Title: Bilateral environmental cooperation in 1991¡V2001 and its role in the improvement of the ecological situation in Estonia

Authors: Andres Kratovits, Jaan-Mati Punning

Addresses: Tallinn Pedagogical University, Narva mnt. 25, 10120 Tallinn, Estonia. Institute of Ecology, Tallinn Pedagogical University, Kevade 2, Tallinn, Estonia

Abstract: Estonia has made relatively fast progress in developing its environmental policy and drafting legislation during the last decade. Strategic environmental documents and programmes have been elaborated, and Estonia has successfully started to implement the goals set in these documents. Implementation of agreed environmental policy goals requires significant financial resources as well as know-how, and international cooperation is one of the most important sources of them. Bilateral environmental cooperation with Northern and Central European countries, which is based on international regime-like arrangements and is well institutionalised, has been and still is an important source of know-how as well as financial assistance for the improvement of the state of the environment in Estonia. Experience acquired in this cooperation process has also helped Estonia to pave the way towards successful accession negotiations with the European Union.

Keywords: agreements; bilateral cooperation; environment; Estonia; European Union.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2002.000701

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2002 Vol.18 No.2, pp.138-148

Published online: 14 Jul 2003 *

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