A large number of environmental challenges exist that must be faced in cooperation – at national, regional and global levels. These challenges are primarily climate change, the use and discharge of hazardous chemicals, protection of marine ecosystems and protection and utilisation of biological diversity. The cooperation between the Nordic countries needs to be enhanced to optimise the util-isation of available resources and find joint solutions in the Nordic region. The Nordic countries have an ambition of making the Nordic region a pioneer region in the environmental area and sharing their experience with others. The awareness of our consumption and production patterns being decisive to the condition of the environment means that the economy and the environment must be considered together.