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Nordic representations in the Baltic states boost green growth in the Baltic Sea Region

In connexion with the 20th anniversary of the Nordic representations in the three Blatic states, the Nordic Council of Ministers’ office in Estonia has a number of activities to promote green growth. Finnish environment minister Ville Niinistö opened a conference on Green Growth in Tallin in connection with the anniversary.

Sep 22, 2011

- During recent years a lot has been invested in property and fossil fuels instead of renewable energy, public transportation, water conservation or sustainable agriculture, stated Ville Niinistö, Finnish Minister of the Environment in his opening speech at a green growth conference in Tallinn, Estonia.

The high-level international conference “Smart Growth. Green Transport” stressed the need to find new ways of generating energy, increasing the amount of energy produced from renewable sources and arranging transport in a new manner that is energy efficient and clean.

- It is important that governments set the scene for enterprises and other economic players. The investments need sound legislative ground and an enabling environment, added Niinistö at the conference in the Estonian parliament.

He also stressed the unique opportunity that the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) provides if there’s a will to go beyond “business as usual talk”.

The “Smart Growth. Green Transport”-conference aimed at exploring the potential inherent in environmentally friendly innovations in the Baltic Sea Region.

From 15-17 September 2011 the Estonian-Nordic Green Growth Festival ROHEVIK in Tartu and Tallinn looked to the kind of future that will be built on sustainable and environmentally friendly ways of life, with a focus on electric cars. The festival consisted of three days:

  • 15.09: ‘Modern Eco-cities’ – international conference at the Estonian University of Life Sciences in Tartu (about 170 participants)
  • 16.09: ‘Smart Energy and Green Transport’ – international conference in the Riigikogu /the Parliament of Estonia/ in Tallinn (about 135 participants)
  • 17.09: ‘Our Future – Electric Vehicles’ – family event on Vabaduse väljak /Freedom Square/ in Tallinn (at least 2000 participants)

The Rohevik festival was one of the highlights marking the 20th anniversary of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia. The Nordic Investment Bnak, the Nordic Environement Financing Corporation (Nefco), Nordic Innovation, Tallinn and Tartu city government, several Estonian ministries, the Finnish embassy in Tallinn and others were engaged in organizing the festival besides the Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Estonia.

Find out more (programmes, electric cars presentations, pictures, etc) at Rohevik’s website www.rohevik.ee/en.

Contacts

Triin Oppi
triin.oppi@norden.ee

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  • Nordic Council of Ministers' Offices in Estonia (Organisation)

    The cooperation between the Nordic Council of Ministers and Estonia is primarily a political cooperation through which experience exchange contributes to realization of joint goals. One of its most important functions is to discover new trends and new possibilities for joint Estonian Nordic cooperation. The information office aims to represent Nordic concepts and demonstrate Nordic cooperation in Estonia. The office often coordinates the joint Nordic Estonian activities and functions as an initiator of various engagements that raises the profile of Nordic traits.