RIASSUNTO
ABSTRACT:
An integrated database and geographic information system (GIS) ""Environmental Atlas of The White Sea"" has been created in cooperation between Petrozavodsk State University, Russia and Akvaplan-niva AS, Norway. Base maps and thematic data are among 15 topics currently included in the database. The GIS ""Environmental Atlas of The White Sea"" is built to become an efficient tool for the analysis and synthesis of aH types of ecological, economical and political information about the White Sea, and, in particular, for carrying out Environmental Impact Assessment studies and planning monitoring and research activities.
PREFACE
""Environmental Conditions in the White Sea"" is a long-term cooperative project between Petrozavodsk State University, The Republic of Karelia, Russia and Akvaplan-niva AS, Tromso, Norway. This project was one of the very first ones included into ""The Barents Programme"", the working programme of the Barents Euro-Arctic Region Co-operation. The Barents Euro-Arctic Region consists of the northern part of Europe and includes the counties of Lappland and Oulu in Finland, Norrbotten and Westerbotten in Sweden, Nordland, Troms and Finnmark in Norway, Arkhangelsk and Murmansk regions, The Republic of Karelia and Nenets Autonomous Okrug in Russia. The Barents Co-operation was formalised on 11 January, 1993. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs from Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia, together with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs or their respective representatives from Denmark, The European Union and Iceland jointly signed the Kirkenes Declaration. In 1995 - 1996 the pilot-project ""Environmental Conditions in The White Sea"" (Lukanin et al., 1996) was carried out. The goal of the pilot-project was to locate sources of data on the environmental status of the White Sea as well as to evaluate quality of data, to identify institutions possessing it and to develop a procedure to work with these institutions.