Environmental management on local level Organisation and duties Ulla Jennische Sweco A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Content • Municipal organisation in Sweden • Entities with environmental duties • Coordination between different levels of authorities A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Municipalities in Sweden

• 290 • Considerable degree of autonomy • Independent powers of taxation • Average population – 15 000 (2500 –810 000) • Elections every 4 year – Next time September 19, 2010 (together with elections to Riksdagen and County Councils) • The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions www.skl.se

A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Legal duties of municipalities

• • • • • • • • • •

Social services Childcare and preschools Elderly care Support for the physically and intellectually disabled Primary and secondary education Planning and building issues Health and environmental protection Refuse collection and waste management Emergency services and preparedness Water and sewerage

A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Voluntary activities - examples

• • • • •

Leisure activities Cultural activities, apart from libraries, Housing Energy Industrial and commercial services

A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

• • • •

The Swedish municipal organisation

Local Government Council/City Council

– “Parliament” – Elected representatives – Every 4 years

City Executive board

– “Government”

Political Boards/Councils/Committees

– Members according to the result of local election

Offices/Administrations

– Civil servants – Employed A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Boards and administrations

• Boards/Councils/Committees – Decides on • Budget • Business plan • Goals/objectives • Specific and complicated errands – Consists of politicians • Administration – Executive – Decides on uncomplicated errands – Employed civil servants A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Boards/Councils/Committees with environmental duties

• Development and planning • Environment and health protection • Recreation and nature • Streets and traffic • Water and waste • Real estate • Education A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Planning and building issues

• Planning of the municipality, in general and detailed – Use of land for industries, recreation, households, infrastructure – Planning shall consider • environment quality standards • sustainability (energy, land, water, raw materials) • good housing quality etc.

– Avoid problems with noise, pollutants, etc • Building permits A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Environmental and health protection

• Supervisory authority – even for activities run by the municipality itself – Food hygiene/quality and restaurants – Environmental hazardous activities – Waste management – Housing quality – Schools, nurseries, nursing homes, beauty treatments – Tobacco – Pharmaceutical products • Referral agency – Other municipal boards – County administrative board – Environmental Court A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Supervision on housing quality

• Humidity • Mould • Temperature • Ventilation • Radon • Pests (rats, cockroaches, birds) • Noise A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Supervision on environmental hazardous activities

• Ensure compliance with the objectives of the environmental legislation • Keep annual plans for supervision • Keep register of all installations that need regular supervision • Allocate sufficient resources • Engage competent staff – no authorisation • Follow up and evaluate the supervision A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Supervision on health and safety in workplaces • Is not a duty for the environmental inspectors • The Work Environment Act • Swedish Work Environment Authority – 10 inspection offices throughout the country • BUT – supervision on environment and health and safety in workplaces should be coordinated A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Recreation and Nature

• Protection of nature • Promote public health • Parks • Operates recreation facilities (arenas, swimming pools, ice rinks) • Supervised by environmental administration A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Street and traffic

• Planning of public transport • Planning and maintenance of streets and roads, foot paths, cycle ways and squares • Must meet env. quality standards – i.e PM • Snow removal and anti - skid • Transport services for elderly and disabled people A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Water and waste

• Drinking water • Sewage water • Handling of waste from households • Waste plan for the municipality • Operators – subject to supervision A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Real estate

• Planning and maintenance of buildings owned by the municipality • Provision of premises for schools, offices etc.

• Supervised by environmental inspectors A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Education

• Create environmental awareness among children and young people A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Coordination between authorities of different levels

A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Three legal levels

• Central – Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Swedish Chemical Agency – + some more • Regional – County Administration Boards (CAB) • Local – Environmental Protection Boards and Administrations A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Legislation

• The Parliament – Laws (codes) – May give mandate to the Government to prescribe on ordinances • The Government – Ordinances – May give mandate to authorities or municipalities to prescribe on regulations A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Supervisory guidance and coordination - environmental hazardous activities • EPA has the overall responsibility – Production of handbooks, guidance etc – Seminars, mainly for CABs – Telephone service • Guidance and coordination within the county is a responsibility for CABs A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA

Supervision conducted primarily on local level • But large and medium size environmental hazardous activities supervised on regional level • CAB may delegate the supervision to the municipalities A DVANCED I NTERNATIONAL C OURSE I N L OCAL E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT I N U RBAN A REAS 2010 AFRICA