Giant locomotive, park slide and raccoon dog.

These are examples of some of the invasive species that have spread in Sweden and that threaten biological diversity.

But the state's work to counteract the invasive species is slow and inefficient, according to the National Audit Office in a review.

Invasive species can cause damage in nature and in some cases even spread diseases to humans and animals.

The government and responsible authorities have not taken sufficient measures and this in turn makes the environmental goals that are linked to biodiversity more difficult to achieve, according to the National Audit Office.

Among other things, it is pointed out that the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Swedish Marine and Water Authority have not investigated which species cause the greatest problems and should primarily be controlled.

"Has delayed the work"

It is the county administrative boards that are responsible for measures to be taken, but they in turn cannot work effectively because the responsible authorities have not clearly clarified how to prioritize the work.

- This has delayed the work, with the risk that species will have time to spread further and thus become more difficult and expensive to control.

It may also have led to the control measures that the county administrative boards have nevertheless initiated not always being the most important, says Linda Sahlén Östman, project manager for the review, in a press release from the Swedish National Audit Office.

The National Audit Office now recommends that the government further clarify the authorities' responsibilities and improve the mapping and monitoring, the review writes.

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Photo: Lena Liljeborg / SVT