The concept of sustainable ecological development has been disseminated and accepted throughout the world. The environmental question has had a considerable impact and attention is now focussed on it. As a result more and more organisations are paying greater regard to environmental matters.
The Armed Forces have decided to focus on the environment and the question of sustainability and put these matters high on the agenda when planning and executing activities both in Sweden and abroad.

During the 1980’s environmental matters became increasingly global, the intensity of the environmental debate increased markedly, but there were still sceptics. In the 1990’s the general view of the environment changed, due among other things to the UN Conference in Rio de Janeiro, at which the importance of both global and local environmental work was emphasised. Agenda 21 – a global environmental programme which has had a considerable impact on environmental work in Sweden – was adopted at that conference. One objective of the global environmental work is to ensure that we solve the major environmental problems for the next generation. This demands great commitment from all players in society, including the Armed Forces.

In Sweden the Government accepted fifteen national environmental quality targets in 1999, increased to sixteen in recent years. The targets describe the quality and condition of the environment that are sustainable in the long term. Their purpose is to promote human health, preserve biodiversity, safeguard the long-term productivity of ecosystems and secure good management of natural resources. Consideration must also be given to the cultural environment and cultural historical values.
The national environmental quality targets form the basis of the environmental work of the Armed Forces.

Today integration of environmental work is in progress throughout the Armed Forces, and environmental considerations are an important element of manuals, guidelines, routines, instructions and decisions. Environmental awareness and responsibility also apply to the international activities of the Armed Forces, and the daily environmental work is based largely on the environmental policy of the Armed Forces.