Limbah sebagai Instrumen Diplomasi: Kebijakan Impor Limbah Swedia dalam Kerangka Ekonomi Sirkular dan Tata Kelola Lingkungan Global

Muhamad Rifqy Syahputra Suhaimi (Universitas Singaperbangsa Karawang)
Nurbani Adine Gustianti (Universitas Singaperbangsa Karawang)

Indonesian Social Science Review
Vol. 4 No. 2 (2026): September in-press

Global urban waste is projected to reach 3.8 billion tons by 2050, prompting countries to seek alternative management approaches. However, cross-border waste trade remains perceived as an ambiguous balance between environmental solutions and burden-shifting concerns. This study analyzes how Sweden's circular economy drives transnational waste imports through the framework of environmental diplomacy. In circular economy logic, waste imports result from successfully closing the domestic material cycle. Having minimized domestic residual waste, Sweden expands its circularity transnationally by converting foreign waste into energy. Using a qualitative descriptive-analytical case study approach with secondary data from academic literature, policy documents, and the UN Comtrade database, this study reveals that the success of Sweden’s Waste-to-Energy system creates a structural paradox—a dependence on imported waste. This phenomenon highlights three dimensions of environmental diplomacy: environmental governance via cross-border resource management, global environmental governance through adherence to the Basel Convention and prior informed consent mechanisms, and environmental peacebuilding through institutional interdependence and trust. Ultimately, Swedish waste imports illustrate how environmental issues can serve as diplomatic instruments to foster international cooperation while supporting a sustainable energy transition. Proyeksi peningkatan limbah perkotaan global hingga 3,8 miliar ton pada 2050 mendorong pencarian pendekatan pengelolaan sampah alternatif. Namun, perdagangan limbah lintas batas masih dipersepsikan ambigu antara solusi lingkungan dan pemindahan beban. Penelitian ini menganalisis bagaimana penerapan ekonomi sirkular di Swedia mendorong impor limbah melalui kerangka diplomasi lingkungan. Dalam logika ekonomi sirkular, impor limbah merupakan konsekuensi dari keberhasilan menutup siklus material domestik. Saat limbah residu domestik hampir habis, Swedia memperluas sirkularitasnya ke tingkat transnasional dengan menjadikan sampah luar negeri sebagai bahan bakar energi. Penelitian kualitatif studi kasus deskriptif-analitis ini menggunakan data sekunder dari literatur akademik, dokumen kebijakan, dan basis data UN Comtrade. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa keberhasilan sistem Waste-to-Energy Swedia menciptakan paradoks struktural berupa ketergantungan pada pasokan limbah asing. Fenomena ini mencerminkan tiga dimensi diplomasi lingkungan: environmental governance melalui pengelolaan sumber daya lintas batas, global environmental governance melalui kepatuhan pada Konvensi Basel dan mekanisme prior informed consent, serta environmental peacebuilding melalui interdependensi dan kepercayaan antarnegara. Impor limbah Swedia membuktikan bahwa isu lingkungan dapat menjadi instrumen diplomasi yang mendorong kerja sama internasional dan transisi energi berkelanjutan.