The overall environmental situation in Northwest Russia can be summa-rised as follows:

	Huge loads on the environment in Northwest Russia from the Soviet period urgently need to be addressed
	There is an imminent need for investment in renovation and upgrading of the public utility infrastructure.
	The discharge and emission of polluting substances in Northwest Russia has been reduced during the 90ies. However, the main reason for the reduction was the serious decline in the economical activities
	The environmental problems in Northwest Russia are not solved
	If growth picks up and production increases – without new environmental investments – the strains on the environment will return to previous alarming high levels.

The sector related challenges within the water, waste and energy sectors are:

	In the short run – to carry out the urgently needed damage control of stored hazardous and nuclear waste
	In the short and medium run to increase industrial production levels and public services in North-west Russia without increasing the related load on the environment to secure clean drinking water for the population in Northwest Russia to reduce water and energy consumption as well as waste loads to replace first generation reactors at nuclear power plants
	In the longer run – to reduce the pollution levels in Northwest Russia and solve the immense environmental problems accumulated during the past e.g. disposal of hazardous and nuclear waste and oil contaminated soils

To meet these challenges in Northwest Russia the following interventions and measures are deemed needed:

	Financing of public environmental services must be improved and the funds must be used efficiently to secure highest possible contribution to protection of the environment.
	Of particular importance is the recently approved Programme for Restructuring and Modernisation of the Housing Sector, which must be efficiently implemented to address some of the most pending financial issues. It is, however, crucial for its success that new investments are based on realistic environmental financial strategies.
	The legal and institutional reforms must be accelerated in order to secure an efficient framework for the public and private sector based on environmental sustainable principles
	State and privately owned enterprises must be forced to take up their environmental responsibilities and the polluter pays principle must be better promoted and enforced
	The concept of total water management must be emphasized in Northwest Russia to, amongst other, ensure lower water consumption and economically and environmentally suitable management of utilities.
	More comprehensive and holistic Natural Resource Management approach should be introduced.
	It is necessary to establish an institutional and financial setup that provides means and incentives for reducing energy consumption and increasing efficiency in energy production and supply
	Damage control plans for stored hazardous and nuclear waste must be developed and implemented as soon as possible.
	The citizens in Northwest Russia must be properly informed on the present environmental problems and challenges – as well as their role and responsibilities toward solving these
	Continued and – if possible – strengthened international environmental co-operation through well established alliances must be util-ised in order to: draw on experiences and lessons from other countries both with regard to environmental efficiency of different set-up for legal and administrative frameworks as well as transfer of know-how and cleaner technology to improve Best-Available-Technology (BAT) in Russia. continue efforts to comply with international environmental agreements to maintain focus and attract international funding for most urgently needed environmental investments – of which many will be of transboundary significance

If these urgently needed intervention and measure are not being implemented the human health situation in Northwest Russia will further worsen and the economical recovery will be hampered in the medium and long run. Furthermore, the water quality and biodiversity of the Baltic Sea will be threatened.

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