Finland

Cooperation of Committee for Nature Management, Environmental Protection and Ecological Safety with organisations of Finland

Active cooperation in the sphere of environmental protection and securing ecological safety of St. Petersburg with the Finnish colleagues began from December 1993, when the first protocol on cooperation between the Department for Environmental Protection of the City of St. Petersburg and Helsinki Environmental Centre was signed. Since then the partners meet on a regular basis for discussion of concrete directions of cooperation, formulation of particular projects. In the event of positive decision on financing, these projects are then included in the Programme of St. Petersburg - Finnish cooperation of adjacent regions.

The current Work Programme for the cooperation between the Finnish Ministry of the Environment and the Committee for Nature Use, Environmental Protection and Ecological Safety of the City of St. Petersburg for 2010-2011 was signed on March 23, 2010.

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Full list of projects in the framework of cooperation between St. Petersburg and the Finnish city can be viewed on a dedicated portal go to portal...

In 1995-1996 a project was realised for study and restoration of water supply system of fountains in Petrodvorets. The specialists of Petrodvorets Administration and Helsinki Environmental Centre jointly made selection and analysis of samples of surface and subsoil waters and soils on the territory of the reservoir of the water passageway system with the purpose of revealing major sources of pollution. A programme of restoration and protection of waters on this territory was developed on the basis of the gained data, with use of the Finnish experience.

The Project was held in some stages.

In 1995-97 one more project was launched with participation of specialists of the Committee (Department), St. Petersburg Centre for Ecological Work (St. Petersburg Centre for Ecological Work) and Helsinki Environmental Centre - «Research and restoration of polluted soils», in process still now.

In 1995 the Environmental Protection Board and Ministry of Environment of Finland signed the agreement on realisation of the Programme of professional improvement for specialists of municipal economy in the sphere of environmental protection, intended for 2 years. Within the framework of the Programme, from 1995 on 1997, the seminars and training sessions for specialists of St. Petersburg were held on the following subjects: air quality management in the conditions of a big city; solution of the problem of environmental contamination with dioxines, development of a system of specially protected territories; radiation monitoring system; ecological education.

Starting from 1995, Environmental Weeks took placeannually in St. Petersburg - all-city environmental information campaigns aimed at raising public awareness. Every year Finnish partners take part in these actions. For example, the so-called Helsinki «ecological bus» stayed for a whole week in St. Petersburg in September 1996; it comprised an exhibition showing how any city resident could make a contribution in the preservation of the environment; in 1997 the «ecological path» was laid in Taurida Park with the help of Finnish colleagues; in 2000 the specialists of Helsinki Environmental Centre organised an exhibition devoted to ecological education in Finland; in 2001 the exhibition prepared by the colleagues from Finland was devoted to protection of the atmospheric air in Helsinki.

On September, 14-16th, 1998, within the framework of the Environmental Week, a Russian-Finnish forum«Our common environment» took place under the initiative of Administration of St. Petersburg and Ministry of Environment of Finland.

418 persons took part in the Forum: 164 guests from Finland, representatives of Belarus, Great Britain, Germany, USA, Tajikistan, Turkmenia, Uzbekistan, Sweden, France, Estonia. The programme of the Forum included 5 seminars and 5 «round-table discussions» discussing the pressing topics of cooperation: transport of Russia and Finland; the agenda of 21 century; management of coastal territories; ecological education; management of woodland in the North-West of the Russian Federation and in the Karelian Isthmus; clean air; power supply; protection of waters of the river Neva, the Neva Bay, the Gulf of Finland; waste management; aesthetics and ethics of the environment.

After entering in the European Union, Finland showed active participation in international projects funded through the European Commission programmes. In particular, Finnish experts participate in practically all projects within the programme EU Life coordinated by the Committee. Their participation in the projects became possible owing to the support of the Ministry for Environmental Protection of Finland.

Clinical Waste Management Plan for St. Petersburg (1996-1998)
The Experts of Turku Administration took part in the work over the project.
Reducing heavy metal pollution by St. Petersburg galvanic enterprises (1997-2000)
The experience of Finnish firm "Galvatec" was used in realisation of the project.
Coastal Conservation and Local Agenda-21 - a pilot project for Russia (1997-2000)
The participant of the project from the Finnish side was Administration of Lahti.
Prevention of Baltic Sea Pollution by Dumps Leachate in St Petersburg (1999-2002)
The specialists of Finnish firm "Tritonet" took part in the project.

Strengthening the Eco-Auditing structure in St. Petersburg (2000-2002)

The representatives of the Ministry of Environment of Finland and Technical University of Turku participated in the project.

Development of the Environmental Action Plan for Municipal Solid Waste Management in St. Petersburg (2002-2005)
The realisation of the project started in the end of 2002. The representatives of Turku Administration took part in the project as experts from Finland.

Two projects devoted to spreading of information on the Agenda- 21 and sustainable development, were realised in cooperation with Administration of Lahti and the support of EU programme «TACIS CBC»:

« Spreading Awareness to foster the Implementation of Local agenda 21 around the Baltic Sea » (1999-2000)

« St.Petersburg 21 - implementation of Baltic 21 in St.Petersburg » (2001-2003)

In 2003 the Ministry of Environment of Finland put forward the initiative being very important for the Committee: to develop major directions of cooperation in the sphere of environmental protection between the Committee (as a municipal structure) and the Ministry, for 2004-2007. This way the project emerged «Strengthening of cooperation in the sphere of environmental protection between Ministry of Environment of Finland and Environmental management bodies of St. Petersburg ».

As a result of discussions and consultations, the following major directions of cooperation were formulated:

Actions to promote further training of environmental experts
(Centre for training and further education of environmental mangers and experts)
Development of environmental management systems
Hazardous waste management
Raising environmental awareness (including work with journalists)
Programme of cooperation between and Finnish partner cities:
- Air quality monitoring
- Environmental control and inspection of companies: perspectives for cooperation
- Information technologies for the urban management
- Treatment of polluted soils
- Development of indicators of sustainable development
- Environmental education; work with children and young people; cooperation with public organisations