Sixth Baltic Sea Pollution Load Compilation
(2012-2018)
The project is an implementation of HELCOM Recommendation 26/2 to, every sixth year carry out a pollution load assessment (PLC) including a quantification of waterborne point, diffuse and natural sources. The timing of the PLC-6 report will also provide those Contracting Parties that are EU member states with input for 2018 reporting requirements under the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Furthermore, the results of the PLC-6 project will provide valuable information for assessing progress in reaching the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan nutrient reduction targets, including expected nutrient reductions as a result of implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) river basin management plans by the HELCOM EU countries and to overall evaluate effectiveness of nutrient reduction measures taken within the Baltic Sea catchment area.
Objectives
The overall task of the project is to
prepare a comprehensive assessment of the water- and airborne inputs and
their sources to the Baltic Sea during the period 1994-2014 with more
detailed assessment for 2014 by:
- Updating
the 5th Pollution Load Compilation (PLC-5) and the updated PLC report
submitted to the 2013 HELCOM Ministerial Meeting (PLC-5.5), including
information on nutrient inputs via air and water, as well as their
sources.
- Further
updating the PLC Guidelines and extending them with new standardized
methods, standard values, statistical assessment for improving data
quality and quantifying uncertainty on national datasets to ensure more
complete, consistent and comparable data between Contracting Parties,
and complying with new requirements for follow-up of the fulfilment of
nutrient input reductions targets agreed upon within HELCOM (e.g. 2007
Baltic Sea Action Plan, BSAP and possible revised reduction requirements
after HELCOM Ministerial Meeting in 2013).
The Sixth Pollution Load Compilation (PLC-6) project will be carried out in six consecutive stages
- Development
of standardized methodology to calculate uncertainties on national
datasets including methodology for filling in data gaps and missing data
and development of standardized methodology for evaluating countries
progress in fulfilling BSAP nutrient reduction targets
- Quality Assurance standardisation activities and carrying out intercalibration/ intercomparison activities
- Updating and extending of the PLC-water Guidelines
- National monitoring in 2014 (Poland and one federal state in Germany in 2012)
- Data
collection, submission, national quality assurance and compilation and
corresponding activities by data manager, taking into account the
modernization of PLC database
- Data
assessment, data products including air blame matrixes, preparation and
publication of PLC-6 Report and an executive PLC6 summary
Expected results
The objectives of the sixth periodic pollution load compilation on pollution of the Baltic Sea from land-based sources are to:
- Compile
information on the waterborne inputs of important pollutants (primarily
nitrogen and phosphorus) entering the Baltic Sea during 1994 to 2014
and from different sources in the Baltic Sea catchment area on the basis
of harmonised monitoring methods
- Compile
information on airborne input of nitrogen, phosphorus and selected
hazardous substances to the Baltic Sea sub-basins from different
countries and sources by using information delivered by EMEP
- Assess
long-term changes in the pollution load to the Baltic Sea by
normalizing data and making trend analysis with standardized
methodologies
- Determine the priority order of different sources of pollutants for the pollution of the Baltic Sea
- Overall, assess the effect of measures taken to reduce the pollution load in the Baltic Sea catchment area
- Assess
the development of nutrient waterborne and airborne loads to evaluate
progresses in fulfilling nutrient reduction targets of the Baltic Sea
Action Plan from different countries to the different main Baltic Sea
sub-basins
- Provide
information for assessment of long-term changes and the state of the
marine environment in the open sea and the coastal zones
- Develop
standardized methodology to calculate statistical uncertainty on
national datasets, methodology for filling in gaps and missing data and
development of standardized methodology for evaluating countries
progress in fulfilling BSAP nutrient reduction targets
- Develop revised and extended PLC guidelines.
A
popular report, summarizing the air and waterborne loads of nutrient
inputs to the Baltic Sea shall, be produced after the finalization of
the PLC-6 report.
For more information, please contact:
Lars Svendsen
Project Manager
Chair of HELCOM Expert Group on follow-up of national progress towards reaching BSAP nutrient reduction targets (HELCOM LOAD)
Danish Centre for Environment and Energy (NERI)
University of Aarhus
Vejlsoevej 25
DK-8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
lms@dmu.dk
Tel: +45 4587158795