The Bellona Foundation — Introduction
The Bellona Foundation is an international environmental NGO based in Norway. Founded in 1986 as a direct action protest group, Bellona has become a recognised technology and solution-oriented organization with offices in Oslo, Brussels, Washington D.C., St. Petersburg and Murmansk. Altogether, some 75 engineers, ecologists, nuclear physicists, economists, lawyers, political scientists and journalists work at Bellona.
Bellona endeavours to identify and implement sustainable solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental problems. These include the fight against global climate change, the environmental impact of the oil and gas industry in Europe and Russia and the cleanup after the legacy of the Cold War in Russia.
Climate change is an enormous challenge. It can only be solved if politicians and legislators develop clear policy frameworks and regulations for industry and consumers. Industry plays a role by developing and commercialising environmentally sound technology. Bellona strives to be a bridge builder between industry and policy makers, working closely with the former to help them respond to environmental challenges in their fields, and proposing policy measures that promote new technologies with the least impact on the environment.
Bellona Europa
With the European Union (EU) setting the environmental agenda for Europe, the EU has become one of the most important policy arenas for Bellona. In 1996, Bellona opened its Brussels branch, Bellona Europa, whose main tasks are to advocate and lobby for important environmental issues in EU policies, and work towards policies and legislation that combat climate change. In many instances, Bellona creates forums for dialogue between representatives from industry, EU institutions, politicians and NGOs in order to identify new legislation and policies that make environmentally friendly solutions profitable.
Bellona USA
Since 1996, Bellona USA has worked primarily with the challenges related to decommissioned submarines and the storage of nuclear waste in Russia. Keeping the United States involved in our work in Russia has strengthened nuclear safety efforts and increased the concern for civil society in Russia. Today the focus of Bellona USA is expanding and reflects many of Bellona’s areas of expertise. In addition to nuclear safety issues, Bellona USA works with climate challenges and solutions, such as the production of gas and coal without greenhouse emissions through carbon capture and storage, and the potential for hydrogen as an energy carrier.
Bellona Russia
Ever since Bellona was founded we have been concerned with the enormous environmental challenges in Russia – ranging from the dismantling of nuclear submarines to giving free legal advice on environmental matters. Today Bellona has two offices in Russia. Bellona Murmansk was established in 1994, followed by The Environmental Rights Centre (ERC) Bellona St. Petersburg, in 1998.
Bellona Murmansk works primarily with energy issues including monitoring oil and gas developments in the Barents Sea, promoting renewable energy in Northwest Russia, and increasing nuclear safety by advocating solutions for unresolved nuclear waste issues. The ERC Bellona informs and educates citizens in environmental rights, renders legal assistance to victims of environmental abuses, and assists in the development of environmental law in accordance with international standards. The office also organises courses on environmental journalism. Our efforts in Russia are directed at creating a civil society capable of participating in decision-making.
An important precondition for solving environmental problems in Russia is open access to information. The struggle to release environmental information and open closed doors is therefore a priority task for Bellona.