At the end of March, it is time to change the clock to summer time. But why do we actually set the clocks forward one hour – and is the time change about to be abolished completely?
In 1916, Germany and Austria were the first to introduce summer time. A number of European countries – including Sweden – followed their example, but it would take until 1980 before summer time was permanently introduced in our country.
Originally, the time change was introduced to make better use of the daylight hours of the day and thus save energy, something that became necessary after the First World War when, among other things, oil was in short supply.
What does daylight saving time mean?
Daylight saving time means that we set the clocks forward one hour. This takes place at two o’clock in the morning between the last Saturday and the last Sunday in March each year.
This year this means that we set the clock during the night from Saturday 25 March to Sunday 26 March.
A rule of thumb to remember whether the clocks should be set forwards or backwards is to set them before summer forward the outdoor furniture, and before the winter you set up back them.
Will summer time be abolished?
Daylight saving time may be abolished within a couple of years. In fact, the EU Parliament decided to scrap the time change back in 2019, but since then the process has fallen apart.
“There is a majority in favor of abolishing the time change. But after the decision has been made, the countries must decide which time zone they will be in, I think that is where the shoe pinches”, Johan Danielsson (S) told Aftonbladet last autumn.
Sources: Calendar 365, Weather 24, The evening paper
