Press release
HELCOM adopts two new Recommendations, announces the elimination of a major pollution hot spot
Helsinki, 6 March (HELCOM Information Service) – The 29th annual Meeting of the Helsinki Commission ended here today with the adoption of two new Recommendations and announcement of the recovery of a major pollution hot spot in the Baltic Sea region. At the two-day meeting, the Delegations of the HELCOM Member States also reviewed the organisation’s progress in the protection of the Baltic marine environment from pollution and set new objectives and priorities for future work.
Preparations for the upcoming implementation phase of the Baltic Sea Action Plan which was adopted by HELCOM to restore the Baltic marine environment by 2021 topped the agenda of the Meeting. The Meeting agreed on the composition of the recently established international ad hoc Group which will steer the implementation of the action plan, and decided to launch its work in the beginning of April. Representatives of the Baltic Sea countries and the European Community unanimously appointed the Finnish Ambassador for the Baltic Sea Issues, Mr. Ole Norrback as Chairman of the Group. The HELCOM Member States also nominated national representatives to the Implementation Group, as well as invited representatives from major international financial institutions (IFIs) and other stakeholders to participate in its work.
“With the formation of the Implementation Group we can now roll-up our sleeves and start the real work, something everybody is anxiously awaiting,” said Anne Christine Brusendorff, HELCOM’s Executive Secretary. “The task of the Group is to supervise and lead the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan, advise the Commission on any additional actions, as well as consider financial issues, including the financing possibilities of the agreed measures, the cost efficiency and economic incentives.”
Representatives of the HELCOM Member States also considered the outcome of the 3rd Stakeholder Conference on the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan, which was held prior to the annual Meeting. The financial aspect of the plan’s implementation was one of the top issues at the Conference. Participants, representing governments, scientific and business communities of the Baltic Sea coastal countries, as well as the European Community, and major regional organisations discussed the availability of sources of funding, involvement of IFIs and the private sector. Much attention was focused on understanding the requirements for providing financing support, as well as how to prepare successful projects to ensure and increase the investments for marine environmental protection.
The annual Helsinki Commission Meeting reviewed the activities of the five HELCOM Subsidiary Groups, as well as working programmes, intersessional work and ongoing projects, including the implementation of the Baltic Sea Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme (JCP). The continuing recovery of major pollution hot spots in the Baltic Sea coastal countries was one of the key issues. The Meeting deleted Hot Spot No. 22 – “St. Petersburg Metal Plating Industry/Heavy metals in wastewater and sludge” from the list of the Baltic Sea’s most significant pollution source hot spots. The local industry has made major investments in wastewater treatment techniques resulting in significant reduction of pollution. Currently, a total of 79 hot spots and sub-hot spots remain on the list, following the deletion of 83 of the earlier identified 162 hot spots/sub-hot spots.
Among the two new HELCOM regulations – Recommendations No. 29/1 and No. 29/2, adopted by the HELCOM Meeting, the first one deals with reduction of emissions from crematoria, setting limits for emissions of mercury and other harmful substances to the air. Crematoria are considered as a significant point source for mercury emissions in many of the Baltic Sea countries. The second Recommendation is on harmonization of methods of sampling and reporting the amount and type of marine litter on the beach within the Baltic Sea region, as part of a global initiative to assess the impact of marine litter.
Follow-up:
Press releases on the outcome of the 3rd Stakeholder Conference on the Baltic Sea Action Plan: http://www.helcom.fi/press_office/news_helcom/en_GB/3rd_Conference_outcome_1/ and http://www.helcom.fi/press_office/news_helcom/en_GB/3rd_conference_outcome_2/
Note to Editors:
The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, more usually known as the Helsinki Commission, or HELCOM, is an intergovernmental organisation of all the nine Baltic Sea countries and the EU which works to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution.
HELCOM is the governing body of the "Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area," known as the Helsinki Convention.
For more information, please contact:
Mr. Nikolay Vlasov
Information Secretary
HELCOM
Tel: +358 (0)207 412 635
Fax: +358 (0)207 412 639
E-mail: nikolay.vlasov@helcom.fi