Mercury can transform into a highly toxic form – methyl mercury – which then accumulates in, for example, fish and seafood. Photo: Johannes Jansson/norden.orgDo you think it is only volcanic ash from Iceland that moves freely across national borders on the wind? Wrong. Mercury, one of the world's most dangerous environmental toxins, behaves in a similar way. Therefore, we must all work together to ensure that an ambitious global agreement is reached which will regulate the use of mercury and its release into the environment.

The Nordic countries have endeavoured to boost this important work and made efforts to ensure that such an international agreement is reached at the UN Mercury Conference in Stockholm from 7–11 June.

A Swedish household handbook from 1909 claimed that head lice could be treated by rubbing mercury and fat into the skin. Today we know better: we are aware that mercury is harmful to both health and the environment. The Nordic countries have deliberately limited the use of mercury in several products. However, keeping our own house in order is not enough. Most of the mercury that falls in the Nordic region originates in other countries far from our shores. In order to clean our home, we need a global agreement. Thus, the mercury agreement should be binding in all countries.

Nordic Council of Ministers' secretary-general Halldór Ásgrímsson (left) and Danish minister of foreign affairs Lene Espersen at the Baltic Development Forum 2010. Photo: Silje Bergum Kinsten/norden.orgThe Nordic model of joining forces in the fields of innovation and research could inspire other countries in the Baltic Sea region, said Lene Espersen, the Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the Baltic Development Forum in Vilnius on 2 June.

The Top-Level Research Initiative is part of NCM's globalisation programme, which aims at jointly meeting the challenges of globalisation, especially within the areas of climate, energy, health and welfare.

The initiative consists of six sub-programmes:

Marina Kaljurand, Undersecretary at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Uffe Balslev, Ambassador of Denmark in Estonia. Photo: Rene PringiFulfilment of the Maastricht criteria, finishing of accession negotiations with the OECD, the first signs of improvement in exports, the first signs of possible economic growth and a better image of Estonia are the positive things to come out of an otherwise difficult 2009 according to Marina Kaljurand, the Undersecretary for Economic and Development Affairs at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Today we can see that the political and financial decisions taken in Estonia were right, but nothing has come for free – it's come at a significant cost," said Kaljurand at a reception of the Finnish, Swedish, Danish Chambers of Commerce in Estonia and the Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM) Office in Estonia in February. "Cuts in wages, cuts in personnel, the high unemployment rate and lost jobs are all personal tragedies, and there is uncertainty about the future."

Karen Ellemann. Photo: Johannes Jansson/norden.org As a result of this week's major government reshuffle in Denmark, the post of Minister for Nordic Co-operation has been reallocated. Experienced minister Bertel Haarder has been replaced by Karen Ellemann, who is also in charge of Danish environmental policy.

"I'm happy to be taking on this role, and I am especially keen to find common solutions to the big challenges presented by globalisation for the Nordic countries," says Ellemann. The daughter of the famous Nordic veteran politician Uffe Ellemann-Jenseni, Ellemann was first voted into Parliament in 2007. A educated teacher, Ellemann has been heavily involved in the Danish Liberal Party's integration and family policies.

Danish national coat of arms made of ice and flag. Photo: Nikolaj Bock/norden.org"We have the courage to invest strategically and offensively so that Nordic co-operation continues to generate added value for our citizens and binds or nations even more closely together," emphasises Prime Minister of Denmark Lars Løkke Rasmussen, the leader of the country that took over the presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers from Iceland on 1 January.

Globalisation and the associated challenges and opportunities and creation of a sustainable and green Nordic region are the main key words during the presidency of Denmark. It means that Denmark will continue with the globalisation work, which was approved by the Nordic prime ministers in Punkaharju, Finland, in 2007.

The financial crisis, which also affected the Nordic countries, became a worrying factor of globalisation in the last year. Production decreased in the whole world and unemployment increased. The crisis is not likely to end this year and it will leave its mark on Denmark's presidency. However, Denmark as the presiding country of the Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM) in 2010 emphasises that economic and social development must in balance with environmental protection and the fight against climate change irrespective of the economic difficulties. All people must have good living conditions.

Think global, not tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, but immediately when you start off your business - that is, if you really want to succeed in business in Estonia.

This is one of the main messages delivered by Nordic as well as Estonian speakers to participants in a Nordic-Baltic Innovation Seminar in Tallinn on May 8th. The fully booked seminar gathered more than one hundred participants in the Museum of Estonian Architecture by the passenger harbour.

"The Nordic countries ought to strengthen their co-operation and face the challenges of globalisation to avoid marginalisation," according to Lars Oxelheim, Professor at Lund University in Sweden and affiliated with Fudan University in Shanghai, in a debate article in 'Svenska Dagbladet’ today.

Halldór Ásgrímsson, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, points at Nordic strengths in the context of globalisation. The Secretary General has presented a joint Nordic perspective on the challenges of globalisation. The presumption is that many of the challenges posed by globalisation cannot be solved by one country or a region on its own, but that a multilateral approach is required.

The Nordic region has good potential because the same values are shared, the region has a well-developed knowledge infrastructure, competitiveness and a creative potential beyond comparison.