Miljøeffektiv teknologi eller miljøteknologi i de ... - Ecoinnovation

dred companies. This can probably be 400–500 companies in view of
Sweden’s economic size. Tillväxtanalys – myndigheten för tillväxtpolitiska
utvärderinger och analyser has now been given the task to
improve the Swedish figures.
As a special feature in the Nordic countries, Sweden has created a
special unit to promote environmental technologies, Swentec, a Swedish
Environmental Technology Council. Swentec was established in 2005
and was closed by the end of 2010. Swentec had an annual budget of 10–
12 million SEK and the last year, 7 employees. Overall, one must say that
Swentec has managed to lift the work in Sweden on environmental technology
with a wide range of activities. Swentec have even made a draft
action plan in this area. It seems clear that an area can be brought forward
successfully with such a central unit only focusing on that task. In a
way, it is not an advantage for Swedish environmental technology that
Swentec was closed. Hopefully, the new strategy will be sufficiently focused
so that it is able to lift some of the work Swentec has done.
From the Swedish effort it is worth especially to mention sustainable
cities, an effort unique among the Nordic countries. No other country has
taken the task of promoting sustainable cities by creating a special program
for this. There is quite a lot of work on sustainable cities, both from
the delegation itself, from the parliament, but also from VINNOVA, who
made a special report on the prospects of working constructively with
sustainable cities. The other Nordic countries could really learn something
from Sweden in this difficult area.
The Swedish government published its new strategy for environmental
technology on 1 September 2011. It is even called a strategy for development
and export of environmental technology. The strategy includes especially
the international side and exports. The strategy is short in a positive
way and focused on several key areas. There are not many recommendations
compared to what Sweden has previously worked with,
which certainly is an advantage. It must be implemented, and there appears
in this sense, among other things to lack a clear center of responsibility
for the strategy. However, there has been a very clear Government
announcement on the solution of responsibility, and in this understanding
it still lacks a clearer division of labor between state actors.
Eco-efficient technology and/or environmental technology
The project started to use the concept of eco-efficient technology as the
English term “eco-efficient technology” is based on the EU ETAP work.
This was determined from the perception that eco-efficient technologies
are better able to accommodate also climate and energy, while environmental
technology probably is perceived as more old-fashioned. This
analysis shows that all the Nordic countries are very influenced by the
ETAP action and highlights that the way they use the concept is in accordance
with ETAP. This makes it clear how central the EU’s activities
are. They affect member countries substantially and also countries like
Miljøeffektiv teknologi eller miljøteknologi i de nordiske lande 213