EEA and Norway Grants help protect the environment
Mr. Stanisław Gawłowski, Secretary of State, Polish Ministry of the Environment (to the right) and His Excellency Enok Nygaard, Norwegian Ambassador in Poland, participated at the opening of the conference in Warszaw. Photo: Kari Ertresvåg, Financial Mechanism Office.
The EEA and Norway Grants are making a difference and contributing to a better environment in the beneficiary states, reports the Ministry of the Environment.
About one quarter of the funding provided by Norway for the period 2004-2009 is spent on environmental projects.
These grants make a difference. Especially when it comes to environmental projects run by local authorities or non-governmental organizations, says Norwegian Minister of the Environment Erik Solheim.
The EEA Grants and Norway Grants were established in connection with the enlargement of the EU and European Economic Area (EEA) in 2004. The overall aim is to contribute to the reduction of social disparities in the EEA. Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein contributes 1.3 billion euro to the 15 beneficiary states. Norway, as the largest donor, provides 97 percent of the total grants. Environmental protection receives grants of approximately 283 million euro, leading to about 350 projects, programmes and funds, and thereby making environmental protection the sector receiving the most funds.
The largest part of this green funding focuses on energy efficiency and renewable energy in public buildings, in order to decrease emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. Other key areas of support include reducing water pollution, improving waste management, protecting biodiversity, and environmental monitoring.
