Baltic Sea action plan adopted

2429, 15/11/07

Environment ministers of Baltic Sea countries adopted a wide-ranging action plan to improve the sea's environment on Thursday, at a meeting in Krakow, Poland, of the Helsinki commission (Helcom). The plan aims to drastically reduce marine pollution and restore the Baltic to "good ecological status" by 2021.

The Helcom plan has been developed through a multi-stakeholder process and covers four action areas: eutrophication, toxic chemicals, shipping and biodiversity (EED 09/03/07 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/22793).

Among the measures foreseen are country-specific nutrient input reduction targets for nitrogen and phosphorus (EED 20/09/07 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/23914). Coastal countries must develop national programmes to reach these targets and implement other specific measures.

There will be restrictions on the use of nine organic substances and two heavy metals identified as of specific concern in the Baltic. On shipping, measures will be implemented jointly with the International maritime organization, and there will be new recommendations on improving maritime safety and limiting pollution from ships.

The plan highlights the need for a comprehensive "ecosystem approach" to planning marine activities. It also maps out a network of marine protected areas to be established around the Baltic by 2010.

The Baltic Sea action plan is widely seen as a pilot for future regional plans that will need to be drawn up for all European seas to implement the forthcoming EU marine strategy (EED 09/10/07 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/24043). The deadlines also coincide with those in the EU's water framework directive.

Greenpeace criticised what it said were weak limits on nutrient inputs and called for an end to economic exploitation of at least 40 per cent of the Baltic. It launched its own parallel recovery roadmap for the water body. Meanwhile BirdLife said the plan did not adequately address the impact of oil pollution on marine life.

Follow-up: Helcom http://www.helcom.fi/,

plus news release http://www.helcom.fi/press_office/news_helcom/en_GB/News_Flash_BSAP/,

action plan details http://www.helcom.fi/BSAP/en_GB/About_BSAP/, plus reaction from BirdLife

http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2007/11/baltic_sea_action_plan.html and Greenpeace press release

http://www.greenpeace.org/finland/fi/mediakeskus/lehdistotiedotteet/greenpeace-vaatii-ymparistoemin

(Finnish) and Baltic Sea roadmap http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/finland/fi/dokumentit/itameriraportti.pdf.