Part-financed by the European Union

Management of the Baltic Sea as a common resource

Bo Löwendal, SwedenMember of the BSR INTERREG IIIB Steering Committee

Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007 – 2013 ConferenceHamburg 10-11 May 2007

Presentation Outline:

• The background of Priority

• Priority objective

• Areas of support with examples

• Financing: available funds and co-financing rates

• The system of indicators

• Common and priority specific results

The background of Priority (1)

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

• Well developed monitoring system on the environmental quality of the Baltic Sea

• Good scientific knowledge base for management of the marine environment

• Established integrated coastal zone management and river basin practices at the local and regional level as a good potential for transnational co-operation

• Great nature values of European interest, relatively high quality of environment (incl. vast forest areas) and important cultural heritage

• Lack of joint actions and action plans to prevent and to combat land-based marine pollution (nutrification of arable land and ground waters, leaky wastes disposal areas, insufficient waste water treatment) resulting, among others, in eutrophication of sea waters, oxygen depletion at the Baltic Sea bottom and high level of dioxins in fish

• Lack of well coordinated joint plans to prevent and to respond to maritime accidents, incl. oil spills and contamination by hazardous substances

• Lack of transnational co-operation and joint planning in usage of Baltic Sea space and in minimalisation of risks caused by natural disasters

The background of Priority (2)

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

• Growing awareness of the poor status of the Baltic Sea environment

• Good natural and cultural heritage incentives to develop pan-Baltic

tourism products as a measure for the BSR branding

• Good quality of the marine environment as an asset to fish stocks

• EU Marine Strategy Directive giving a higher status to protection of the marine environment and regional co-operation

• EU Maritime Policy, EU Green Paper on a future EU policy

• Uncontrolled exploration of marine resources leading to environmental hazards and/or use conflicts

• Lack of political commitment and low harmonisation of national management plans and legislation related to the marine environment

• Insufficiently prepared administrative personnel at regional and national level to adapt and implement UE regulations on ICZM and marine environment

• Economic development needs overriding other interests and weakening efforts to safeguard sustainable development of the Baltic Sea and its catchment area

• Natural disasters such as rising sea level, flooding, forest fires etc.

The objective is to improve the management of the

Baltic Sea resources in order to achieve its better environmental state

The goal is to learn more and to practice jointly a knew knowledge on:• How to ensure effective and efficient water management• How to utilise resources for the economic development of the

regions without harming the marine ecosystems (gathering the knowledge, integration)

• How to mitigate the impacts of the regions economic development (preparedness and response, as well as capacity building)

• How to prepare the regions for the avoidable consequences of the global climate change (awareness raising, preparedness)

Areas of support:

1. Water management with special attention to challenges caused

by increasing economic activities and climate changes

2. Economic management of open sea areas and sustainable use

of marine resources

3. Enhanced maritime safety

4. Integrated development of off-shore and coastal areas

Area 1. Water management with special attention to challenges caused by increasing economic activities and climate changes (1)

• Actions and strategies to improve water management in the Baltic Sea and its catchment area

• New technologies and solutions for water treatment based on the pooling of existing experience in the BSR

• Identification of weak links/bottlenecks in the water treatment systems currently in use in order to increase their efficiency followed by concrete investments

Area 1. Water management with special attention to challenges caused by increasing economic activities and climate changes (2)

• Actions to prevent transboundary pollution, including nuclear radiation, and to promote environmental management and standards

• Actions, action plans, strategies and legislative frameworks for improved water management in order to minimise impacts of climate change

• Actions and solutions for improved protection of valuable marine resources

Area 2. Economic management of open sea areas and sustainable use of marine resources

• Preparation of strategies, actions and pilot investments for using marine resources, e.g. in the field of advanced technologies in marine culture (aquaculture), exploitation of gas hydrates, offshore wind energy, fish breeding, use of biomass, exploration of underwater tourism potentials etc.

• Actions oriented towards sensitivity mapping of the Baltic Sea space resulting in visualisation of investigated potential of marine resources as well as in detection of possible conflict areas

Area 3. Enhanced maritime safety

• Application of strategies, tools and methods to minimise environmental risks resulting from both natural hazards and human activities

• Actions and investments to enhance preparedness and response on the sea in case of accidents or spills

• Joint strategies and actions to increase reliability of maritime transport in the Baltic Sea

Area 4. Integrated development of off-shore and coastal areas

• Harmonisation of national management plans on marine environment and joint transnational implementation of their relevant parts

• Streamlining of national efforts towards development of the off-shore planning standards

• Development and implementation of integrated coastal zone management aiming at competence building at regional and national level

• Preparation of scenarios, adaptation strategies and intervention plans towards mitigation of impacts of climate change on coastal areas

Available funds:

Co-financing rates:

• Up to 50 % for Norwegian partners• Up to 75 % for partners from: Denmark, Finland, Germany and Sweden• Up to 85 % for partners from: Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland• Up to 90 % for RU/BY partners• Up to 50 % for partners located outside programme eligible area

except from 75% co-financing rate for the whole Land Lower Saxony

ERDF + Norwegian = 30 % of 208 MEUR ca 62.4 MEUR

ENPI 4.0 MEUR

The system of indicators:

To measure achievements of the programme the system of indicators has been established and defined in the Operational Programme

The system is based on a set of expected results accompanied by respective outputs. There are two types of expected results for each priority: common and priority specific ones

Each project must:

• address at least one common and one specific result, and

• define indicator for the addressed results’ achievement

• quantify outputs

Common results in the priority 3

• Increased political recognition for transnational solutions improving the management of Baltic Sea resources

• Increased sustainability of co-operative networks aiming at improved management of the Baltic Sea

• Unlocking public /private investments aimed at the improvement of Baltic Sea management

Specific results of the priority 3:

• Improved institutional capacity and effectiveness in water management in the Baltic Sea

• Improved institutional capacity in dealing with hazards and risks, including climate change

• Increased sustainable economic potential of marine resources

• Influenced policies, strategies, action plans and/or regulations in the field of management of Baltic Sea as a common resource