• CBD Information
• Overview
• Main Details
• National Focal Points
• ABS Measures
• BCH Information
• UNDB 2011-2020
• Business and Biodiversity
• Knowledge Base Search

• Further Information
• InforMEA Profile
• UNFCCC Profile
• World Heritage Sites
• GBIF Data
• WTO Statistics
• Related Websites

Status and Trends of Biodiversity

Overview

Sweden is a Northern European country, characterised partly by boreal taiga. Sweden has a varied landscape with many different ecotypes. Forests and forest plantations cover almost 70% of the land, and agriculture is practiced mainly in the southern parts. Most of the regions have a long history of intensive forestry, agriculture or hydroelectric developments. However, in a European context, there are large areas of old-growth forests, unregulated rivers and other relatively unexploited nature in the mountainous regions. In addition, Sweden has a considerable number of valuable mires and other wetlands.

During the last century, agriculture has undergone a process of intensification in the most productive areas, while remote areas and areas with adverse natural conditions, are characterised by abandonment of agriculture. The oak pastures in southern Sweden have natural and cultural values of international importance. The intensification in agriculture has led to a reduced number of grazing animals, which is a problem in the nature conservation management of the pastoral landscape.

There are about 100,000 lakes covering 9% of the land area and about 700 rivers and larger streams. The freshwater habitats range from oligotrophic clear water or humic brown water habitats to eutrophic, nutrient and species rich habitats. Along the coast there are several archipelagos of high nature conservation value. In the north of the Baltic the continued land-uplift creates unique costal habitats, and the brackish water of the Baltic also leads to unique conditions for flora and fauna. Outside the mountainous region, natural habitats suitable for many species are only found in small and fragmented areas and in semi-natural habitats. These habitats harbour the highest amount of biodiversity but have decreased to a very low number and extent, resulting in the listing of approximately 20% of all assessed species on the national red list.

Overfishing, nutrient leakage and emission of hazardous substances have caused large-scale habitat changes in the marine environment and the decline of species that were formerly common. With respect to forestry, the annual logging volume of timber is bigger than ever as a result of large industrial investments. The logging of the very few remaining old-growth forest stands outside of protected areas is a serious threat to forest biodiversity. The effects of climate change, on the other hand, are most evident in the alpine region of Sweden, where forests are "climbing" up the mountain slopes, threatening species specialized in living at higher altitudes.

Number and Extent of Protected Areas

In Sweden, some 4,000 sites are protected under the EU habitats directive (Natura 2000 network). Four large undeveloped rivers are protected by the environmental code. Sweden has 28 national parks and 2900 nature reserves, which account for about 10 % of the total land area. Today 1,1% of the productive forest land outside the mountainous area is protected. Sweden has set up 12 marine protected areas, and in addition, more than 450 of the total number of protected areas include marine environment. Approximately 260 out of the 400 Natura 2000 sites with marine environment have been selected on bases of their marine biological values. Sweden also has 51 wetland sites of international importance and one Biosphere Reserve.

Percentage of Forest Cover

Forests in Sweden cover 27,528,000 ha and other wooded areas 3,257,000 ha, i.e., 67.0 % and 7.9 % of the land area, respectively.

National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan

Major features of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

The biodiversity strategy and action plans have been, in several but not all parts, superseded by the system of sixteen environmental quality objectives, adopted by Government and Parliament. These objectives express the environmental quality that should be reached within a generation (app. the year 2020). There is not “a Swedish NBSAP” contained in one document. Instead, biodiversity is included in many of the 16 national environmental quality objectives and their interim targets. This also means that biodiversity is treated in an integrated fashion; both in the broad environmental process, and also into relevant sectors, in accordance with article 6 of CBD.

Since 2005, the 2010 target is incorporated within Sweden’s environmental quality objectives, as an interim target within the objective “a rich diversity of plant and animal life”. The Swedish parliament, when adopting the target, judged that it can be reached by means of the activities specified under the biodiversity-related environmental objectives, as well as the action strategy for sustainable management of natural resources. However, in its first review in 2006, the Swedish environmental objectives council expressed doubts concerning the sufficiency of these measures. The council also pointed out that many of the biological processes concerned are too slow for an improvement to be detectable during the specified time frame for the objective (ie 2020).

The objectives that have a direct relation to biodiversity besides “A rich diversity of plant and animal life” are “a varied agricultural landscape”, “flourishing lakes and streams”, “thriving wetlands”, “sustainable forests”, “a balanced marine environment, flourishing coastal areas and archipelagos”, “a magnificent mountain landscape” and “zero eutrophication”.

The objectives have been made operational through interim targets, using clearly defined measurable targets and time frames ranging from 2005 to 2020. The implementation of these targets is supported by three action strategies, one of which implies the sustainable management of natural resources as mentioned above. The biodiversity quality objective includes three interim targets: to halt the loss of biodiversity until 2010, to improve the conservation status for threatened species, and to achieve sustainable use of biological diversity and resources.

An example of concrete measures undertaken to reach the national objectives is the programme for plant genetic resources, which is actively inventorying plants in traditional use, collecting samples, and documenting associated local knowledge. Another example is the use of species action plans for the conservation of threatened species. The goal is to produce around 200 such action plans by 2010. If implemented correctly, these will improve conditions for about 500 out of 3600 red-listed species. There are more such detailed programs and plans in place in order to fulfil both the national objectives and various CBD-targets. There are also other measures and programmes in place to address issues not directly mentioned as interim targets in the environmental quality objectives. For example, there is also an Environmental Code and associated regulations, which include protection for some threatened species. There are now two national fisheries regulations imposing a total ban on fisheries for 11 threatened marine species and almost as many for brackish and freshwater species.
 

• National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan (English)
• National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan (English)
• National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan (English)
• National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan (English)

Implementation of the Convention

Measures Taken to Achieve the 2010 Target

The adoption of the 2010 target has sparked an intensified effort to further specify how to integrate biodiversity into land use planning and sectoral activities. Among the activities that have been initiated since the adoption of the target, the following should be highlighted. (1) A national guidance on the development of regional landscape strategies is being produced. Seven Swedish counties are conducting pilot projects exploring how such strategies can contribute to sustainable use of natural resources based on a holistic landscape perspective. (2) A national program for the conservation of genetic variation in wild plants and animals is being developed. (3) A national strategy and action plan for handling alien species and genotypes is being produced. (4) Sectoral agencies are producing sector specific definitions of sustainable use. (5) A national guidance on the implementation of the ecosystem approach is being produced. (6) Efforts to produce and implement species action plans have been intensified. (7) The environmental monitoring scheme is being complemented by activities aimed at monitoring the trends in biodiversity towards and beyond the 2010 target.

Awareness of invasive alien species as a threat to biological diversity in Sweden is increasing. In response to CBD COP VI/23 decision, Sweden has reviewed its legislature and administrative routines as regarding invasive alien species and is developing a national strategy and action plan for invasive alien species. Sweden has, together with Denmark and the Nordic Council of Ministers, been the driving force behind the development of the NOBANIS portal: www.nobanis.org. NOBANIS has facilitated regional cooperation and exchange of information among the 11 participating Nordic and Baltic countries. Sweden has also initiated the AquAliens research program, which studies the ecological and socio-economic effects of alien species in the aquatic environment.

Initiatives in Protected Areas

Since the early 1990s, site protection has been greatly extended, especially for protection of valuable forest areas. Examples of threatened forest and mires that were recently protected include Fulufjället National Park, Söderåsen National Park, Granlandet nature reserve and Tervavuoma nature reserve. In 2002 the Government decided on a new nature conservation policy to increase protection of aquatic environments. In compliance with that decision, rivers and streams with high nature conservation value have since been given higher priority for site protection. Furthermore the Environmental Protection Agency and regional county boards are working out a proposal for a new transboundary marine national park in the Koster-archipelago together with Norwegian authorities. Also, in the implementation of the Natura 2000 Network of protected areas, several marine and inland water sites were designated. The largest nature reserve in Europe, Vindelfjällen, is proposed as a national park.

Initiatives in Access and Benefit Sharing

Sweden has facilitated access to its genetic resources according to a decision made by the government in 2003. By recommendation of the Nordic Council of Ministers, the government decided that access to all plant genetic material of Swedish origin in Nordic Gene Bank (NGB) is free, and that the administration of them should be shared by all the Nordic countries. This material shall also be included in any multilateral system for access and benefit-sharing (e.g. in ITPGRFA). There are no restrictions covering the access to wild genetic resources. Private collections are however private property.

Sweden has, in cooperation with the other Nordic countries within the Nordic Council of Ministers, adopted a number of strategies regarding ABS including: A Nordic approach to Access and Rights to Genetic resources; Nordic Ministerial Declaration on Access and Rights to Genetic Resources 2003; and A strategy for genetic resources for fisheries, agriculture, forestry and food 2005-2008.

Sweden has so far not taken any initiatives to regulate the access to genetic resources. Sweden has implemented the European Union Directive 98/44/EG on legal protection of biotechnological inventions. Sweden is party to the UPOV 1991 Convention, the European Patent Convention, and member of WIPO. The current Swedish Patent legislation requires that the origin of the genetic resources used in an invention shall be disclosed in patent applications. If the origin is unknown it should be indicated. The failure to provide this information does not affect the handling of the patent application by the authorities or the rights conferred by a patent. The requirement does not, however, have any material effects on e.g. the validity of granted patents.

The botanic gardens in Europe have during the last year further developed their Access and Benefit Sharing system IPEN, which will be implemented in Sweden next year. The system has been recognised in CBD circles as a “best practice” example, for handling plant exchange in a pragmatic way that is yet fully in accordance with the letter and spirit of the CBD.

The Swedish international development cooperation agency (Sida) has adopted a policy that requires the establishment of a material transfer agreement (MTA) for financing research cooperation activities involving genetic materials. Sida financially supports three regional gene bank programs (Southern and Eastern Africa, and the Balkans) that include aspects related to ABS. Sida has also initiated the Swedish International Biodiversity program (SwedBio), based at the Swedish Biodiversity Centre, to allow for a more pro-active and strategic work in addressing biodiversity within Swedish development cooperation. SwedBio provides supports to e.g. ABS-related work of primarily non-governmental organizations. .

Initiatives for Article 8(j)

The Swedish Biodiversity Centre conducted wide consultations with representatives of indigenous peoples and local communities in order to assess the Swedish implementation of this article of the Convention. The results suggest that there is a need for a new national network to deal with the documentation, preservation and use of traditional knowledge. The government has therefore recently announced that an Action Program on Traditional Knowledge for Biodiversity will be elaborated. The Swedish Biodiversity Centre is currently compiling a three-volume treatise on the traditional use of biological resources in Sweden, to be completed in 2007.

The Swedish government has a policy to involve representatives of the indigenous Sami people in international negotiations concerning the CBD, WIPO, and the ministerial meeting of the Arctic Council. In the parts of Sweden where the Sami people traditionally manage their reindeer herds, a local participation approach is used in forest management. This approach is important because on the one hand forestry often negatively affects grazing conditions, but on the other hand the reindeer may damage young forest stands. Other conflicts, which have been ongoing for 50-100 years, relate to hunting, fishing, agriculture and erosion of the sensitive high mountain vegetation.