Kaliningrad to host a Stakeholder Workshop on the implementation of the HELCOM Baltic recovery plan

Helsinki, 16 May (HELCOM Information Service) – Senior government officials of Russia’s Kaliningrad Region, representatives of the local and international scientific and business communities, international financial institutions (IFIs), NGO’s, as well as diplomats and officials from neighbouring countries will take part in a Stakeholder Workshop which will be held in the city of Kaliningrad on 22 May to discuss the upcoming implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. This ambitious programme of actions was adopted last year by the Baltic Sea countries and the European Commission - all members of HELCOM - to drastically reduce pollution to the sea and restore its good ecological status by 2021.

It is expected that the Workshop will be opened by the Governor of Kaliningrad Oblast, Georgy Boos. It is seen as symbolically important, reflecting Region’s support and commitment to the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan.  

The overall objective of the Workshop, which is arranged in close cooperation between HELCOM, the Nordic Council of Ministers and the regional Russian authorities, is to facilitate the involvement of stakeholders into the process of implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan in Kaliningrad Region.

“The Workshop will discuss actions within all the four segments of the action plan, concerning combating eutrophication caused by excessive inputs of nitrogen and phosphorous which mainly originate from inadequately treated sewage and agricultural run-off, preventing pollution by hazardous substances, halting habitat destruction and the decline in biodiversity, and improving maritime safety and accident response capacity,” says Anne Christine Brusendorff, HELCOM’s Executive Secretary. “However, the major focus will be on eutrophication and biodiversity, as well as other issues that are of interest to Kaliningrad Region.”  

Both pollution from municipal wastewater as well as from agricultural runoff and the status of biodiversity will be addressed at parallel sections in order to elaborate concrete actions to solve existing environmental problems, which should be launched already within 2008.

The financial aspects of the plan’s implementation and the cost-efficiency of measures will be one of the top issues. Discussions will particularly focus on the sources of funding, involvement of the international financial institutions and the private sector in the implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. Much attention will be focused on understanding their requirements for providing financing support, as well as how to prepare successful projects to ensure and increase the investments for marine environmental protection. It is expected that IFIs such as the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Nordic Dimension Environmental Partnership (NDEP), the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO), as well as local banks will participate in the discussions.

“The outcome report from the Workshop with concrete suggestions on priority issues would serve as a roadmap for the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan in Kaliningrad Region,” says Brusendorff. “HELCOM considers regional/national workshops as a crucial means to facilitate the elaboration of national programmes of action and development of prioritised lists of actions, and acquire financing for speeding-up the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan.”

Kaliningrad Region will be the second to host such an event. Sweden has already arranged a workshop for municipal authorities on financing of actions for the implementation of the action plan. It was held in Stockholm on 25 January 2008.

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. Mikhail Durkin

Professional Secretary

HELCOM

Tel.: +358 (0)207 412 621

Fax: +358 (0)207 412 639

E-mail: mikhail.durkin@helcom.fi

Mr. Nikolay Vlasov

Information Secretary

HELCOM

Tel: +358 (0)207 412 635

Fax: +358 (0)207 412 639

E-mail: nikolay.vlasov@helcom.fi