Fact Sheet FS 1

Environment:
Environmental work for generations

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Clean air and a protective ozone layer are on Sweden’s list for environmental quality. Photo: Johnér Bildbyrå

Sweden was an early starter in terms of sustainable thinking. Back in the 1960s, it recognized that the rapid loss of natural resources had to be confronted, and took a lead in organizing the first UN conference on the environment, held in Stockholm in 1972. Since then, it has continued to work actively with environmental issues, both nationally and internationally. The Swedish environmental budget for 2010–2012 amounts to just over SEK 5 billion (USD 718 million, EUR 537 million) per year.

16 objectives

The overall goal of environmental policy efforts in Sweden is to ensure that the next generation can take over a society in which the major environmental problems have been solved.

Sweden’s environment policy is based on 16 environmental quality objectives, EQOs, sanctioned by the Government and Riksdag (parliament). These objectives have to be framed in such a way that they are achievable. This means for instance taking into account the fact that nature is slow to recover.

An action plan

To assist the Government in its endeavor, a parliamentary committee has been set up whose members include researchers and experts. Its first task is to produce an action plan containing a number of interim targets. These will form part of a strategy designed to solve Sweden’s environmental problems within a generation. The plan is due to be presented by 31 December 2010 at the latest.

At present, the Government believes that with the introduction of further measures, 11 of the 16 EQOs can be achieved. One of the remaining five, A Protective Ozone Layer, is expected to be reached before long. Achievement of the last four, however, is expected to prove very difficult. Reduced Climate Impact, A Non-Toxic Environment, A Good Built Environment, and A Rich Diversity of Plant and Animal Life will present problems even if additional measures are taken.

Starting in 2002, the Environmental Objectives Council, a special government-appointed body, was charged with coordinating and following up efforts to reach the EQOs. This responsibility has now been taken over by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. The results of work on the 16 objectives, however, will still be presented on the Environmental Objectives Portal, www.miljomal.se.

Today, climate change caused by the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is one of the foremost global environment problems. Traditionally, there has been a strong link between economic growth and increased greenhouse gas emissions, but Sweden is one of the countries that has shown the link can be broken.

Low levels

Since 1990, emissions have been declining in the Swedish housing and service sector as the result of a shift from oil to district heating, heat pumps and biofuels for heating purposes. Emissions from agriculture are also on the decline, due mainly to the presence of fewer farm animals. These decreases, however, have been partially offset by increased emissions from road traffic. On the other hand, emissions from heavy goods traffic fell in 2008, due largely to the business recession. The recession also caused a drop in emissions from industrial energy usage.

Today, Sweden’s level of greenhouse gas emissions is among the lowest in the EU and OECD. This applies whether emissions are calculated per capita or as a proportion of GDP. By 2020, Swedish emissions are scheduled to be 40 per cent lower than in 1990.

Swedish greenhouse gas emissions in 2008 totaled 64 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. This was just over 2 million tons down on the 2007 figure. Emissions are expected to remain at roughly the same level throughout the period 2008–2012, but the financial crises of recent years and the economic downturn may reduce them further. The interim target set by the Riksdag is an emissions reduction of at least 4 per cent from the 1990 level during the current period. The Environmental Objectives Council estimates that this target will be reached comfortably.

Reduced carbon emissions

The burning of fossil fuels—oil, coal and gas—accounts for the largest contribution to the greenhouse effect both in Sweden and in the rest of the world. Sweden is one of the few industrialized countries to have reduced carbon emissions. At global level, the tendency throughout the 20th century was clear and unequivocal—the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere increased year by year. In Sweden’s case, however, the early 1970s brought a change of direction. That was when Swedish carbon emissions began to decrease, instead of following the upward global trend.

In 2008, Swedish emissions of carbon dioxide totaled 50.5 million tons, compared with 58.7 million tons in 1998.

UN Year of Biodiversity

The UN has declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity. One of the greatest threats to diversity is climate change, which splits up and destroys natural habitats and damages ecosystems. The international target whereby the depletion of biological diversity is to be significantly reduced or stopped by the end of 2010 is not expected to be reached.

The Convention on Biological Diversity was drawn up at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (the Rio ‘Earth Summit’). It has since been signed by 193 countries, including Sweden. The parties to the convention must now agree on a new plan containing both targets for safeguarding biodiversity and methods for measuring progress.

Nature’s Year in Sweden

Nature’s Year is a joint project launched by some 20 government agencies and stakeholder organizations to mark the 100th anniversary of Sweden’s first national parks and nature conservation legislation. In light of the UN International Year of Biodiversity, the same theme has been chosen by Nature’s Year for 2010. The overall aim is to coordinate and promote a joint national effort so as to make the issues better known and foster a commitment to biodiversity.

The valley Lapporten in Abisko National Park. Photo: Sven Halling/Johnér

A borderless challenge

Environmental problems often cross national boundaries. Acidifying and eutrophying air pollutants and marine discharges are a case in point.

For Sweden, the most important international environment treaties are the Oslo (1972) and Paris (1974) Conventions, established to protect neighboring seas, and the Helsinki Convention (1974).
The Stockholm Convention (2001), aimed at phasing out the production and use of some of the most hazardous chemicals, was largely a Swedish initiative.

Sweden is also active in the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, which oversees the implementation of worldwide environmental action plans adopted in Rio in 1992 and in Johannesburg in 2002.

Saving the Baltic Sea

One environmental problem for which many different countries bear responsibility is pollution of the Baltic Sea. The drainage basin of the Baltic is populated by some 80 million people and the Swedish marine environment is also affected by the actions of countries in Central Europe.

The Baltic Sea, southern Sweden. Photo: Hans Bjurling/Johnér

Environmental problems in the Baltic Sea are particularly serious and some researchers warn of an ecological collapse. There are several reasons for this. Emissions from agriculture are leading to marine eutrophication, and both industry and waste treatment plants are polluting the sea with heavy metals, chemicals, household waste and environmental toxins. International cooperation focusing on the Baltic Sea is under way on a number of different fronts.

SEK 1.3 billion for marine action

To boost efforts to improve the state of the seas, the Government has established
a special marine environment funding appropriation. A total of just over SEK 1.3 billion (USD 187 million, EUR 140 million) has been set aside for the period 2010–2012. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is the government body responsible for coordinating Sweden’s marine environment work and moving it forward. It is also responsible for distributing the bulk of the government appropriation.

Sweden is working on various fronts to persuade the EU and individual countries in the Baltic Sea region to improve the Baltic marine environment. Like most environmental threats, the problems in the Baltic Sea and in Skagerakk and Kattegat in the North Sea are transnational in character. All the countries on the Baltic Sea rim are now EU members, with the exception of Russia. During the Swedish presidency of the EU in the fall of 2009, the EU member states agreed to adopt a common strategy for the Baltic Sea region. The strategy is a pilot project heralding a new joint approach by the Union.

Swedish environmental legislation

Legislation plays an important part in Swedish environmental work and an Environmental Code entered into force in 1999.

The Environmental Code now has a number of new provisions, including the following:

• General rules of care and consideration that everyone has to comply with in order to protect the natural environment.
• Environmental quality standards establishing limits for how much the natural environment can stand in terms of maximum and minimum substance levels in soil, water and air.

The Swedish Environmental Code also requires that an environmental impact assessment be carried out before permission can be given for an environmentally hazardous activity. This assessment takes into account the impact on humans, animals, soil, water, air, the landscape and the cultural environment.

Hazardous activities are defined as any usage of land, buildings or stationary installations that results in the emission of pollutants into the soil, air or water, or that causes a nuisance through noise, shaking or radiation. This applies to industry, waste plants, wastewater treatment centers and other facilities. Anyone polluting someone else’s property or spoiling it in some way may be liable for damages.

A growing economic sector

Environmental technology is a growing economic sector in Sweden. Sweden is skilled in a number of areas, but its main strength lies in producing systemic solutions for such areas as waste management and renewable energy. At present there are approximately 3,500 environmental technology companies in Sweden.

The Swedish environment sector increased in size during the period 2003–2008, whether calculated in terms of turnover, exports or employment levels.

Publisher: Swedish Institute  Published: November 2010

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Published by the Swedish Institute at www.sweden.se. All content is protected by Swedish copyright law. The text may be reproduced, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast in any media for non-commercial use with reference to www.sweden.se. However, no photographs or illustrations may be used.