The city of Tampere together with the Baltic Institute as an executing agency is coordinating a cooperation project between Finnish cities and the St. Petersburg City Environmental Committee on developing air quality monitoring system and distribution of related information. This one-year project is an outcome of the City Twinning Programme established between the Finnish Ministry of Environment and the St. Petersburg City Environmental Committee. The project activities will be launched in November 2004 with a study tour to Finland.

This project is designed to promote and accelerate development of comprehensive local environmental protection systems in the framework of interregional city-level collaboration focusing on air quality monitoring in St.Petersburg and the involved Finnish cities. Project activities will facilitate and enhance exchange and dissemination of information, experiences and best practices between St. Petersburg and Finnish cities in developing local air quality monitoring systems as well as raising public awareness. Through in-depth analysis of the present environment protection systems and data available, the project will enhance capacities of local policy makers, officials and experts in design, management and evaluation of air quality monitoring systems, including data management and distribution as well as establishing collaboration with local industry. This project will facilitate effective interregional environmental cooperation to ensure sustainability of the project results and acceleration of joint initiatives.

 The city of Tampere and the city of Imatra are the key Finnish partners providing local level experiences and lessons learnt on air quality monitoring and collaboration with local industry in environmental protection. The Finnish Meteorological Institute provides up-to-date research and practical knowledge on air quality assessment, emission inventory, dispersion modelling, air quality monitoring and data management as well as corresponding air quality legislation and standardization in national and European level. The experience of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council in management of air quality monitoring with special emphasis on information distribution in the capital city area will be utilized in the project. The challenge of data management on air quality as well as raising public awareness is a cross-cutting theme in the project activities.

Further information:

Ms. Minna Hanhijarvi, Project Manager