Taiga forests are surrounding Rovaniemi, Finland

In Rovaniemi, located in Finland at the "gate to the Arctic" on the Arctic circle at 66.6' degrees North, the circumpolar Arctic environmental cooperation started in 1991. On invitation of Finland the environmental Ministers of the eight Arctic countries came together to launch the Arctic Environmental Protections Strategy (AEPS). In 1996 evolved the "Rovaniemi Process", on initiative of Canada, to the establishment of the Arctic Council. Today's intergovernmental cooperation of the Arctic Council is still focused on environmental cooperation and sustainable development, which makes the Arctic quite region unique and the Rovaniemi Process still alive. The pictures of this series just provide some illustration of the environment around the capital of Finish Lapland.