COUNTRY MEMORANDUM FOR THE OECD ENVIRONMENTAL

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PERFORMANCE REVIEW 2003/2004: SWEDEN'S NATIONAL AND

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INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

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Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvardsverket)

2003

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CONTENTS

Acronyms and Definitions 6

Foreword 9

PART A. Inventory of objectives ..11

1. Introduction11

2. Sweden's 15 Environmental Quality Objectives13

2.1 Institutional aspects .14

a) Environmental Objectives Council .15

b) Government agencies 15

c) Sectoral agencies ..17

d) The business sector .17

e) The NGO community.19

2.2 Monitoring and evaluation ..19

3. Strategies for achieving the Environmental Quality Objectives .22

4. New environmental legislation 25

5. Economic instruments..30

6. Information instruments..31

7. Voluntary agreements and dialogue between central government and industry 34

8. Cooperation in the European Union .37

9. International environmental cooperation ..39

10. Sectoral chapter: Environment and Health 40

10.1 Selection of sub-areas in 'Environment and Health' .41

10.2 Air pollution .41

10.3 Use of chemicals 43

10.4 Noise 47

10.5 A healthy indoor environment 48

10.6 Access to open spaces and opportunities for outdoor activities .52

10.7 Spatial planning .53

10.8 Children and elderly people .54

10.9 Miscellaneous .54

10.10 Ministries, agencies and other organisations involved..55

PART B. Summary of progress .56

11. Progress towards the Environmental Quality Objectives ..56

12. Responses to the OECD's Recommendations since the 1996 Review .57

12.1 Implementing environmental policies (Rec 1-3)57

12.2 Air (Rec 4-10) .61

12.3 Chemical products, waste and life-cycle policies (Rec 11-17)69

12.4 Water (Rec 18-23) .74

12.5 Nature conservation (Rec 24-28) ..80

12.6 Integrating environmental concerns and economic decisions (Rec 29-33)..88

12.7 Sectoral integration: agriculture (Rec 34-40)..98

12.8 International cooperation (Rec 41-48) .106

13. National measures by Sweden to implement the OECD Environmental Strategy 114

13.1 Objective 1: Maintaining the integrity of ecosystems through the efficient management of

natural resources: Climate ..114

13.2 Objective 1: Maintaining the integrity of ecosystems through the efficient management of

natural resources: Freshwater ..118

13.3 Objective 1: Maintaining the integrity of ecosystems through the efficient management of

natural resources: Biodiversity. ..122

13.4 Objective 2: De-coupling environmental pressures from economic growth: Agriculture ..131

13.5 Objective 2: De-coupling environmental pressures from economic growth: Transport .139

13.6 Objective 2: De-coupling environmental pressures from economic growth: Energy. ..148

13.7 Objective 3: Improving information for decision making: Measuring progress through

indicators.158

13.8 Objective 4: Social and environmental interface: Enhancing the quality of life..164

13.9 Objective 5: Global environmental interdependence: Improving governance and cooperation.

171

PART C. Chronology of major events, 1996-2003 ..178

ANNEXES

The following Annexes are attached in a separate document:

1. Interim targets for the Environmental Quality Objectives

2. Proposed Environmental Quality Objective on Biodiversity

3. Reports on Government Agencies' progress towards the Environmental Quality Objectives

3.1 Summary of in-depth Evaluation by the National Board of Health and Welfare (October 2003)

4. Public Health Objectives

4.1 Fact Sheet from the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs on Public Health Objectives

4.2 Extract from Chapter 5 in Government Bill 2002/03:35 Public Health Objectives

5. Multilateral Environmental Agreements, by Sweden

6. The OECD Environmental Strategy 2001

7. Links to Central Government Agencies, Utilities or State-owned Companies