TRAFFIC
According to the seminar, traffic seemed to be the number one environmental problem in most cities. In Vilnius, for example, cars are responsible for 88 % of all air pollution in the city, and in Helsinki nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide concentrations rode to extremely high levels during the harsh winter of 1995 .
Many of the participating cities intend to improve the situation by reforming the existing street network and constructing new roads and tunnels to reduce through traffic. More innovative approaches were the replacement of gasoline and diesel in the city-fleet with alternative, more environmentally friendly fuels (Stockholm) and lending more support to the combination of public and private transport by, e.g., taking your bicycle on the train or parking your car close to public transport stop (Copenhagen).
WASTE WATER
Dr Pekka Kansanen from Helsinki opened the discussion by naming the state of the Baltic Sea as well as, in particular, the cyanophyte problem of summer 1997 as Helsinki´s the hottest environmental subjects at the moment. He called for a long-term reduction of the nutrient load and cooperation between all actors to solve this problem.
Indeed, waste water treatment is high on the priority list of most cities. The western cities have quite efficient treatment plants already and eastern cities are reducing their waste water discharging rapidly. Tallinn has successfully reduced its waste water load to the Gulf of Finland during the 1990´s and Vilnius opened its biological waste water treatment plant in 1996. At present, there is construction work also going on in St Petersburg which will raise the total volume of treated waste water to 75 % by the year 2000.
CONTAMINATED SOILS
Contaminated soils is a common and expensive problem to many of the big northern cities. The volume of contaminated soils is rapidly increasing, e.g., in Helsinki as old industrial sites are rebuilt into residential areas. Turku, too - which has been subject to a wide range of industrial activity - is facing this problem. In the cities of the east, former Soviet Army military bases constitute an additional problem.
LOCAL AGENDA 21
The cities of Stockholm, Gothenburg and Oslo stressed their Local Agenda 21 activities. Stockholm aims at engaging everyone living in the city in this work for a sustainable Stockholm. During the last two years, a total of 215 people have been employed to kick-off the activities. Gothenburg has been working with this issue since 1993 with the motto "Our part of the world - our responsibility", and Oslo is currently preparing a Local Agenda strategy for its urban area.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Waste management was mentioned only by Helsinki, Tallinn and Gothenburg, but it may be presumed to be an important question in other cities as well.
OTHER INITIATIVES
Apart from traditional environmental protection topics, some innovative and open-minded ideas were also presented at the seminar. For instance, Stockholm has created rules and routines for central procurement which encourage the purchase of environmentally friendly products, also banning certain chemicals. Gothenburg awards an Environmental Diploma to environmentally sound businesses in the city. It has become a sign for quality amongst hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and other enterprises. In addition, a shop for treating luminescent mercury lamps shall soon be opened in Vilnius.
