About NERI
The National Environmental Research Institute
(NERI) is a research institute affiliated to the Danish Ministry of the
Environment and Energy. NERI's mission is to provide the scientific basis
and environmental information for decisions in areas where political, administrative
and commercial activities are important to Nature and the external environment.
NERI performs strategic and applied
research and is responsible for collection and the overall management and
coordination of data on nature and the environment. NERI is also committed
to providing the environmental authorities with extensive guidance and
professional support, in particular The Danish Environmental Protection
Agency and the National Forest and Nature Agency of the Ministry of the
Environment and Energy.
As a research institute NERI is independent
of the political/administrative system when carrying out research and monitoring
and presenting the results. This separation is ensured in the legislation
regulating NERI which places the overall management of NERI in the hands
of a board representing both research and consumer interests.
Organization and finance
NERI's structure includes the Board of Governors,
the Office of the Director General and the Deputy Director General, the
R&D Section, the Personnel and Economy Secretariat and seven research
departments. The departments are located in Roskilde near Copenhagen, and
in Silkeborg and Kalø near Århus. In Roskilde and Silkeborg
fully equipped modern laboratories were built in 1991. The facilities are
meeting all relevant safety obligations in connection with the handling
of toxic substances and genetically engineered microorganisms.
NERI's total turnover in 1994 amounts
DKK 188 Million equivalent to US $ 31 Million. The personnel figure is
about 450 staff members, including 30 PhD students. Of NERI's resources
about 40% is used on research and about 60% on monitoring, data activities
and professional guidance of authorities.
NERI's tasks
The research at NERI comprises a broad section
of disciplines and is undertaken in cooperation with national and international
research institutes and in formal research centres in order to maintain
high scientific standards and to facilitate co-ordination of research activities.
NERI's current research areas are: Atmospheric Research, Environmental
& Analytical Chemistry, Ecotoxicology, Microbiology, Marine Ecology,
Estuarine Ecology, Lake Ecology, Streams and Catchment Areas, Arable Land
Ecology, Uncultivated Areas and Woodlands, Population Ecology, Systems
Analysis, Traffic & Environment and Environmental Data.
NERI is National Data Center for
freshwater, marine and air pollution as well as game species data and has
the responsibility for international data bases on waterfowl.
International collaboration
The European Environmental Agency will play
a vital role in the European cooperation on environmental data. The Community
has established the Agency in Denmark and NERI has been nominated as National
Focal Point. In addition NERI participates in two of the first European
thematic centers established within the frame of the Agency. NERI has contributed
to the pan-European publication describing the state of the environment
in Europe, Europe's Environment 1993, and participates in the development
of an information system for exchange of data between European countries.
Besides normal international scientific contacts with universities abroad
NERI participates in several international research networks and undertakes
professional data tasks in connection with Denmark's adoption of various
international conventions e.g. reporting environmental information to ECE,
HELCOM, PARCOM, EMEP etc.
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