Nordic countries launch new environmental support program for Northwest-Russia
Aimed to cut pollution, improve biodiversity and protect endangered species.
Funds will be made available from early next year and will be administrated by NEFCO, the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation.
Presented at the Nordic Council session in Copenhagen this week, the new initiative calls for applications to projects that involve partners from Nordic countries and Northwest Russia.
“The welfare of the Nordic countries and Northwest Russia depends on the environment being in a good state. The Nordic countries and Russia share an interest in co-operating to solve current environmental problems. It is therefore in our mutual interest that we continue our pragmatic and practical co-operation on the environment and climate as efficiently as possible. To this end, we welcome closer ties at regional and local levels with the involvement of both new and existing partners even outside the public sector,” says Kimmo Tiilikainen, Finnish Minister of Agriculture and the Environment and chair of the Nordic Council of Ministers for the Environment in 2016.
The program is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Barents Hot Spots Facility.
In addition to projects aimed at reducing pollution, protect endangered species and clean up polluted areas, NEFCO encourages projects cutting greenhouse gasses and ozone-depleting substances.
Funding is available for building networks, disseminating information, improving capacity, and for investing in equipment, technology, and infrastructure.
NEFCO contributes with €300,000 to the fund, while the Nordic Council of Ministers makes available 8 million Danish Kroner (€1,07 million).
