Sweden is a small country, half the size of British Columbia. It is northern and mountainous, much as we are, with around 9 million people. And much as we are, it is a regular free market society.

Here in BC, and Canada as a whole, the environment is often seen as a ‘special interest’ that only needs attention when environmentalists make enough noise or cause enough upset that something has to be done. Sweden is taking a wholly different approach. In 1999, they established a unanimous national goal that all of Sweden’s major environmental problems should be solved within one generation, by the year 2020.

In 1999, the Swedish Parliament gave unanimous approval to 15 national targets. There are interim objectives for each target, regional and local objectives to match, and an Environmental Objectives Council to monitor progress towards the goals. Progress is charted through with 70 national indicators, which track results and show if the country is heading in the right direction. The Swedes are aware that implementation takes time, and that it needs cooperation and persistence. The environmental goals are part of a larger goal to become a sustainable society, including the social and economic dimensions.

So what are the fifteen targets? It is worth spelling them out in brief:

1. Climate change
     Sweden, along with other countries, will share this global responsibility. Both energy and carbon taxes are being used, and there’s an overall strategy for more efficient energy and transport.
2. Clean air
     ...so there’s no risk to human health, or to animals, plants, or cultural assets.
3. Natural acidification only
     Acid rain is not to exceed the limits that can be tolerated by soil, water, cultural artefacts and buildings.
4. A non-toxic environment
     Sweden has committed to phase out all use of hazardous chemicals by 2020. There is a national strategy to develop non-toxic, resource-efficient, cyclical systems for production.
5. A protective ozone layer
     The ozone layer must be replenished, to protect against UV radiation.
6. Safe radiation environment
     Human health and biological diversity must be protected against the harmful effects of electromagnetic fields and nuclear radiation. Sweden is phasing out all of its nuclear power plants.
7. Natural eutrophication
     Nutrient levels in soil and water must not adversely affect human health or biological diversity.
8. Flourishing lakes, streams
     Lakes and watercourses must be ecologically sustainable, their habitats and ecological and water-conserving function preserved, while recreation is safeguarded.
9. Good quality groundwater
     … must provide a safe and sustainable supply of drinking water and contribute to viable habitats for flora and fauna.
10. A balanced marine environment,
    ...with flourishing coasts and archipelagos.
      Seas must have sustainable productive capacity, and preserve biological diversity. Coasts and islands must have high biological diversity, and a wealth of recreational, natural and cultural assets.
11. Thriving wetlands
      The ecological and water-conserving function of wetlands must be maintained, and valuable wetlands preserved for the future.
12. Sustainable forests
      The value of forests for biological production must be protected, while biological diversity, cultural heritage and recreational assets are safeguarded.
13. Agricultural landscape
      The value of land for biological and food production must be protected; biological diversity and cultural heritage must be strengthened.
14. A magnificent mountain landscape
      The pristine character of the mountains must be largely preserved, with biological diversity, and recreational and cultural value. Particularly valuable areas must be protected.
15. A good built environnent
      Cities and towns must provide a healthy living environment and contribute to a good regional and global environment. Buildings and amenities must be located and designed with sound environmental principles.

What’s remarkable here is the scale of the vision, and the organized commitment to follow through. And yet this is really just good ecological housekeeping.

As long as we continue to think of the environment as just another item on an agenda of competing interests, we will continue down the current path to ecological collapse, as Jared Diamond warns in his book Collapse, which shows how societies destroy themselves.

As long as we only fight the negatives, we will always be on the retreat against the forces of business and profit. Like Sweden, we can establish a clear, strong, positive intention, honouring the needs of both business and the environment.

This summary is from the March 2005 issue of Econews