Russia has transferred the first tranche of 5 million euros ($6.8 million) for Arctic Council environmental projects, the Deputy Minister of Russia’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Rinat Gizatulin said Wednesday.
“The first payment from the Russian Federation to the council’s account is an important practical step that shows Russia’s interest in applying the potential of international cooperation within the framework of the Arctic Council’s work. This is going to be a real Russian investment into the implementation of the cooperation agreement on northern sea pollution prevention, which was signed by the Arctic countries in 2013 in the city of Kiruna,” Gizatulin said.
On the instruction of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Finance has to transfer a total of 10 million euros ($13.5 million) to support the Arctic Council’s projects. The next tranche of 5 million euros is to be transferred to the Arctic Council’s account in 2015.
“The council’s funds will be used to remove pollution in the Arctic, reduce the amounts of harmful emissions such as dioxins, furan and mercury. The money will also be used to reduce the amounts of highly toxic compounds that have a direct effect on climate change,” the Ministry of Finance states.
The Arctic Council is an intergovernmental forum comprising Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States that aims to protect the Arctic region’s environment and its indigenous people.
