Oecd Environmental Performance Reviews Sweden 2014

This report is the third OECD review of Sweden’s environmental performance. It evaluates progress towards sustainable development and green growth, with a focus on Sweden's longstanding commitment to mitigating emissions of greenhouse gases and its management of marine ecosystem services and water.

This third OECD Environmental Performance Review confirms that Sweden remains a front-runner in environmental policy and has developed approaches that will be of interest to other countries. However, the report highlights that Sweden will have to step up its efforts if it is to achieve its ambitious environmental targets, including the goalof zero net greenhouse gas emissions by the second half of the century. The burden of achieving these objectives will also have to be more equitably shared to maintain the necessary high level of public support. The Swedish people have long placed a high value on protecting the environment. Relatively high income and low inequality have underpinned the implementation of ambitious policies by successive Swedish governments. As a result, the population appears to be more satisfied with its country's environmental quality than people in other European countries. Air and water quality is generally good. Less than 1% of waste is disposed of in landfills, while the rates of recycling and recovery are high. Protected areas have expanded and now cover 14% of the country's surface and 6% of marine waters. A notable feature of Swedish environmental policy has been the successful use of environmentally related taxes. Sweden was among the first countries to introduce a carbon tax, and one of the few countries to have successfully implemented a green tax shift by reallocating the tax burden from labour to environmentally harmful activities.

This report is the third OECD review of Poland’s environmental performance. It evaluates progress towards sustainable development and green growth, with a focus on forestry and biodiversity, as well as waste and materials management.

This review of the Sweden's environmental conditions and policies evaluates progress in reducing the pollution burden, improving natural resource management, integrating environmental and economic policies, and strengthening international co-operation.

This review of Sweden's environmental performance takes stock of Sweden's environmental performance since the last review done in 1996. It finds that Sweden has benefited from solid institutional and regulatory frameworks, extensive use of economic instruments, and significant planning and legislative reform. To meet its Environmental Quality Objectives, Sweden will need to implement more efficient environmental policies, further integrate environmental concerns with other policy, and further strengthen international environmental cooperation. The report makes 44 recommendations to help strengthen Sweden's environmental performance in the context of sustainable development.

Belgium has made progress in decoupling several environmental pressures from economic growth, in improving wastewater treatment and in expanding protected areas. Regions have achieved high levels of recovery and recycling, and have pioneered circular economy policies. However, further efforts are needed to progress towards carbon neutrality, reduce air and water pollution, reverse biodiversity loss and consolidate results of circular economy initiatives.

This report is the third OECD review of Iceland’s environmental performance. It evaluates progress towards sustainable development and green growth, with a focus on the environmental aspects of Iceland's energy and tourism policies.