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The Ministry of the Environment concluded a voluntary agreement with the representatives of the promoters of nature tourism in Lahemaa

Keit Pentus, Minister of the Environment, and Mare Kalme, Chairman of the Board of MTÜ KEEL (MTÜ Koostöövõrgustik Ehedad Elamused Lahemaal, NGO the Cooperation Network “Authentic Experiences in Lahemaa”) concluded a voluntary agreement today, with the aim of working closer together in order to develop and promote environment-friendly nature tourism services in Estonia.

Enhancing its cooperation with professional associations provides the Ministry of the Environment with an opportunity to reach more businesses and induce them to disseminate environmental information and follow environmental requirements. When concluding a voluntary agreement, professional associations consider environmental issues in their activities and constantly educate their members on environmental matters.

MTÜ KEEL is an umbrella organisation uniting fifteen family businesses who jointly promote environmental tourism services in Lahemaa. With this agreement, the cooperation network supports its members’ activities that are aimed at the prevention and mitigation of a negative environmental impact of their activities and implementation of the corresponding measures. They also undertake to raise public awareness of the nature and principles of sustainable nature tourism.

The agreement prescribes that the Ministry of the Environment shall notify MTÜ KEEL of any planned amendments in legislature and include their representative into the legislation process, if possible. The Ministry also undertakes to inform the partner of trainings, seminars and information days organised by the Ministry of the Environment. The Ministry of the Environment has undertaken to induce the promotion of sustainable and environment-friendly tourism services in Estonia.

Voluntary agreements are concluded in order to confirm joint understanding and goals established between the Ministry of the Environment and businesses/organisations. No financial liabilities arise from these agreements, the agreements enter into force upon signature and are entered into for an unspecified term but they can be terminated upon agreement of both parties. The popularity of such agreements is growing, especially among professional associations through which a large number of companies are used in order to achieve the obligations undertaken by these agreements. MTÜ KEEL is the tenth partner with whom the Ministry of the Environment has concluded a voluntary agreement.