NGO Visits to Danmark from Russia:
In this project, ten Russian NGO representatives visited Denmark in between September 21 - 28, 2003 to see and learn about Danish experience with sustainable energy solutions and the democratic structures for the energy sector, September 2003.
After the visit, proposals were developed for sustainable energy solutions in the NGOs local area. Finally, INFORSE-Europe/OVE from Denmark visited the Russian organisations, and these solutions were presented locally in Russia.

As part of the tour in September 2003, a compendium was developed about the Danish democratic regulation of energy development, and selected examples of interesting organisatorial and technical developments. The Compendium is available from this website in English (482 kB), and in Russian (323 kB).

Several articles apeared after the Danish tour in Russia. Among others:
- Radio interview with Olga Podosenova in Ekaterinburg Exo Moskva 6.10.2003
- Article by Olga Podosenova, EcoPort Social Ecological Union 22.10.2003
- Article in "Vestnik", Newsletter of the Ural Ecological Union, Ekaterinburg, October 2003.
- Article in "Novosti Energetiki", 21 September, 2003
- Article in "Api Information Agency, Nakanune Information Publication Almanach Info", 19.09.2003
- News in ASI-Ural, 22.09, 2003
- News in Delovaja Pres, 26.09.2003
- "Forward to the Windmills", interview with Alexej Kozlov, Komuna newspaper, 17 October, 2003
- "Sun and Wind against Nuclear", Ekologicheskij gazata Voronesh, 10 October, 2003
-"Sun and Wind against Chernobyl and Global Warming, article on the Danish trip in September 2003" by Alexej Kozlov and Sveta Dorohova, Youth Human Rights Movements newsletter, Voronesh, October 2003.

The Russian participation was organised by Ecodefense, and Social Ecological Union's Center for Nuclear and Energy Policies (SEU) .

NGO Visits to Russia from Danmark:

From INFORSE-Europe/OVE, Denmark:
- Gunnar Boye Olesen visited St. Petersborg and Petrosavodsk in 1-7 December, 2003, and
- Ann Vikkelso and Judit Szoleczky visited SEU and Ecodefense in Moskva, Voronesh, and Ekaterinburg (Ural Ecological Union) in between January 26, 2003 - February 07, 2004.

During the trips several public presentations, meetings were made, 3 press conferences were organised, and local and regional televisions made interviews. Among others:

- 2-4 December, 2003; NGO Conference: Old Nuclear Reactors, Nuclear waste - Problems and Resources for Sustainable Development for North-West Russia organised by Green World, St Petersborg
At the Conference, Gunnar Boye Olesen (INFORSE/OVE Denmark) made a presentation of the Danish experience on Sustainable Energy.
- January 28, 2004; Seminar at the University in Voronesh
Sustainable Energy Perspectives (NFORSE's Sustainable Energy Vision 2050; Renewable energy in Denmark; Role of NGOs in Denmark, a country whitout nuclear power plant
Presentation by Ann Vikkelsø (INFORSE/OVE).
- January 29, 2004; Press Conference, Voronesh
Sustainable Energy (renewables and energy efficiency) Perspectives in the Voronesh region. Short presentation of the conclusions of the previous day's seminar.
Participants: Alexey Kozlov (Ecodefense-Voronesh), Ann Vikkelsø (INFORSE/OVE), Judit Szoleczky (INFORSE/OVE).
- February 2, 2004; Presentation and Press Conference / TV interviews, Ekaterinburg
Role of NGOs in Denmark, organising wind farms with cooperative ownership, functioning as advisors to the public, influencing energy planning. Lifestyle in an ecovillage in Denmark, Perspectives in Ekaterinburg region.
Presentations by Olga Podosenova, (Ural Ecological Union), Ann Vikkelsø (INFORSE/OVE, and Judit Szoleczky (INFORSE/OVE ).
- February 6, 2004; Press Conference at the Independent Press Center, Moscow
Sustainable Energy Perspectives in Russia. INFORSE's Sustainable Energy Vision 2050, Sustainable Energy in Denmark. Renewable energy and energy efficiency as alternatives to the nuclear power plants and a solution to combat climate change.
Partcipants by Ann Vikkelsø, (INFORSE/OVE) Judit Szoleczky (INFORSE/OVE), Ilya Popov (SEU) and Vladimir Slyviak (Ecodefence)

In the following links, you can read about some of these in Russian:
- Press Conference Voronesh, Article with pictures, Resist Antinuke 26.01.2003
- Regnum Information Agency 6.02.2004
- Agency of Social Information 6.2.2004
- Rosbalt National News wire 6.2.2004
- IAMIK Marketing and Consulting Info Analytical Agency 6.2.2004
- Article in the Daily Ekaterinburg region newspaper Podrobnosti 03.02.2004,
- Article in Novij Region, Ural region, Ekaterinburg, 28.01.20004
- Newswire, Inform Ekologija, 28 January, 2004
- Newswire, Ekaterinburg On-line 02.02.2004 (www.e1.ru)
- Newswire, 28.01.2004 (www.regions.ru)
- Newswire, Nobosti & Sobitija 28.01.2004 (www.uralpolit.ru)
- Newswire, Rambler Media 28.01.2004 (www.rambler.ru)

Articles published in English about the project:
- Russian Nuclear Watch: February - March 2004 issue Nr 1-2 (20)
"Russia Needs Environmentally Clean Energy and an Immediate Decommissioning of its OLD NPPs, Ratification of the Kyoto Protocol may bring funds needed for this purpuse. Russian and Danish environmental organisations have initiated activities aimed to promotion of renewable energy in the regions of Russia.” By Ecodefense, Russian branch of NIRS-WISE.
- Sustainable Energy News Nr 43, December 2003. Article "Russian-INFORSE Cooperation" on page 6, and "Russian Nuclear - A New Problematic Chapter" By Gunnar Boye Olesen, INFORSE-Europe on page 7.
- Sustainable Energy News, Nr 44, March 2004 Article "Russian-Danish Cooperation Continued" By Judit Szoleczky and Ann Vikkelso on page 7.

Project Organiser:
INFORSE-Europe/OVE, Denmark

Project Partners:
- Ecodefense (Moscow, Kaliningrad) http://www.ecodefense.ru)
- Antinuke Resistance, Voronesh http://www.resist.ru
- Ural Ecological Union, Yekaterinburg, http://www.ural.ru
- Social Ecological Union http://www.seu.ru/sovet/eng/
- Green World: (www.greenworld.org.ru).

Project duration:
April 2003 - February, 2004

Project Supported by:
Danish Open Air Council, Small Project Fund
Additionally, the Swedish Acid Rain Secretariat supported the participation of one Russian person on the Russian NGO Study Tour in Denmark with a view that a film will be made promoting renewable energy in Russia.

Pictures:

A couple of pictures illustrating the visit of the Russian NGO representatives in Denmark in September 2003:
- View to the Middelgrunden wind mill cooperative
- Meeting and presentation at the Copenhagen Energy & Environment Office
- Visiting and Meeting at the Danish Parliament
- Windmill mill in Hanstholm, after climbing up the Folkecenter's windmill.
- Solar collector Exhibition at the Danish Folkecenter for Renewable Energy
- Tree pillets used at a small heating cooperative
- Straw used for cogeneration
- Visiting NRGI's electricity appliance shop

More information on Russia:

INFORSE-Europe project in 2001:

CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY, - The Russian potential of energy efficiency and renewable energy, the Kyoto Protocol and Russian responses from governmental and non-governmental organisations.

Report Published by ECO-Accord, Moscow, and Forum for Energy and Development as OVE, INFORSE-Europe, Denmark.
August 2001. Report in English (569 kB pdf file), and in Russian (780 kB pdf)

and

Russian Wind Report
Report by Grigori Dmitriev, VetrEnergo for Gaia Apatity and INFORSE-Europe, June 2001 Contents