Naturvårdsverket | Swedish Environmental Protection Agency Sweden´s environmental objectives –...

Naturvårdsverket | Swedish Environmental Protection Agency

Sweden´s environmental objectives – methodological challenges

Lisa Eriksson, Anna Lundmark Essen

Swedish Environmental Protection Agency Research and Assessment Department

Leuven, 9-10 February, 2012


A plan för today

• Short introduction to Sweden’s environmental objectives.

• Challenges concerning how to evaluate the objectives in a policy context.

• Discussion – which aims to share views, knowledge and experiences.


Parlamentary decision on…

National level agencies, county administrative boards, municipalities, NGO´s, Corp. Etc.

Activities/

measures

Political objectives

National level agencies: SEPA (coordinating responsibility), Swedish Chemicals Agency, Swedish Forestry Agency etc.

Responsib

le for

follow-u

p and

evaluatio

n

Generational goal

Activities/measures that aims at effectiveness

2020 (2050)

Implementin

g,

contrib

uting

16 Environmental quality objectives:

Reduced Climate Impact, Clean Air, Natural Acidification Only, A Non-Toxic Environment, etc…


The generational goal

The generational goal means that the basic conditions for solving the environmental problems we face are to be achieved within one generation, and that environmental policy should be directed towards ensuring that:

• Ecosystems have recovered, or are on the way to recovery, and their long-term capacity to generate ecosystem services is assured.

• Biodiversity and the natural and cultural environment are conserved, promoted and used sustainably.

• Human health is subject to a minimum of adverse impacts from factors in the environment, at the same time as the positive impact of the environment on human health is promoted.

• Materials cycles are resource-efficient and as far as possible free from dangerous substances.


• Natural resources are managed sustainably.

• The share of renewable energy increases and use of energy is efficient, with minimal impact on the environment.

• Patterns of consumption of goods and services cause the least possible problems for the environment and human health.


The national environmental quality objectives 1. Reduced Climate Impact

2. Clean Air

3. Natural Acidification Only

4. A Non-Toxic Environment

5. A Protective Ozone Layer

6. A Safe Radiation Environment

7. Zero Eutrophication

8. Flourishing Lakes and Streams

9. Good-Quality Grounwater

10. A Balanced Marine Environment…

11. Thirving Wetlands

12. Sustainable Forests

13. A Varied Agricultural Landscape

14. A Magnificant Mountain Landscape

15. A Good Built Environment

16. A Rich Diversity of Plant and Animal Life


Tracking progress on a regular basis• Annual reports to the

Government.

• An in-depth evaluation once every parliamentary term.


The basis for assessing progress

• The basis for assessing progress towards the environmental quality objectives: within a generation,

either the quality of the environment which they express, or

the basic conditions (incentives, measures) for attaining that quality, should be achieved.


Parlamentary decision on…

National level agencies, county administrative boards, municipalities, NGO´s, Corp. Etc.

Activities/

measures

Political objectives

National level agencies: SEPA (coordinating responsibility), Swedish Chemicals Agency, Swedish Forestry Agency etc.

Responsib

le for

follow-u

p and

evaluatio

n

Generational goal

Activities/measures that aims at effectiveness

2020 (2050)

Implementin

g,

contrib

uting

State of the environment

”State of” the implementation of environmental actions

16 Environmental quality objectives:

Reduced Climate Impact, Clean Air, Natural Acidification Only, A Non-Toxic Environment, etc…


Actions taken place or beeing suggested to meet methodological challenges

• What do we know about what?

• How is environmental work proceeding?

• Generational goal:

Difficult to operationalize!

Changes in society: dialogue with actors (business sector) in society about how environmental work proceeds!


Evaluation focusing on different levels

Prerequesities: state of environ-ment, drivers

Activities: objectives and tasks

Perform-ance: incentives

Effects, measures in society

Effects, measures in nature

Effects in nature


Evaluation focusing on different levels

Prerequesities: state of environ-ment, drivers

Activities: objectives and tasks

Perform-ance: incentives

Effects, measures in society

Effects, measures in nature

Effects in nature

Cause-effect in nature

Cause-effect

measures in society

The optimal

measures

?

Evaluate all the way?


How to address the problems and possibilities?

• What do we know about the effects from actions in society?

• What to do with the generational goal (fluffy concepts)?

Views, knowledge, experiences…

…to share?


More information

• The results of follow-ups are presented on the Environmental Objectives Portal, under the different environmental quality objectives.

• www.miljomal.nu

Small folders!

Naturvårdsverket | Swedish Environmental Protection Agency Sweden´s environmental objectives –...

Documents

Transcript of Naturvårdsverket | Swedish Environmental Protection Agency Sweden´s environmental objectives –...