FMI part of new EU Project that aims to improve environmental performance in Azerbaijan

On 15 February, a Twinning project "Upgrading the National Environmental Monitoring System (NEMS) of Azerbaijan on the base of EU best practices" funded by EU has been launched with a kick-off meeting at Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources in Baku.

The purpose of the project is to strengthen the environmental monitoring system ensuring provision of the high quality information that supports strategic environmental policy planning and compliance control. The duration of the project is 27 months starting from November 2016 and the budget 1.4 million euros.

Mr. Huseyn Baghirov, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan opened the meeting. The event was attended by Head of cooperation Jeroen Willems from Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Ms. Arja Makkonen, Ambassador of Finland, H, Mr. Harri Pietarila, the Member State Project Leader from Finland and Mr. Arastun Hasanov, the Beneficiary Country Project Leader. Representatives of relevant government agencies and stakeholders and other twinning projects also participated at the launch of project event. Present from Finland were also Katja Loven from FMI who works as the Resident Twinning Advisor for the project, as well as expert Kristiina Saarinen from Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE).

The participating European bodies in the project are the consortium of the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) in cooperation with Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre (LEGMC) and Umweltbundesamt GmbH (Environment Agency Austria, UBA). Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) will provide the implementation assistance.

Additional information:

Katja Lovén, Resident Twinning Advisor, EU funded Twinning project:Upgrading the National Environmental Monitoring System (NEMS)of Azerbaijan on the base of EU practices+994 50 326 2570 (Azerbaijan),+358 50 919 5456 (Finland)Email: katja.loven@fmi.fi