National environmental monitoring
The national environmental monitoring aim to provide a holistic view of the environmental status in Sweden. Studies are carried out in different natural habitats, with a variety of tests. The environmental monitoring program was decided on by the earlier Environmental Objectives Council. Revisions of the program are carried out approximately every five years.
The state-funded national environmental monitoring is separated into ten program areas – more information on these program areas can be found on their separate webpages. Some aspects of the state of the environments, for example natural resources, biological diversity and environmental toxins, are relevant within several of the program areas.
Every program area consists of subprograms, and every subprogram can include several different investigations. These investigations are carried out according to standardized methods, consisting of measurements of multiple variables.
The environmental monitoring program is also divided into a national part and a regional part. The Swedish EPA is responsible for the planning and running of the national monitoring program, apart from the two national program areas Coast and Sea and Fresh Water. These are handled by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management.
The environmental monitoring program is funded by its own government appropriation. Decisions on funding allocation for national or regional environmental monitoring is taken by the Swedish EPA in consultation with the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management.
Investigation types
An "investigation type" is a manual describing the recommended methods for environmental monitoring for a specific subprogram. An investigation type contains information on what should be measured or calculated and which methods should be used. The investigation types are a core part of the quality assurance system of the environmental monitoring. They ensure that the monitoring is carried out consistently and that the results can be compared across the country.