Sweden commits to make visible the values of ecosystem services. The Swedish government in 2014 adopted a national milestone target on the importance of biodiversity and the value of ecosystem services. The target stipulates that, by 2018, the importance of biodiversity and the value of ecosystem services are to be generally known and integrated into economic positions, political considerations and other decisions in a society where it is relevant and reasonable to do so. This target is part of the updated national strategy and action plan on biological diversity, which is embedded in the system of Environmental Quality Objectives adopted by Parliament. The target contributes to the global Strategic Plan for Biological Diversity 2011-2020 targets that were adopted by the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2010. The expected long-term effect of the milestone target is the creation of mechanisms that secure the capacity of ecosystems and provides incentives for a sustainable management of biological diversity.
Sweden commits to supporting the UN Partnership on Action for a Green Economy (PAGE). PAGE is a UN initiative that seeks to put sustainability at the heart of economic policymaking. The Partnership supports nations and regions in reframing economic policies and practices around sustainability to foster economic growth, create income and jobs, reduce poverty and inequality, and strengthen the ecological foundations of their economies.Through relevant partners, PAGE reaches out to national ministries of planning, labour, environment, transport, agriculture, industry, and education, among others. Similarly, PAGE reaches a broad segment of the private sector and civil society through the networks and constituencies of the multiple governmental partners involved. Sweden contributes to the PAGE initiative through UN Environment by financing and engaging the PAGE Steering Committee.
Sweden commits to developing an action plan to implement the Strategy on New-industrialization with the purpose of reacting to global challenges and at the same time creating opportunities for business development and new jobs. The purpose of the strategy is to strengthen Swedish business on a global market, create new jobs and at the same time reduce the negative impact on the environment and the climate. This will be achieved through cooperation, integration, development of tools, new business models, more efficient use of nature resources, a circular economy where material and products are reused, material flows are toxic free and waste is used as a resource. The Action Plan will allow Swedish businesses to compete with sustainable products and services on a global market and at the same time reduce its internal costs.