On a chilly March day, just a week after her first day at the job as the Director General of the Environment Protection Agency, I meet Maria Ågren. Her new work has a lot in common with her previous work at SMHI, where she was DG for six years.
After your six years at SMHI I assume that climate issues are close to your heart. In your view, what is the Agency's most important task in this field?
- In the short term, to prepare the right material for the international climate negotiations in Copenhagen. In the long term, to ensure that the Government's climate policy can be implemented, to achieve the climate objectives and to cooperate with other players, for instance in the work of the Energy Agency on energy effectivisation.
This year the agency has a campaign called Year of Nature. Nature is to receive attention because the first national parks were established 100 years ago. Swedish people are known to love nature. Is it really necessary to call attention to nature in Sweden?
- Yes, I think so. It is a matter of maintaining relations concerning nature issues. Many different organisations have amalgamated to strengthen nature conservancy. We have a lot of money for preserving, showing and protectng natural assets. Year of Nature is one way of showing how the money is spent, while at the same time further increasing the interest in nature.
With regard to biodiversity in Sweden there is a very hot subject, the wolf. How is the Agency working on this issue? Under what conditions do your experts consider that the wolf pack will be increased in balance with the demands of biodiversity and people's acceptance?
- The Agency has recently submitted three reports to the Government concerning the management of Swedish predators. One of the reports dealt with the requirements for achieving a favourable conservation status for the wolf. Achievement of this status requires genetic reinforcement of the wolf pack, and the Agency prefers spontaneous inmigration of wolves. But how this is to be done must be investigated further. In our opinion, creating greater participation by all concerned is very important. For example, good cooperation with the Sami is critical for our success.
You became DG of the Agency just six months before Sweden assumes the presidency of EU. What issues will you treat with the greatest priority?
- The presidency has an impact on our work. We shall present data to the Government in several areas, primarily in regard to the marine environment and biodiversity. Our focus is on getting ready for the Copenhagen meeting on climate negotiations. In addition, we are responsible for four international meetings of experts.
The Environment Protection Agency has long term strategic tasks in which work within the EU has become increasingly important. Can you say something about this?
- The Agency is represented in around a hundred different groups which the EU Commission appoints to investigate various issues, and we attempt in this way to influence policy. For instance, we are working on strengthening the framework directive on air quality. We also have national experts who, in the Commission, monitor and keep under review the EU climate and energy package, and we are working to ensure that the Baltic Sea will be a pilot area for the EU marine directive.
The Agency has an annual research allocation of MSEK 100. What is it, in broad outline, that governs the distribution of these funds?
- The aim of the Agency's research funds is that we should be able to encourage research that supports our work on the environmental goals, the Environment Act and the international environmental work. The sum of MSEK 100 is not enough for all we want to do. We therefore have a great need to collaborate with other research funding agencies such as Formas. We must have consensus with other research fields so that they reinforce one another. I would like to engage in a dialogue with Formas on how we should use this research money in Sweden, especially in order to achieve the national environmental goals.
Some critics assert that the Agency has no scientific base. They compare nature conservancy with medical care, and say that in the latter much stronger proof is needed before a "treatment" can be approved. What is your view on this?
- My opinion is that our credibility is based on different types of research data. We have good credibility and this has always been important in Swedish environmental protection. Medical research perhaps needs an even higher standard of tests than environmental protection. But what kind of proof is required for different measures? For example, the issue of climate requires action before all the evidence is available. By then it would be too late. In some cases it is necessary to make revisions, but it is just as wrong not to dare act before the evidence is there.
The marine environment and especially the Baltic is in desperate need of care. What is the Agency doing to accelerate the recovery of our Swedish seas?
- The Baltic region is in great need of action. Both in Sweden and in the EU the focus of policy is on the Baltic. The EU marine directive is an important tool which means that a number of international measures can be introduced. The Agency has received funds for national measures. Regional water authorities have been given a large proportion of these to investigate, manage and monitor local water status. The Water Directive unites different players from e.g. agriculture and forestry around one water basin. An entire system must be changed and I believe that this, "participant stimulation", is the best way of achieving this. To ensure that the international conventions are observed in Swedish monitoring and cordination is also part of our task.
Stockholm is supposed to have streets with the worst air pollution in Europe. How has this happened? Cannot the Agency do something to change this?
- One of the reasons for this pollution is a high particulate content which is caused by studded tyres on vehicles abrading particles from the bitumen surfacing. We have cooperated with the Road Administration which has now submitted proposals to the Government.
A nontoxic envirionment is one of the Swedish environmental goals. How can the Agency, in concrete terms, ensure that this environmental policy goal is achieved? – We are working with several authorities and draw up strategies for action. One example is "Nontoxic and resource efficient recycling" which concerns coordination of waste and chemicals. The Agency is participating by being an expert authority and reviewing licences. As regards chemicals, we are cooperating with the Chemical Inspectorate in the EU strategic work. It is also the task of the Agency to deal with contaminated areas which are successively treated.
There are a number of international conventions concerning nature, on biodiversity, air pollution control, climate, protection of the marine environment in the Baltic Sea and protection of fish species. How do you think these international conventions are working?
- So far I have not had a lot of experience of these, but I assume that they are working well. It is encouraging that they are based on international ageements. First there is agreement on the problem complex, and then there is agreement on a number of strategies to solve it.
- They are well designed and are based on scientific data. There are differences in how far countries have progressed in inplementing these. But we must not be discouraged because they are not working in an exemplary manner. They are important tools for the management of the global environmental problems.
There are people who think that the Agency should devote more attention to international alliances, chiefly with similar organisations in USA, China, South Africa and Brazil. What do you think of this?
- In the regions where there is growth there are also environmental problems. It is then important to offer and establish cooperation with these organisations so that we can transfer knowledge. The Agency is already cooperating with similar authorities in Russia and India.
- We have continuous contacts with the US, primarily with the Environment Protection Agency EPA. Many people are now hoping that the US will take part in various international summit meetings on the environment, foreign aid and climate. Since the Agency does not possess unlimited resources, we must constantly strike a balance as to where we should invest. In certain cases we achieve the most good nationally, and in other cases international cooperation is most useful.