Sweden has had 16 national environmental quality targets for more than 20 years, and at the moment it is about to fail with 15 of them.
In this year's follow-up of the goals, one can read that "measures are required" and that "increased efforts are necessary".
- This means that there are not enough control instruments and measures in place in society for us to be able to reach the goals, says the Environmental Protection Agency's manager Karin Hogstrand, who is responsible for the follow-up of the environmental goals.
No deadline
There is no set time for when the 16 goals must be achieved, but there are smaller stage goals and an overall "generational goal".
- It says that we should hand over a society to the next generation where we have solved the major environmental problems, says Karin Hogstrand.
What does "a generation" mean?
- It is not really specified.
The goals were decided in 1999 and they started by following up towards 2020. When 2020 has passed, we have instead followed up towards 2030.
Isn't it difficult to make an improvement if you don't have a deadline for the goals?
- Yes, it is clear that you can design goals in different ways, and the environmental goals are very visionary.
But there is no end date when we will no longer want fresh air, for example.
We want that in the future.
And the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has suggested that new stage targets should be continued in particularly important areas.
Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari (L) has declined to comment.