Environmental and nuclear safety cooperation with Russia
By cooperating with Russia we can improve our own environment, which contributes to fulfilling our environmental objectives. In the coming years, Russia and thereafter Sweden will hold the Presidency of HELCOM, which is now working to implement the Baltic Sea Action Plan. There is also environmental cooperation with Russia through the Barents Euro-Arctic Council and the Arctic Council. Through these organisations, Sweden is supporting projects in Russia to reduce chemical emissions.
Since 2008 the Ministry of the Environment has had funds at its disposal that are mainly used for inter-agency cooperation on reactor safety, nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear waste and radiation protection. Training activities, cleaning up of atomic waste, improved information plans and investments in technology to improve nuclear safety are implemented in this context. The Ministry of the Environment funds also go to inter-agency cooperation aimed at improving the Baltic Sea environment, promoting the use of modern environmental technology and strengthening nature conservation. An important premise for inter-agency cooperation is the mutual benefit to Russia and Sweden. The Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate, the Swedish Radiation Protection Authority, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Swedish Chemicals Agency are agencies cooperating with Russia.
Environmental projects in Russia also receive Swedish financial support via the Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership (NDEP) and the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) environmental development fund. Sweden has been supporting the construction of purification plants in St Petersburg and Kaliningrad. Environmental projects in Russia are often more cost-effective, i.e. it is cheaper to reduce pollution in Russia than in Sweden.
