No, Swedish cities have not signed a 15-minute city contract that will restrict the freedom of movement and travel of its inhabitants

By: Christian Haag
September 15 2023

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Source: TikTok/Screenshot/Modified by Logically Facts

Context

Posts circulating on social media claim that the city of Växjö, along with other Swedish cities, have signed a "15-minute city" agreement, which will ban their residents from traveling outside the city. The claim focuses on a promotional brochure by Växjö and the Viable Cities program that started in 2017 to create climate-neutral cities in Sweden by 2030.

The claims are primarily circulating on TikTok and Youtube, with one video reaching 14,000 views.

However, the claim is false.

In fact

15-minute cities are not intended to restrict or ban the movement of their inhabitants. The concept of 15-minute cities was popularized by Carlos Morena in 2016, who wanted to create more movement and freedom in cities by letting people control their time, not restrict it, ensuring access to basic services within 15 minutes of travel by foot or bicycle. 

Viable Cities is a Swedish strategic innovation program to achieve climate-neutral cities by 2030 that are ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable. Cities, municipalities, businesses, academics, civil society, and agencies work together towards this goal. Currently, 23 Swedish municipalities, representing 40 percent of the Swedish population, participate in the program. It is the largest Swedish investment in climate-neutral and sustainable cities to date. The program signs a climate contract with a participating municipality and public authorities to provide a long-term tool and commitment to adjust to the changing climate. 

Logically Facts contacted Viable Cities, who refute the claim and state that the program “has absolutely no desire, nor any power, to restrict people's freedom or mobility. We work to create cities and communities that are pleasant for citizens, promote healthy and sustainable living, improve well-being and quality of life, and are good for the climate.”

15-minute cities have become a common conspiracy narrative linked to the World Economic Forum and Great Reset narratives. The urban development initiative is often referred to as a “climate lockdown,” ISD identified the conspiratorial narrative in September 2020 when it was claimed that the COVID-19 pandemic was but a precursor to future tyrannical control by governments and global elites.

Several claims have also been fact-checked by Logically Facts before, such as Oxford residents needing permission to travel across the city, 15-minute cities restricting freedom of movement, and the Maui wildfires were caused deliberately to prepare for the construction of a 15-minute smart city.

Verdict

Neither 15-minute cities nor the Viable Cities initiative, have the intention or power to limit the freedom of movement of individual citizens. We have, therefore, marked this claim as false.