This project is about the conflict between permit regimes for water operations and works and the requirements of modern environmental law. It consists of two phases: the first is the study of the valid law of Sweden from legal material, such as legislation, preparatory works and case law from the courts.
These studies will be accompanied by a study of a river basin in the south of Sweden, where actual permits for different operations will be compared with the programme of measures within the water district, management plans for nature reserves ‐ in order to discuss the existing divergence between the permit regimes and the requirements of the environment.
The first part of the study has already been funded by Ragnar Söderbergs Stiftelse for 2011‐2012. The second phase of the project consists of a comparative analysis of the water law in Norway in order to widen perspectives on the regulation of water activities and how to construe a permit regime that is adaptive to the needs of the environment. This second phase of the project – which will mainly be undertaken in 2013 – is part of the SPEQS programme (Project 5).
Project leader: Professor Jan Darpö, Uppsala university
