“Specific data regarding the state of our groundwater or air, how and whether it is changing, is the basis for all of the other work we are doing in the field of the environment. That is the reason why the programme signed today is of importance to Estonia – with the help of new technological solutions, the opportunity to monitor the condition of the environment will improve. This means that we have better opportunities to react to changes, when needed,” noted Minister of the Environment Keit Pentus. The non-returnable foreign aid granted to Estonia is 39.92 million Swiss francs, or nearly EUR 32 million, of which 8.5 million francs will be directed to improving the sustainability of environmental monitoring in the field of air and radiation. Support is being provided to 11 sub-projects via the programme, which are being implemented by the Land Board, the Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences of the Estonian University of Life Sciences, the Environmental Board, the Institute of Physics at University of Tartu, the Estonian Marine Institute at University of Tartu, the Geological Survey of Estonia, the Estonian Environmental Research Centre, the Marine Systems Institute at Tallinn University of Technology, and the Ministry of the Environment. Taking place with the support of the cooperation programme lasting until 2015 is the modernisation and expansion of Estonia’s environmental monitoring system, with the objective being to raise the quality of service and thereby improve the speed and reliability of data communication. For example, the upgrading of sampling equipment is supported within the framework of the programme. The funds are also being used to upgrade environmental monitoring stations, laboratories and other environmental monitoring equipment. Within the framework of the projects being financed by the programme, procurements are being conducted for the acquisition of pertinent equipment along with the training of specialists to work with the equipment. European Union Member States may use Swiss support for the reduction of economic and social disparities in the European Union. The framework agreement of the Estonian-Swiss Cooperation Programme was signed in 2007. Additional information: www.fin.ee/shveits. |
