The Barents Region has the biggest concentration of radioactive materials. We have airborne pollutants and aquatic pollution both. We have 50 projects of technical assistance, a regional environmental committee, and our main priorities are Northwest Russia and cross-border cooperation. Grant funding tends to lower the threshold of public financing. Even basic drinking water is not available everywhere.
Environmental work is frustrated by limited budgets.
Both the Nordic Investment Board and the Nordic Economic Fund are vehicles for cooperation. Lange argued that the Arctic is particularly prone to rapid climate change. Nations, regions and co-operative forums may all be in conflict, Heininen said. We need a northern policy for Europe. Significantly, he noted the importance that Norway traditionally, ascribes to the Barents Sea, to the point that it is even considered by some to be a Norwegian Sea.