Between 1996 and 2006, the overall priority of Swedish environmental policy was environmental sustainability.1 Sweden's strategy for sustainable development was reflected in "Sweden's National Strategy for Sustainable Development 2002"2, which encompasses a number of cross-cutting issues corresponding to the four priority areas of EU's 6th Environmental Action Programme; climate change; biodiversity and the natural environment; environment and health and quality of life; and sustainable use and management of natural resources and waste. 16 national Environmental Quality Objectives have been adopted by the Swedish Parliament in order to address these problems.

 

Climate change. The Swedish climate strategy, as adopted by the Swedish Parliament, contains the goal of reducing national emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 4 per cent, on average, below 1990 levels by 2008 - 2010. Besides this, the target is that Swedish emission of greenhouse gases should decline by up to 50 per cent from present levels by 2050.5 Nature and Biodiversity. In Sweden, nearly 4 000 areas have been selected for the Natura 2000 network, and around 60 per cent of these are already protected as nature reserves or national parks. Environment and health and quality of life.

 

New health hazards have recently arisen such as those associated with greater use in products of chemicals that can be disseminated into the environment. Accordingly, work on preventive measures and monitoring developments needs to continue.6 Sustainable use and management of natural resources and waste. The existing policy instruments have made Sweden’s waste management more ecologically sustainable. They are inter alia the Environmental Code’s “rules of consideration” (which include recycling and the conservation of resources), producer responsibility and the prohibition on landfilling combustible and organic wastes.