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.
The commitment falls under focus areas 1, 2, and 3 of the Batumi Initiative to improve the measurement and valuation of natural capital; promote the internalisation of negative externalities and the sustainable use of natural capital; and enhance ecosystems and ecosystem services as part of the ecological infrastructure.
Implementing partners will include EU Member States, the European Commission, and the Nordic Council of Ministers. Cooperation will also take place within the Intergovernmental science-policy Platform on Biological Diversity.
The commitment is relevant to SDGs 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15.