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SEI report

Nature-based solutions in municipal stormwater management in Sweden: costs, co-benefits, responsibilities and policies

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SEI report

Nature-based solutions in municipal stormwater management in Sweden: costs, co-benefits, responsibilities and policies

This report focuses on sustainable stormwater management in Swedish municipalities and aims to further understanding of the planning and policy context for the implementation of nature-based solutions (NbS) in Sweden.

Matilda Gunnarsson, Karina Barquet / Published on 22 January 2025

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Citation

Gunnarsson, M., & Barquet, K. (2025). Nature-based solutions in municipal stormwater management in Sweden: costs, co-benefits, responsibilities and policies. SEI report. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://doi.org/10.51414/sei2025.002

The authors investigate available cost estimates for a selection of NbS used for urban stormwater management in Sweden by scanning relevant databases and conducting a keyword search on municipal websites. Then, they map how NbS, co-benefits, costs, division of responsibilities and policy are included in municipal stormwater documents from 29 municipalities. Finally, they explore how NbS align with regulatory and policy frameworks at the national, EU and international levels, and links co-benefits to Swedish environmental objectives, the EU Taxonomy and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The findings are intended to provide relevant stakeholders, such as Swedish municipalities, with insights into the availability of cost data for NbS, municipal steering documents for stormwater management, and an understanding of the ways in which NbS align with different policies. Limitations of the report include the absence of: stakeholder involvement, comparisons with other regional and municipal steering documents, and a thorough economic evaluation of the value of NbS and related co-benefits.

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SEI authors

Matilda Gunnarsson
Matilda Gunnarsson

Research Associate

SEI Headquarters

Karina Barquet
Karina Barquet

Team Leader: Water, Coasts and Ocean; Senior Research Fellow

SEI Headquarters

Topics and subtopics
Water : Cities
Related centres
SEI Headquarters
Regions
Sweden

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