Until 2013, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s (Swedish EPA) cooperation with China took place within the framework of Sweden’s bilateral development cooperation, which was funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. The main Chinese cooperation partner was then the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA). SEPA was upgraded to Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) in 2008. During those years, the two partners implemented projects addressing mainly:
- industrial pollution prevention and control
- trade and environment
- implementation of international conventions
- protection of drinking water sources
- chemicals management
- mercury control and preparation for the Minamata Convention.
After the termination of Sweden’s bilateral development cooperation with China in 2013, the Swedish EPA’s cooperation with China continues within a Swedish governmental program for bilateral cooperation with countries of strategic importance for the international cooperation on environment and climate change. The cooperation is based on mutual interest and aims at building long-term partnership for sharing knowledge and experiences on environmental policies and management, promoting constructive dialogues and cooperation on negotiation and implementation of international agreements etc.
The Swedish EPA has carried out cooperation activities with the Chinese MEP (which was upgraded to Ministry of Ecology and Environment, MEE, in 2018) and some other concerned Chinese organizations. The focus areas were control of short-lived climate pollutants, phasing down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) through district cooling and not-in-kind options, and sustainable waste management.
Sweden has been supporting and participating in the “China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development” for many years, and the Swedish EPA is focal point for Sweden’s engagement in the Council. The Council was founded in 1992 as a high-level international advisory body to the Chinese government on issues of strategic importance for China’s endeavor for sustainable development. Within the Council, Chinese and international experts work together to carry out policy studies and prepare recommendations to the Chinese government. Swedish experts have contributed to several policy studies, with focuses on green finance, climate and air pollution control and development of environmental legal framework etc. Currently Swedish organizations (among others Swedish EPA and Stockholm Environment Institute) are participating in a policy study on green production and consumption, which will continue until 2021.
For the coming years, the Swedish EPA will prioritize developing and implementing cooperation activities with China in three areas; climate change, in particular carbon market and emission trading, sustainable consumption and production, and sustainable waste management and circular economy.