Has Regional Targeting Increased the Construction of Purpose Driven Wetlands in Sweden?

The Swedish EU Rural Development Programme (RDP) has included financing for constructed wetlands (CWs) with two goals: nutrient reduction and biodiversity conservation. The cost effectiveness of these CWs has been difficult to assess as defined targets were lacking. In 2013, Swedish authorities were asked to set regional (county) targets for new nutrient and biodiversity CWs. We investigate if the increased targeting has been effective and compare CW characteristics during the regionally targeted period (2014-2020) with the preceding RDP period (2007-2013).Most counties set lower targets for biodiversity than for nutrient CWs, yet more counties exceeded targets for the former than for the latter. Wetland characteristics differed between the two periods; construction costs were higher in the later period and average size increased, but the trends were similar for both purposes. Because targets were not binding, county allocation of funds could be shifted to finance CWs that did not meet the intended purpose. This, amongst other factors, may have led to missing targets. To increase overall measure effectiveness, the distribution of national funds for CWs should be divided between the two purposes identified at the regional level and reallocation of funds only permitted in accordance with redefinition at the county level