Jakob Granit New Director General for SwAM: “A Very Exciting Challenge”

Jakob Granit, 50, was recently appointed as the new director general for the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM).

One of the issues he wants to highlight is tomorrow’s water management in order to achieve good ecological status.

“We need to understand what does and doesn’t work in today’s management process. It’s also essential that we involve the various stakeholders during a process of change and improvement,” said Granit.

Jakob Granit has a PhD in geography and will soon be leaving his current post as center director and deputy director for the Stockholm Environment Institute and member of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel for International Waters at the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Previously he has worked at the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), the World Bank, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). His doctoral thesis from 2012 concerns the collective management of transboundary freshwater resources.

“In my previous work I have followed SwAM and its development. I see this assignment as an exciting challenge, and I am honored with this appointment toward a more sustainable marine and aquatic environment.”

Recently, the European Court of Auditors concluded that measures against eutrophication in the Baltic Sea have had a bad effect – despite the fact that billions in EU money have been spent on improving the situation. In Sweden, emissions of substances causing eutrophication have decreased slightly, but not enough has been done according to the court auditors.

“We’re not achieving the results we want in terms of good ecological status, so we have to ask ourselves why. Maybe our management model is not working simply because we do not have the right knowledge and information at hand,” said Granit.

“The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management has a large Science Affairs Department. We can participate and provide better data for political decisions. We can also work closely with municipalities and county administrative boards to find solutions that are perceived as more effective than what we have today.”

The roles of climate change and renewable energy systems in society are two more important issues. Jakob Granit emphasizes the importance of hydropower, both in terms of its impact on ecology and on economic and social systems, and its ability to leverage renewable energy.

“It’s important for me that the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management continues to take an active role in the national dialogue on sustainable hydropower and that the consultation process can be concluded.

“We need modern environmental legislation for Swedish hydropower while at the same time we need to ensure the role of hydropower as a regulating power leveraging additional renewable energy in the power system” said Granit.

He also highlights marine spatial planning as an exciting challenge moving forward, both for Sweden and for the agency.

“Marine spatial planning combines a large number of sectors, even across borders, such as fisheries issues from an ecological perspective, mineral extraction, wind power, and transportation," said Granit. “To become involved in developing sound blue economic plans offshore feels extremely exciting and very important, both for our economic future and for our ecosystems.”

Fisheries issues are another essential part of the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management’s work. Granit would like to see an active commercial fishery that is economically self-sustaining and ecologically sustainable.

“I know that sometimes there appears to be a conflict of interest between different stakeholders trying to achieve the same goal. But there has to be a way in which environmental and fishery interests can be reconciled. Exactly how, I can’t yet say, but it’s something that I’m sure the experts at SwAM can teach me,” said Granit with a laugh.

Jakob Granit was born and raised along the Baltic Sea. He enjoys sailing and has just learned to scuba dive. Although he sees the problems caused by eutrophication, oxygen-free seabeds, and environmental toxins, he describes the Baltic Sea as “one of the world’s most beautiful inland seas.”

Sweden’s west coast is new territory for Granit. “It’s incredibly beautiful here and a very intriguing environment. I look forward to learning more about the Kattegat and Skagerrak and their prospects.”