Sweden to host a high-level seminar on the Baltic marine environment protection

Helsinki, 12 August (HELCOM Information Service) – As part of the HELCOM Chairmanship, Sweden will hold a high-level Seminar entitled ‘Building marine policy on best available knowledge’ in Stockholm on 25 August, following the 33^rd Meeting of the HELCOM Heads of Delegation. It is expected that the representatives of all the HELCOM Members, including ministers of the environment from Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Poland and Sweden, will participate in this event.

The seminar is part of the Swedish HELCOM Chairmanship Programme. This programme aims at strengthening the implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan to drastically reduce pollution to the marine environment and restore its good ecological status by 2021 and guaranteeing that HELCOM decisions are based on best available scientific knowledge. It also focuses on strengthening the role of HELCOM regarding regional marine environmental issues and in the implementation of EU policies relevant for the Baltic Sea region. Additionally, the programme calls for regular high-level meetings in order to provide continued support from the highest political level for the efficient measures to restore the Baltic Sea.

“The seminar will consist of three sessions including a high level ministerial segment addressing the latest assessment of the state of the environment in the Baltic Sea, scientific challenges, important policy processes, and new tools and measures,” says HELCOM’s Chairlady, Ms. Gabriella Lindholm. “

Session I  “Science challenges in marine policy development” will include short presentations on important scientific challenges such as long term assessments, accounting and modelling related to major environmental issues in the Baltic Sea region such as eutrophication, fisheries and ecosystem services. The session will also formulate a few questions to the high-level segment.

Session II will contain the high-level segment on important marine policy processes. It will present the latest HELCOM initial holistic assessment on the state of the Baltic marine environment and describe how science is being used for policy advice in international organizations and processes such as OSPAR, ICES and the MSFD. The ecosystem services socio-economic importance will be described. A high-level panel will elaborate on marine policy development in their countries and comment on issues raised in session I.

Session III “New knowledge, tools and measures” will include short presentations on new tools and measures for assessing and reducing the environmental degradation in the Baltic Sea. A scientific panel discussion will address some of the topics raised during the seminar.

Note to Editors:

The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to 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)46 850 9196
Fax: +358 (0)207 412 645

E-mail: nikolay.vlasov@helcom.fi