The Swedish EPA's organisation
The core operations of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency are organised in the following departments: Climate Action Department (K), Sustainable Society Department (S), Natural Environment Department (N) and Sustainable Development Department (H)
The Climate Action Department, Sustainable Society Department and Natural Environment Department together constitute the policy implementation departments.
Management Support for the Agency includes: Director-General's Office (G), Administration Department (A), Digitalisation Department (D), Communications Department (C) and Internal Audit (I).
Climate Action Department (K)
The remit of the Climate Action Department is to implement climate-related policy and work to reduce air pollution. To do so, it undertakes to supply knowledge, develop policy instruments and take action. The Department bears primary responsibility for implementing measures to enable four of Sweden's national environmental objectives — Reduced Climate Impact, A Protective Ozone Layer, Clean Air and Natural Acidification Only — to be achieved. The Department is also in charge of monitoring progress towards, and evaluating, these objectives.
In cooperation with the Natural Environment Department (NE) and the Social Sustainability Department (SS), the Climate Action Department is responsible for providing support in issues of environmental law and in the form of economic analyses for the whole Swedish EPA.
Sustainable Society Department (S)
This Department's remit is to implement policy on non-toxic and resource-efficient closed-loop cycles (the circular economy), waste management issues and contaminated areas, and to promote the environmental perspective in urban planning. The remit also includes being responsible for providing knowledge, developing policy instruments and implementing measures.
The Department bears primary responsibility for undertaking measures to enable two environmental objectives, A Non-Toxic Environment and A Good Built Environment, to be achieved.
Jointly with the Climate Action Department and the Natural Environment Department, this Department is responsible for providing support in issues of environmental law and through socio-economic analyses for the whole Swedish EPA.
The Sustainable Society Department carries out internal and external coordination of the Swedish EPA's work on socio-economic analyses. The Department is the contact point for the National Institute of Economic Research (NIER).
Natural Environment Department (N)
The remit of this Department is to implement environmental policy concerning biodiversity, ecosystem services, and landscape and wildlife management. The remit also includes being responsible for supplying knowledge, developing policy instruments and implementing measures.
The Department bears primary responsibility for carrying out measures to enable achievement of the following seven national environmental objectives: Flourishing Lakes and Streams, A Balanced Marine Environment, Flourishing Coastal Areas and Archipelagos, Thriving Wetlands, Sustainable Forests, A Varied Agricultural Landscape, A Magnificent Mountain Landscape and A Rich Diversity of Plant and Animal Life.
The Natural Environment Department is also in charge of monitoring and evaluating three of these environmental objectives: Thriving Wetlands, A Magnificent Mountain Landscape and A Rich Diversity of Plant and Animal Life.
In cooperation with the Climate Action Department (CA) and the Social Sustainability Department (SS), the Natural Environment Department is responsible for providing support in issues of environmental law and through economic analyses for the whole Swedish EPA.
Sustainable Development Department (H)
This Department's remit is to promote sustainable development and work for the generational goal of environmental policy adopted by the Riksdag (Swedish Parliament): to pass on to the next generation a society in which the main environmental issues have been resolved, without exacerbating environmental and health problems outside Sweden. The function of the Department is to assist the Climate Action, Natural Environment and Sustainable Society Departments in coordinating, in terms of knowledge development in the Agency, and its EU and international work and cooperation.
The Department is responsible for carrying out government assignments. It is also proactive in helping implement Sweden's national environmental objectives in relation to other agencies; coordinating environmental management in state agencies; and engaging in innovation work for the environmental objectives.
The Sustainability Development Department is the contact point for the County Administrative Boards, and in charge of the joint action model.
Director General's Office (G)
This Office is responsible for assisting the Director-General and for liaising with the Swedish Government Offices. Its remit includes management of overarching matters, such as the Swedish EPA's appropriation directions, terms of reference, allocation of government assignments and overarching responsibility for the management system. The Office is in charge of, prepares and monitors the Agency's guiding aims, direction of planning, management review process, budget documentation and transparency committee.
The Director General's Office is the convener for dialogue with the Swedish Government Offices and the contact point for the Swedish National Audit Office . The Swedish EPA's Chief Legal Officer and Data Protection Officer belong to the Director-General's Office.
Communications Department (C)
The Communications Department is responsible for the development, planning, monitoring, coordination and implementation of internal and external communications.
The chief press officer is situated within the Communications Department.
Administration Department (F)
This Department's remit is to work for the Swedish EPA's activities to comply with existing rules and regulations; use state resources economically; and be transparent and cost-effective.
The Department must provide support in staff issues; work to make office space fit for purpose; give administrative assistance efficiently and in close contact with the staff; and thereby help to create good working conditions for managers and co-workers alike. The Department is responsible for providing legal administrative support for the whole of the Agency.
The Administration Department is in charge of internal environmental management, and the Chief Security Officer belongs to the Department.
Digitalisation Department (D)
This Department's remit is to support activities associated with the Swedish EPA's digital restructuring. This includes coordinating, preparing, balancing, developing, managing, initiating and phasing out needs-oriented, efficient and legally compliant IT support. The remit also includes responsibility for developing and managing methods and methodological support, enterprise architecture (EA) and the task of drawing up steering and supporting documents.
The Department is also responsible for monitoring worldwide environmental developments, and for cooperating with other agencies in governance, development, operation and management of system support. The Department is the contact point for the Agency for Digital Government (DIGG) and eSam.
The Department is responsible for agreements with, and governance of, our strategic partners in IT development, management and operation.
In addition, it performs a steering and support function in safeguarding the Agency's information management to make it efficient, legally secure, fit for purpose and compliant with applicable legal requirements.