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The Project "The City as learning and healthier environment for young people: towards UN Decade of education for sustainable development".
The overall objective of the Project "The City as learning and healthier environment for young people: towards UN Decade of education for sustainable development" is to develop the cities of St.Petersburg and Lahti as learning and healthier environments for young people within the frames of sustainable development in education. This will be achieved through involving the key sectors of the local communities (authorities, educational institutions, enterprises, NGOs, mass media) on both sides of the border and providing young people with greater opportunities for active participation in decision making. One of the ideas of the project is "working with adults with children in mind". During the project e.g. Environmental Newspaper Competition for schools and seminars for NGOs and Finnish and Russian enterprises has been organised.
Russian and Finnish partners will develop and disseminate specific models for good practices of delivering sustainability education to the key sectors of local community. This experience can be later used by the participants and other interested organizations to promote and disseminate ideas of education of sustainable development.
The Project "The City as learning and healthier environment for young people: towards UN Decade of education for sustainable development" started in July 2006 and will continue until December 2007. The Project partners are the Lahti Region Environmental Service, the State Unitary Enterprise "Vodokanal of St. Petersburg", the Committee of Environmental Protection of St. Petersburg and St. Petersburg public organisation for Environmental Education "OSEKO". Activities are funded by Tacis CBC Small Project Facility, the Finnish Ministry of Environment and the project partners. The Project leader is SUE "Vodokanal of St. Petersburg".
The Project "Using Innovation Potential of EU and Leningrad Oblast for making Lodeynopolsky District Ecologically Effective Territory (Eco-Innov)"
The Aims of the Project are to make a Feasibility Study for a project proposal concerning transfer of EU (Finnish) innovations to Leningrad Oblast (and Karelian Republic) in order to modernise waste management systems, to renovate existing landfill sites, to diminish nutrient flow to watercourses, to restore overgrown water areas and to enhance environmental awareness among people, especially younger generations and authorities.
Essentially the co-operation project "Using Innovation Potential of EU and Leningrad Oblast for making Lodeynopolsky District Ecologically Effective Territory (Eco-Innov)"is about transferring good innovations from Finland to Russia. Implementation period of the Feasibility Study has begun in March 2007.
Project partners are the Häme Regional Environment Centre, the Kouvola Region Federation of Municipalities, the Lahti Region Environmental Services, the State Unitary Enterprise "Vodokanal of St. Petersburg", the Science and Trchnology Business Corporation (St. Petersburg) the Administration of Lodeynoe Pole District of Leningrad Region, the Northern Water Problems Institute Karelian Research Centre and the Lahti Science and Business Park.
INTERREG IIIC: WaterTour – Developing Improvement of competitiveness
of SME´s and watertourism regions by innovative strategies and technologies
A wide range of regions in Europe promoting water tourism. The
competition is high even of the diversity in nature, water tourism
activities, sport activities, historical sights, cultural offers
and infrastructure equipment.
Tourism activities in, at and around water and waterways are a
growing tourism sector in Europe. Although the potential of the
market is not yet entirely utilised. The Varity and the nature
potential along side of canals, rivers and lakes offer a great
potential for tourism activities. On the other hand the expectation
and desire of tourists becoming more and more sophisticated and
service oriented.
The overall objective of the operation is strengthen the economic
situation and competitiveness of SMEs involved in water based
tourism activities by following subjective:
- access to know/how, experiences and best practises by establishing
itra-regional and inter-regional co-operation between communities
and SMEs in the partner regions
- applying policies and strategies to ensure the development of
quality infrastructure to enable the development of sustainable
water based tourism activities whilst taking cognisance of the
environment
- developing tools and methods to market the regions for both the
internal market of the country and the European market
improving regional information systems
Project activities have started in September 2004 and will continue
until June 2007. The project consists of five components: Management
and co-ordination, Information and public relations, Setting up
interregional and regional co-operations between communities and
SME´s and between SME´s, Strategies for developing a target group
oriented and quality oriented infrastructure and target group oriented
products in watertourism and component five Developing tools and
methods to market the regions within their regional tourism market
as well as on the European market. Finland is mainly responsible
of carrying out the component number five.
The project will be executed by the five partners. Germany (Regional
Tourism Board Vorpommern) Lead Partner, Finland (City of Lahti),
Ireland (Midland regional Authority), Portugal (Forest Producters´
Association) and Hungary (South Transdanubian Development Agency).
Project is funded by Interreg IIIC programme, Finnish Ministry
of Interior and City of Lahti (Finnish activities).
City Twinning between Finnish Cities and St. Petersburg
/ Planning stage 2004-2005
The cities of Lahti and St. Petersburg have co-operated in the field
of environmental practises since 1996. Partners involved in the projects
have represented several fields of society: city officials, education
sector, enterprises and NGOs . The Declaration of Co-operation (2004-2007)
between the Finnish Ministry of the Environment and the Committee
of Nature Use, Environment Protection and Ecological Safety of St
Petersburg supports and deepens former co-operation. One field of
co-operation is environmental awareness raising.
The Committee has shown interest in the experience of the Finnish
cities in organising environmental information campaigns dedicated
to certain topics, especially the work with various target groups.
It will also bring closer local authorities in the both participating
countries. The project aims to improve the skills and knowledge
of respective actors to plan and implement successful environmental
education and awareness raising processes and campaigns to carry
out sustainable development and environmental education.
The project will promote implementation of sustainable development
and environmental education by rationalising the co-operation net
and developing the methods and materials of environmental education
in the both countries. Through the City Twinning activities it’s
aimed to transfer experience and information of Russian partners
to the Finnish cities which are involved in environmental education,
awareness raising and public participation.
The selection of interest group in Russia and Finland will be done.
Most active partners in local level will be involved in the project
work. Working methods and responsible expert team will be named
for the whole project duration. The evaluation of existing situation
will be carried out and recommendation for the coming activities
are done. The practical activities will be environmental weeks,
study tours, workshops, expert team meetings, material production,
information campaign, networking and planning of the future activities.
A Finnish co-ordinating partner, City of Lahti, will manage the
programme with the Environmental Committee of St. Petersburg and
with Finnish partner cities The planned activities for the first
period 1.11.2004-31.1.2005 are followed by next rounds for the years
2005-2007. It is expected that the first round of activities are
giving good ground for the further work. Project activities are
funded by the Finnish Ministry of Environment, City of St. Petersburg
and Finnish partner cities.
Sustainable public purchasing in municipalities in the
Baltic Sea Region.
Project is aiming to add awareness is sustainable public purchasing
in the Baltic Sea Region and North-West Russia. Awareness raising
will be gained by organising international seminar to BLA21F contact
points and purchasing experts. The theme of seminar is sustainable
public purchasing in local municipalities. Seminar report will be
produced based on the results and discussions of the seminar. Report
will be done in English but also translated to national languages
by partners. Results of the project will be reported to BLA21F network
and Baltic 21 officials.
Activities are funded by the Finnish Ministry of Environment and
partly by local actors. Seminar and BLA21F key persons meeting is
held in Estonia, Tallinn on 17th to 19th of January 2005.
Interreg IIIA: Youth participation in community decision making
process
The new project "Youth Participation in Community Decision
Making Process" (Nuoret yhteiskunnallisen päätöksenteon moottoreina")
is supporting Tacis-funded project "Promotion of sustainable
habits through the participation young people in the environmental
education process". Both projects partners, Lappeenranta
and Lahti, have active local youth groups which are working for
the project voluntarily. Regional meetings and occasions will
be held in both regions concentrating water related themes. During
the project period international contacts will be established
mainly with Russian youth groups.
Local youth groups are actively carrying out their activities
during the project year 2004. Themes are concentrating in environmental
issues and worked with several methods like environmental drama,
video-workshops, handicrafts, discussions, fairs and trips. The
project plan gives frames to activities but local activist and
youth organisers will implement the locally selected activities.
Activities are involving local administration, training institutions,
politicians, media and all interested parties.
Project is funded by Interreg IIIA (East-South Finland), The
Regional Council of Päijät-Häme and cities of Lappeenranta and
Lahti. Project leader is city of Lahti.
Climate for change - Gender equality and climate policy
The project is aiming to increase women's participation in decision
making process at local level of climate policies. During the
project period will be carried out studies on women's participation:
women's possibilities to affect local level climate policies in
bodies like local governments, traffic planning procedures, energy
production and several field of industries and women organisation.
Studies will be done at local and national level. It will be
developed strategies and instruments adapted to national circumstances.
A tool-kit "Climate for Change" will be prepared including
information leaflet, flyer, poster, web-site and recommendation
of best practices.
Project leader is Climate Alliance of European Cities, the German
women organisation LIFE e.V. from Germany is executive consultant.
Regional co-ordinators are UBC-Finland and Climate Alliances,
Germany and Italy. Ten cities around Europe are representing local
level. Scandinavian partner cities are City of Lahti, Finland
and City of Malmö, Sweden.
Project period is 1.12.2003-28.2.2005. The project is funded
by European Commission, Gender Equality Programme, the German
Ministry for Women and participating cities.
Interreg IIIA: Awareness Raising and Activating Networking between
Estonian and Finnish Local Authorities
The main aim of the project is deepen the co-operation between
local level authorities in environmental issues between Finland
and Estonia. Both countries have named municipalities which concentrates
on selected environmetal issues during the project period. Municipalities
are in Finland Forssa, Hämeenlinna region, Kouvola region, Lahti,
Lohja, Hyvinkää and Salo. Estonian municipalities are Märjamaa,
Narva and Viljandi.
Activities concentrate on training occassions, seminars and LA21
activities on municipality level as well as cross-border active
contacts. On local level project workers organize meetings for
local authorities, organizations and active municipality members.
Infrormation of good practises is gathered to form environmental
programmes and update web-sites done during the project. In the
end of the project "LA21" publication will be done and
that is used for training and information purposes both in Finland
and Estonia. National co-ordinators take care of the information
activities and will inform ministries, Baltic 21 and the other
parties the results of the project. It is also aimed that the
network of local authorities will continue its activites after
finalizing the project.
Project period is 1.10.2002-30.9.2005. The project is being develop
and co-ordinated in Finland by Health Control and Environmental
Protection Center / BLA21F, City of Lahti.
Official website: www.lahti.fi/ymptietoisuushanke/english
Promotion of sustainable habits through the participation young
people in the environmental education process
This project continues the thematic of the previous project but
the target group is more spesific - it is addressed especially
for children and teenagers in Stb area. According to the target
group the methodology of project implementation is some way different
- the idea is effective participation of young people in the working
process. The aim of the project project is to add information
channels of environmental issues for young people and create a
net for socially sustainable development among children and teenagers.
During the project will be produced high quality environmental
information material to the use of children, teenagers, teachers
and university students.
The Russian partners are State Unitary Enterprise “Vodokanal
Saint-Petersburg”, Herzen State Pedagogical University of
Russia and St. Petersburg regional public organization for environmental
education “ECO ASEKO - St. Petersburg”. Finnish and
Russian young people will be linked in the project to share their
opinions and experience to be used in the project. Basic problems
in St. Petersburg are following: environmental information is
not adapted for young people or it is presented in unpopular form,
information is not offered for spreading or usage for active actors
or it is not spread in effective way. Children, teenagers, education
system, experts of water pollution control, NGO activists and
the experts of LA21 work will be linked together for reducing
upon mentioned problems and obstacles.
Main activities on the local level will be participation process
of young people in the project, preparation of high quality environmental
material, youth camps, study visits, web-page, exhibitions, radio
programmes, newspaper articles, workshops, training and education.
All activities are going to be happen in co-operation with children,
teenagers and adults.
The project is based on activities of Everyday Surroundings -
the activity and co-operation group of young people in St. Petersburg
and Lahti. This group worked as pilot for creating connections
between St. Petersburg and Finnish children and teenagers, sharing
their opinions and experiences about real life and the environment
in their own cities.
It is the long way to solve environmental problems in St. Petersburg
area, because the city is big and environmental problems are very
complicated. The upon mentioned projects are acting as the moderators
to change attitudes more open to environmental issues and sustainable
development. The projects are also acting as fruitful soil in
developing international environmental co-operation between Russia
and Finland and they are stimulating people to joint and several
liability for common environment.
Coastal Network - Coastal Zone Agenda 21 Sustainable Coastal Zone
Development in the Baltic Sea Region
CoNet CZA 21 is a project to promote a sustainable coastal zone
development in the Baltic Sea Region, funded by the Deutsche Bundesstiftung
Umwelt (DBU). Because in the coastal zone land and sea form a
continuum with a mutual interaction, the project will focus on
the relation between on land activities and the off shore effects.
Participation process will form the backbone of the project. The
implementation of the Agenda 21 since 1992 created numerous local
and regional groups, initiatives and networks in the entire Baltic
Sea Region and the project will enlarge the geographical reference
of these groups towards the entire coastal zone.
Coordinators of the project are: Bjarne Rasmussen, Denmark, Raimonds
Ernstein, Latvia - and Hanns J. Buchholz, Florian Ballnus and
Birgit Böhm, Germany.
The Challenges: Coastal Zones are facing an increasing ecological,
economic and social pressure due to the increasing economic utilization
and human activities in these regions worldwide. Beside the fact
that there is an increasing number of various interest conflicts,
the coastal zones have to cope with missing or insufficient used
integrative decision making structures concerning a land and sea
integrating, interdisciplinary, non-sectoral and sustainable spatial
development.
Aims of CoNet CZA 21: To overcome the described challenges, CoNet
CZA 21´s aims are: Development and test of new strategies for
an environmental relief of the Baltic Sea, especially to overcome
the results of the far-reaching exchange dynamic of the medium
water, Conception for a sustainable coastal zone development,
Comprehensive (holistic) treatment and consideration of the coastal
zone / Integration of land and sea, Circum-Baltic cooperation
of local and regional actors in coastal regions of the BSR, Comprehensive
and active participation of the public.
The Concept and Implementation: CoNet CZA 21 makes use and activates
already existing various local and regional networks, groups of
citizens, Local Agenda 21-groups etc. in the entire Baltic Sea
Region. They thereby shall be sensitised and qualified for a sustainable
coastal zone development, and be networked for this purpose. In
single cases of non-existence, local and regional activities shall
be initiated and supported. The concept promotes the experience
exchange in concern of sustainable coastal zone development and
information dissemination for development and implementation of
planned projects in other coastal regions or municipalities within
the Baltic Sea Region. The common reference to the entire Baltic
Sea region increases the motivation of the involved participants
as well significance of these groups.
Pilot phase: During the first phase intention is to set up a
network between actors dealing with sustainable coastal development.
The project in this phase has a relative narrow focus, namely
eutrophification caused by activities on land.
Main phase: Following the pilot phase, the aim of a holistic
and sustainable coastal zone development in the Baltic Sea Region
by various projects in arrangement with the up to then activated
participants from all coastal regions of the Baltic Sea, will
be continuously pursued in co-operation and with the coordination
of the CoNet CZA 21 Project Group.
"School Exchange Project between the Big Lakes of Peipsi
(Estonia and Russia), Vänern (Sweden) and South Päijänne-Vesijärvi
(Finland)
There are three rather big lakes with similar problems: Lake
Peipsi, Lake Vänern and Lake Vesijärvi. In these lake regions
there is a lack of international cooperation and need to develop
environmental activism and awareness among young people of environmental,
ethnical and cultural issues. These students can be educated to
be environmental protectors and information ambassadors.
The project is being developed and implemented by the Lake Peipsi
Project in Russia and Center for Transboundary Cooperation and
Sustainable Development CTC in Estonia and The Health Control
and Environmental Center in Finland.
The aim of the project is in creating and strengthening international
youth cooperation between schools and promote awareness in the
young generation among cultural and environmental issues in their
home regions and neighbouing countries. Prjoject aims to develop
their comprehension of the world according to the principles of
Agenda 21.
Common goals and objectives:
- Increase communication between schools, students and teachers
for establishing cooperation between these four countries.
- Integrate environmental and cultural issues.
- Promote awareness in cultural and environmental issues among
young people, and also comprehend themselves as a members of
a global society.
- Provide cooperation between cultural and environmental institutions
for learning principles of Agenda 21 work.
- Encourage the young generation to work on investigation of
environment.
- Develop new methods of learning for reaching better results
in youth education."
St. Petersburg 21 - Implementation of Baltic 21 in St. Petersburg
The focus of St. Petersburg 21 project is awareness raising
and participation of citizens in sustainable development and
Local Agenda 21 work. The project addresses people at every
level, local authorities, education system, NGOs, politicians
and local inhabitants in Stb area and forms permanent network
between these actors. The project makes possible for local people
to have adequate environmental information and establish socially,
environmentally and sustainable development in their everyday
life.
The Russian project partners are: The Committee for Nature
Use – Environmental Protection and Ecological Safety -
St. Petersburg City Administration, St. Petersburg State University
and St. Petersburg regional public organization for environmental
education “ECO ASEKO – St Petersburg”. As City
of Lahti has direct and good connections to St. Petersburg´s
authorities and also wide experience in Local Agenda 21 process
it can transfer it´s practical experience to St. Petersburg
to help them form their own LA 21 process. Project gives room
for attitude and behavioural changes for involved parties.
The project has been intensive interaction process between all
project participants. Except the official project partners several
quarters at several levels have participated in the project implementation
and activities. The project has came and will come true in different
seminars, occasions, theme days, study courses, newspaper articles,
radio programs, NGO activities, exhibitions, web-site and as a
result of the project will be published three different publications
for the university, city workers and NGOs. During the project
has been shown special needs to develop and increase the efficiency
of cooperation methods between the target group in Stb area and
some steps to the direction of more sustainable co-operation has
been taken. Good example about development on this field is the
mentioned environmental education Tacis project – through
St. Petersburg 21 project were created new connections between
environmental actors in Stb area and it acted as moderator for
the new project.
Awareness Raising on Sustainable Development in the Baltic Sea
Region
- a contribution to localising Baltic 21
The Baltic Local Agenda 21 Forum has been appointed as the Responsible
Actor of Baltic 21, Joint Action 7: increasing consumers awareness
of sustainable development. The focus of the project is on Local
Agenda 21 processes and the related efforts to increase public
awareness on sustainable development. The project addresses all
the stakeholders in Local Agenda 21 processes in the Baltic Sea
Region: local authorities, interested citizens, educators, business,
consumer groups, local organisations, institutions etc.
The goal is to strengthen Local Agenda 21 processes in the region
by the means of developing national LA 21 forums, experience exchange
on awareness raising on sustainable development and networking
between stakeholders of LA 21 processes
In order to localise Agenda 21, respectively Baltic 21, it is
necessary to increase co-operation among the stakeholders in the
LA 21 processes both nationally and internationally. Via the existing
contacts in the Baltic Local Agenda 21 Forum, and through the
co-operation partners in the project, new actors are being involved
in the Local Agenda 21 work.
The networking will emerge from the workshops and direct contacts
between the members of the BLA21F, other members of the Baltic
21, Joint Action 7 work group and new actors. The workshops will
identify 'good practice' on awareness raising, be it specific
cases or methods and tools. The project has arranged two national
Local Agenda 21 seminars, in Latvia in the spring of 2000 and
in Estonia in the autumn of 2000. During the following two years,
2000 and 2001, national seminars will be organised in other countries
around the Baltic Sea as well.
Spreading Awareness to foster the Implementation of Local Agenda
21 around the Baltic Sea - the SAIL project
The SAIL project has been the first contribution to the Baltic
Local Agenda 21 Forum. The goal of SAIL is to help local authorities
in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Russia to undertake
Local Agenda 21 processes by producing information and promotion
material in national languages and by organising meetings and
workshops to engender co-operation and to facilitate networking
among local authorities, national, regional and local organisations,
as well as NGOs and individuals involved or interested in LA21.
The SAIL project was finished in the spring of 2000.
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