The Barents region has three environmental hot spots less to worry about. Those are 2,3 tons of DDT in Karelia, 40 tons of obsolete pesticides in Arkhangelsk, and mercury containing wastes in Murmansk.
In spite of the fact that these three are definitely some of the “easier” hot spots, this is regarded as significant step forward since the time line for finding solutions to the majority of the 42 hot spots will be exceeded. According to a ministerial agreement in 2003, the intention was that this should take no longer than 10 years. In practical terms this means that many of the more severe hot spots are still far from being taken off the list. That is doubtlessly the case of the most intensively debated by them all: Pechenga-Nickel, a press release from the Working Group on Environment reads.
Political adviser in the Norwegian Ministry of Environment Audun Garberg, Finnish Minister of Environment Ville Niinistö, indigenous peoples’ representative Anna Prakhova, Swedish Minister of Environment Lena Ek and Russian Vice Minister of Natural Resources Rinat Gizatulin. (Foto: Anna Lund)
The process is complicated due to the diversification of contamination, sometimes to the lack of ownership as hot spots go back to Soviet times, and sometimes to the huge economic interests - such as in the Pechenga-Nickel case. In this light, the three solved hot spots are important regardless of their “easiness” as detailed procedures have been established for how to meet the requirement before any hot spot can be taken off the list. The driving force has for the last two years been the Swedish Ministry of Environment and Authority of Nature Protection in close cooperation with NEFCO and the Russian Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
The Swedish Minister, Lena Ek, who hosted the meeting in Umeå, concluded:
- Behind this breakthrough lies much hard work. Regional hot spot exclusion groups have been established in all five regions of the Russian Barents, and are working on solving the hot spots. It is now important to continue with strong commitment to solve the remaining 39 hot spots.
The Chairmanship of the Barents environmental cooperation now goes from Sweden to Finland for the next two years, and the Finish Minister of Environment, Ville Niinistø, confirmed that the hot spots will continue to be a priority.
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