7. Zero Eutrophication
Nutrient levels in soil and water must not be such that they adversely affect human health, the conditions for biological diversity or the possibility of varied use of land and water.
This objective is intended to be achieved within one generation.
The outcome within a generation for this environmental quality objective should include the following:
- Nutrient inputs will not have adverse effects on human health or be detrimental to biodiversity.
- Deposition of airborne nitrogen compounds will not exceed critical loads for eutrophication of soil and water anywhere in Sweden.
- Groundwater will not contribute to additional eutrophication of surface water.
- Lakes and streams will, with respect to nutrient levels, meet the requirements for good ecological status, as defined in the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC). For lakes in the agricultural landscape, this means that the total phosphorus concentration should not exceed 25 micrograms per litre.
- Nutrient conditions in coastal waters and seas will be essentially the same as in the 1940s, and nutrient inputs into the sea will not cause eutrophication.
- Swedish coastal waters will, with respect to nutrient levels, meet the requirements for good ecological status, as defined in the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC).
- The nutrient status of forest soils will be such as to promote preservation of the natural species composition.
- The nutrient status of agricultural soils will be such as to preserve the natural species composition.
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The Environmental Objectives Council’s assessment is that the objective Zero Eutrophication will be very difficult or not possible to achieve by 2020, even if further action is taken. No clear trend in the state of the environment can be seen.
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The interim targets flesh out the environmental quality objectives by describing the situation in a given year.