Working Group on Environment
The Barents Region is becoming a strategic region for Europe. Its natural resources and new transportation routes will change the global map on resource use and transportation. Barents Region is proud of its clean environment, large intact natural areas and unique indigenous culture in Europe. An important challenge, thus, for the prosperity of the region is to promote responsible, sustainable and environmentally sound economic activities.
The Working Group on Environment (WGE) covers a wide spectrum of issues and deals with both strong priorities of the Barents Cooperation and major environmental challenges.
The work is therefore organized in subgroups and prioritized themes: Barents environmental Hot Spots, Nature protection and water issues.
In addition, the Regional Working Group on Environment carries out cooperation projects between the Barents regions and works in close co-operation with the WGE and its subgroups.
WGE Chairmanship 2018-2019 was held by Sweden. Read more about the Swedish Chairmanship of the WGE in the Working Programme in English and Russian.
WGE Chairmanship 2020-2023 is held by Finland. Finland aims to boost the transition into a carbon neutral circular economy and find means to reduce the use of black carbon.
Subgroups of the WGE
Hot Spots Exclusion (SHE)
Subgroup on Nature and Water (SNW)
Events and Meetings
- 14th meeting of Barents Environmental Ministers, Luleå, Sweden, 4-5 February 2020
- WGE Meeting, Stockholm, Sweden, 27 November 2019
- WGE Meeting, Umeå, Sweden, 24-25 September 2019
- WGE Meeting, Stora Sjöfallet, Sweden, 26-28 March 2019
- WGE Meeting, Skellefteå, Sweden, 13-15 November 2018
- WGE meeting, Piteå, Sweden, 23-24 May 2018
- 13th meeting of Barents Environmental Ministers, Vadsø, Norway, 29-30 November 2017
- WGE meeting, Kjerringøy, Norway, 27-29 September 2017
- WGE meeting, Tromsø, Norway, 28 February - 1 March 2017
- WGE meeting, St. Petersburg, Russia, 21-23 September 2016
- WGE meeting, Svanhovh, Norway, 15-17 March 2016
- 12th meeting of Barents Environmental Ministers, Sortavala, Russia, 24-25 November 2015
- WGE meeting, Syktyvkar, Russia, 2-3 November 2015
- WGE meeting, Naryan-Mar, Russia, 15-16 June 2015
- WGE meeting, Arkhangelsk, Russia, 8-10 December 2014
- WGE meeting, Petrozavodsk, Russia, 8-9 April 2014
- 11th meeting of Barents Environmental Ministers, Inari, Finland, 4-5 December 2013
Activity Reports and Work Programmes
Working Group on Environment in Kjerringøy, September 2017