Sweden

We are all dependent on a prosperous ocean with functioning ecosystems. Through KIMO Sweden, municipalities have the opportunity to collaborate and get a stronger voice when we work for a marine environment without pollution. We are part of a larger international organization that has long worked to promote the marine environment in the Northeast Atlantic.

KIMO Sweden currently has 13 member municipalities; Tanum, Sotenäs, Uddevalla, Tjörn, Kungälv, Öckerö, Gothenburg, Varberg, Falkenberg, Helsingborg, Lomma, Malmö and Simrishamn. We welcome more municipalities to become members and participate in the work for a viable marine environment. We usually have four meetings a year where the member municipalities take turns hosting the meetings. There are four working groups that focus on different environmental aspects: plastics, pollution, biodiversity and communication.

KIMO Sweden has long been involved in the question of how to reduce the marine litter. We pursue this aim by working in multiple contexts simultaneously. Everything from trying to influence the legislators to adopt stricter laws on reducing emissions in the sea, to taking responsibility in our municipal organisations for our operations and to act in the areas over which we have jurisdiction.

In the spring of 2000, KIMO Sweden was formed as an organization with its own activities, board of directors and a national coordinator. KIMO Sweden has members along the coasts of the North Sea, the Sound and the Baltic. The environmental administration in Gothenburg is the seat of coordinator for KIMO Sweden. Each member municipality is represented by a politician and an official. A membership in KIMO Sweden also means a membership in KIMO International where much collaboration and influence takes place at international level. Every year, an international annual meeting is organized for all members, which is combined with a large environmental conference.

KIMO Sweden has an action plan to reduce the discharge of microplastics from municipal facilities and operations. It can be found here: