New environmental projects approved in Northwest Russia

In total, 28 project applications were submitted by the middle of May, and after evaluation, nine of these were approved for financing. The shortlisted projects include a wide range of different initiatives related to biodiversity, climate adaptation and mitigation, sustainable forest management, energy efficiency and development of co-operation networks and knowledge sharing.

All the regions in Northwest Russia are represented among the chosen projects, and research institutions, regional organisations and non-governmental organisations from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden are among the applicants. The selected proposals may receive grant financing from EUR 30,000 to EUR 200,000.

“We are very pleased to see high interest in the programme, as well as good quality and variation in the projects,” says Senior Adviser Henrik G Forsström at NEFCO.

NEFCO is currently working with contracting of these projects. The grant agreements are expected to be signed within the coming months. Most of the projects will be initiated during the autumn.

The PECC is financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Barents Hot Spots Facility (BHSF), a fund administered by NEFCO since 2004.The total amount of funding for the programme is EUR 1.1 million.

The Nordic Ministers for the Environment launched this new co-operation programme in connection with the Nordic Council’s session in Copenhagen in November last year. The programme forms part of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ latest efforts with regard to co-operation with Russia, as adopted by the Ministers for Nordic Co-operation at the start of 2016.