finland to update their civil preparedness guides, focusing on survival strategies in the event of war. While these guides do not explicitly mention Russia, the concern about the threat posed by the neighboring country has led to a shift in public opinion and a reevaluation of national security measures.
