The seminar to mark the start of the Nordic Top-level Research Initiative was hosted by the three Nordic institutions involved: Nordic Energy Research, the Nordic Innovation Centre and NordForsk.

The head of the NERI programme, Rolf Annerberg, stressed the potential for fruitful Nordic co-operation in this sector.

"This is the biggest Nordic research and innovation programme ever. The potential for research in these areas is huge, and this is definitely something we should work on together," he commented.

A programme board is responsible for the whole programme. Funding for projects is divided into six themes:

• Impact studies and adaptation to climate change
•  the effect of climate change on the cryosphere
• Nanotechnology and energy efficiency
• Integration of large-scale wind power projects
• Sustainable bio-energy
• Carbon capture and storage (CCS)

A separate committee for each theme will call for tenders, evaluate applications, provide project funding and follow up on results. They will call for tenders in the course of this year.