Swedish funeral associations are warning of the need to increase burial capacities, citing a growing risk of a third world war errupting.

Funeral associations in Sweden are calling for sufficient land areas to be freed up in response to the significant risk of a third world war breaking out. The associations are adhering to the recommendations of the National Secretariat of the Church of Sweden, which reflect the guidelines put out by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) and the Swedish Armed Forces in preparing for crisis situations.

The preparedness guidelines have taken on a new relevance since Sweden’s accession to NATO and the growing tensions between the Baltic countries and Russia.

According to the ecclesiastical provisions, backed up by the relevant paragraphs in the Swedish Burial Act, burial associations are responsible for ensuring that, in the event it becomes necessary, there is enough land available for the burial of roughly five per cent of the population within a parish.

The Gothenburg Burial Association, operating in Sweden’s second largest city, is currently struggling to free up more than 40,000 square metres (at least ten hectares) of land to provide emergency coffin burials to about 30,000 deceased persons in the event of war.

The burial association, together with the local municipality, which has a monopoly on land use decisions in Gothenburg, has already identified a large area of land that could be suitable for the development of a large cemetery. However, the lengthy permit and construction process means that it could take around ten years, creating further challenges in extremely uncertain times.

Meanwhile, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) continues to emphasise the importance of crisis preparedness. Sweden has had a neutral policy since the early 19th century, including throughout the Second World War. But public opinion changed sharply in 2022, following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war and the subsequent accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO.

Sweden and Finland sent out updated civil preparedness guidelines in November, giving residents pointers on how to survive a war. The leaflets are similar to the Danish and Norwegian guides, although they do not mention Russia by name.