Naturvårdsverkets kontor i Stockholm.

About The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency

We are the public agency in Sweden that is responsible for environmental issues. The Agency carries out assignments on behalf of the Swedish Government relating to the environment in Sweden, the EU and internationally.

The Agency’s remit is threefold:

  • Compiling knowledge and documentation - to develop our own environmental efforts and those of others
  • Developing environmental policy - by providing the Government with a sound basis for decisions and by giving an impetus to EU and international efforts
  • Implementing environmental policy - by acting in such a way as to ensure compliance with the Swedish Environmental Code and achievement of the national environmental objectives

The work of the Agency is funded through government appropriations. A proportion of the funding is spent on staff, premises and other ongoing efforts. The rest of the funding is allocated to environmental monitoring, environmental research and international environmental and climate collaborations.

Every year, the Swedish Government establishes objectives, requirements and a budget for the Agency’s efforts in what are known as ‘appropriation directions’. 

The Agency’s remit includes the allocation of government appropriations to other actors within fields such as the protection and maintenance of valuable natural environments, clean-up and remediation of polluted areas, compensation for damage caused by wildlife and support for outdoor recreation organisations.

Mission and vision

Our mission gives a short overview of the remit of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Our vision describes what we want to achieve.

Mission

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency promotes and coordinates actions in order to ensure a good living environment in collaboration with others.

Our work is knowledge-based and demonstrates opportunities for sustainable development.

We are a public agency that carries out assignments on behalf of the Swedish Government.

Vision

A good environment for people and all living things, now and for future generations.

Our organisation

The core operations of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency are organised in the following departments:

  • Environmental Planning and Compliance Department (P)
  • Climate Action Department (K)
  • Natural Environment Department (N)
  • Circular Economy Department (S)
  • Sustainable Development Department (H)

The Climate Action Department, Circular Economy Department and Natural Environment Department together constitute the policy implementation departments.

Management Support for the Agency includes: Director-General's Office (G), Administration Department (A), Digitalisation Department (D), Communications Department (C), and Internal Audit ( I ).

The Organisation of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (pdf)

The department works strategically on community planning and environmental legislation to achieve environmental objectives and promote sustainable development. The department promotes a green transition that limits the impact on nature, the environment and health and promotes the sustainable use of land and other resources, including water.

The department applies and contributes to the development of instruments for efficient and effective planning, approval and supervision of environmentally harmful activities and other land-use measures. The department’s mission includes systemic responsibility for the Environmental Code, protecting public environmental protection interests in legal cases and matters and being responsible for environmental assessment issues, coordinating and developing supervision guidance and other guidance and providing environmental and legal support on wildlife matters for the entire Agency.

In addition, the department is responsible for the coordination and development of the Agency’s outdoor recreation matters.

The remit of the Climate Action Department is to implement climate-related policy and work to reduce air pollution. To do so, it undertakes to supply knowledge, develop policy instruments and take action. The Department bears primary responsibility for implementing measures to enable four of Sweden’s national environmental objectives – Reduced Climate Impact, A Protective Ozone Layer, Clean Air and Natural Acidification Only – to be achieved. The Department is also in charge of monitoring progress towards, and evaluating, these objectives.

In cooperation with the Natural Environment Department (N) and the Circular Economy Department (S), the Climate Action Department is responsible for providing support in issues of environmental law and in the form of economic analyses for the whole Swedish EPA.

The remit of this Department is to implement environmental policy concerning biodiversity, ecosystem services, and landscape and wildlife management. The remit also includes being responsible for supplying knowledge, developing policy instruments and implementing measures.

The Department bears primary responsibility for carrying out measures to enable achievement of the following seven national environmental objectives: Flourishing Lakes and Streams, A Balanced Marine Environment, Flourishing Coastal Areas and Archipelagos, Thriving Wetlands, Sustainable Forests, A Varied Agricultural Landscape, A Magnificent Mountain Landscape and A Rich Diversity of Plant and Animal Life.

The Natural Environment Department is also in charge of monitoring and evaluating three of these environmental objectives: Thriving Wetlands, A Magnificent Mountain Landscape and A Rich Diversity of Plant and Animal Life.

In cooperation with the Climate Action Department (K) and the Circular Economy Department (S), the Natural Environment Department is responsible for providing support in issues of environmental law and through economic analyses for the whole Swedish EPA.

The Circular Economy Department has overall responsibility for the Swedish EPA’s work on a socio-economically efficient transition to a circular economy, including work on soil-related environmental issues, litter reduction, sustainable waste management, waste prevention efforts, and non-toxic, resource-efficient closed-loop cycles.

The department is responsible for measures to achieve the environmental objectives of a Non-Toxic Environment and a Good Built Environment. The department’s assignment includes providing knowledge and environmental information, developing policy instruments and implementing measures.

In cooperation with the Climate Action Department (K) and the Natural Environment Department (N), the Circular Economy Department is responsible for providing support in issues of socio-economic analyses for the whole Swedish EPA.

The Sustainable Development Department promotes sustainable development and supports the specialised departments ’ efforts to develop their knowledge base. The department provides support in EU and international work, coordinates and implements bilateral, regional and global initiatives, coordinates participation in multilateral organisations and is responsible for government assignments, for the work on environmental objectives with other authorities and the Agency’s innovation work.

The department’s remit also includes coordinating environmental management in government agencies.

The Office is responsible for assisting the Director-General and for liaising with the Swedish Government Offices. Its remit includes management of overarching matters, such as the Swedish EPA’s appropriation directions, allocation of government assignments and responsibility for the management system. The Office oversees the internal guiding objectives, direction of planning, management review process, budget basis and transparency committee.

The Director-General’s Office is the convener for dialogue with the Swedish Government Offices and contact point for the Swedish National Audit Office . The Swedish EPA’s Chief Legal Officer belongs to the Director-General’s Office.

This Department’s remit is to support activities associated with the Swedish EPA’s digital restructuring. This includes coordinating, preparing, balancing, developing, managing, initiating and phasing out needs-oriented, efficient and legally compliant IT support. The remit also includes responsibility for developing and managing methods and methodological support, enterprise architecture (EA) and the task of drawing up steering and supporting documents.

The Department is also responsible for monitoring worldwide environmental developments, and for cooperating with other agencies in governance, development, operation and management of system support. The Department is the contact point for the Agency for Digital Government (DIGG) and  eSam.

The Department is responsible for agreements with, and governance of, our strategic partners in IT development, management and operation.

In addition, it performs a steering and support function in safeguarding the Agency’s information management to make it efficient, legally secure, fit for purpose and compliant with applicable legal requirements.

This Department’s remit is to work for the Swedish EPA’s activities to comply with existing rules and regulations; use state resources economically; and be transparent and cost-effective.

The Department must provide support in staff issues; work to make office space fit for purpose; give administrative assistance efficiently and in close contact with the staff; and thereby help to create good working conditions for managers and co-workers alike. The Department is responsible for providing legal administrative support for the whole of the Agency.

The Administration Department is in charge of internal environmental management, and the Chief Security Officer belongs to the Department.

The Communications Department is responsible for the development, planning, monitoring, coordination and implementation of internal and external communications.

The chief press officer is situated within the Communications Department.