Mr. Heiki Kranich, Minister of the Environment of Estonia, and Mr. Jouni Backman, Minister of the Environment of Finland yesterday signed the Agreement on Joint Implementation of Emission Reductions of Greenhouse Gases between the Government of the Republic of Estonia and the Government of the Republic of Finland which will enable to exchange greenhouse gas emissions quota in the future. The agreement is the first of its kind to be signed between Estonia and another state, also being among the first ones in the whole Baltic Sea region. According to the Agreement, Estonia and Finland take the obligation to jointly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. The Ministries of the Environment of Estonia and Finland have held negotiations for preparation of an intergovernmental agreement concerning joint implementation of emission reductions of greenhouse gases since 2000. Similar negotiations are currently under way with The Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark. The Ministry of the Environment of Finland has already initiated two joint implementation projects in Estonia. At the Tamsalu and Kadrina district heating boilers the former oil shale based boilers were replaced with new chipwood based ones. To date, the Ministry of the Environment of Finland has approved the initiation of two more joint implementation projects. At Paide district heating boiler the existing boiler will be replace with a biofuel based one. Besides, the construction of a 60 MW wind park in Estonia is planned. Estonia ratified the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1994. The main aim of the Convention is reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2000 to the emission level of 1990. At the Third Conference of Parties to the Convention (held in 1997) the Kyoto Protocol was approved. Estonia ratified this Protocol on September 3, 2002. The Kyoto Protocol stipulates the precise percentages for the parties for emission reduction concerning six greenhouse gases. According to the Kyoto Protocol, Estonia will need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within 2008-2012 by eight per cent as compared with the 1990 emission level. The Act on Ratification of the Kyoto Protocol delegates to the Government of Estonia the right to conclude international agreements concerning transfer of emission reduction units. For additional information please contact: |
