Barents Euro Arctic Council - strengthens the cooperation in the “northern Nordics”
In the Barents Council, the countries of Northern Europe cooperate to develop Northwestern Russia and the northernmost regions of the Nordic countries. Finland, Sweden, and Norway are now continuing the cooperation after Russia has left the council.
The Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC) was established in 1993 to build peace and stability in Northern Europe through strengthened cooperation between the northern counties in Finland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden, and to develop the Barents region economically, socially, culturally, and more. Over nearly 30 years, very successful cooperation was achieved, particularly within the sphere of the environment. Following Russia's attack on Ukraine, the cooperation was paused in March 2022.
During these years, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Swedish EPA) put much effort into working on the exclusion of the so-called Barents environmental hot spots from the Barents Hot Spot List – 42 primarily industrial sites with various serious environmental problems in the Russian part of the Barents region identified in the early 1990s. This work included environmental reviews, identification, and support for action projects, which were partially combined with the introduction of a new permit granting system in the Russian Federation based on Best Available Techniques (BAT).
The Hotspot Exclusion Cooperation with Russia until 2022 (barents-concil.org)
A new Barents cooperation taking form to meet new challenges
After Russia’s withdrawal from the Barents Euro-Arctic Council in September 2023, Finland, Norway, and Sweden agreed to continue the cooperation in this new constellation. An important reason for the nine Barents counties of the Nordic countries to continue the cooperation is the “Green Transition,” which presents great opportunities for development in the north but also poses significant environmental, social, and economic challenges.
By the end of 2024, it will be decided how the Barents cooperation will continue.
The Pressure from the Green Transition
To reduce the anthropogenic impact on the climate, our societies need to transition to essentially fossil-free energy, fossil-free transportation, and fossil-free industries. This will require, among other things, the extraction of many metals and the opening of many new mining sites. To minimize the negative impact on humans and the environment, the demand for metals must be kept as low as possible (through system requirements, product design, etc.), and as large a share as possible of the new metals should be extracted from mining waste and the recycling of products. At the same time, the opening, operation, and closure of mining sites must be as environmentally harmless as possible. Many of these metals can be found in Northern Fennoscandia, which includes the northern parts of Finland, Norway, and Sweden. As the extraction of these raw materials increases, societies will grow, and towns and settlements, transport, and supply systems need to be expanded and further developed. This entire context is referred to here as the “Green Transition,” which is now growing very strong in the northern parts of Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Therefore, there are strong reasons to cooperate on these issues within the environmental, economic, and social sectors.
The BEAC Working Group on Environment, BEAC WGE
The Swedish EPA participates in the work of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council Working Group on Environment (BEAC WGE), which now aims to promote the Green Transition and address the challenges arising from it. The work is initiated and driven by the nine counties (fylke/lääni/län) comprising the Nordic part of the Barents region and is supported by their respective central level authorities in Finland, Norway, and Sweden.
From the Swedish side, the County Administrative Boards of Norrbotten and Västerbotten are the driving forces in BEAC WGE. Most of the work is conducted in the two sub-groups, where the Swedish EPA also takes part:
- The Subgroup for Nature and Water, FONAW
- The Subgroup for Sustainable Production and Consumption, FOSPAC.
FONAW – strengthening nature protection and improving water management
The Subgroup on Nature Protection and Water (FONAW) is responsible for monitoring and supporting projects aimed at improving the natural environment, strengthening biodiversity, and promoting sustainable water management. Prominent projects supported by the subgroup include waterway restoration in the Barents region, capacity development on Invasive Alien Species (IAS), and the organization of the bi-annual conference Habitat Contact Forum.
FOSPAC – Cooperation on Sustainable Environmental Development
In response to climate change and the Green Transition, the nine counties of the Nordic part of the Barents region direct their cooperation towards handling the related challenges. So far, three main cooperation fields have been identified, and collaboration has begun in these areas:
- Climate Action Plans: For the contribution of the counties in the Barents region to the Paris Agreement – Inventory of the climate impact, steering instruments, and action plans for reaching the 2-degree target. Led by the County Administrative Board of Norrbotten with support from the Swedish EPA.
- The Battery Value Chain Project (BAVIS): Development of a funding application for a larger project aiming for applied experience exchange about environmental requirements and steering instruments for the whole value chain from extraction to recycling in battery production for electric vehicles and industrial use. Led by Kajaani region with support from the Finnish Institute of Environment (SYKE).
- The Microplastic Project: An applied project to minimize microplastics pollution into the Barents Sea. This project is part of an initiative under the Arctic Council working group Programme for the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) and is led by the County Governor of Finnmark with support from the Norwegian Environmental Agency (NEA).
Friends of Sustainable Production and Consumption (barents-council.org)
Five countries and the EU in the Barents Council
In Sweden, the work within the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC) is coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Barents Council comprises Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the European Commission. Another nine countries participate as observers in BEAC, including Canada and the USA. In the BEAC Working Group on Environment, nine of the northernmost counties from Finland, Norway, and Sweden participate, supported by their respective central environmental authorities.