Implementing the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan: Joint efforts for a healthier Baltic Sea

1. Overview of the BSAP and current implementation plan - Joint efforts in putting the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan into practice Anne Christine Brusendorff Executive Secretary, Helsinki Commission Round table discussion seminar The environmental standing of the Baltic Sea: from political proposal to practical project

2. Content • HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan - Our common commitment • Importance of stakeholder involvement • How to secure financing? • Need for enhanced policy integration

3. HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan - adopted 15 November 2007 Commencing the implementation of the HELCOM BSAP Only one hundred pages.... ... but a great commitment for all us!

4. HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan - Actions • Tailor made measures in Contracting Parties (National Programmes) • Joint measures by HELCOM Contracting Parties (HELCOM Recommendations) • Measures in non-Contracting Parties • Strong links to regional and global processes • e.g. Convention on Biodiversity, Russian Maritime Doctrine, EU Marine Strategy Directive and Maritime Policy • joint input from HELCOM Contracting Parties within international fora to reach Baltic environmental objectives

5. Blue-green algal blooms will increase or decrease by 50% Will the BSAP deliver good status of the marine environment?

6. Stakeholder involvement is crucial • Commitment is needed from industry, agriculture, the public and other interest groups • HELCOM Stakeholder Conferences • development of the BSAP in 2006 and 2007 • in 2008 implementation of the BSAP with great deal of interest from the stakeholders • ”Stakeholder forums” could be organised on sub-regional, national and local levels to promote various actions of the Plan

7. How to secure financing? • Adequate financing is crucial • Financing in the 3rd HELCOM Stakeholder Conference: • overview of various funding programmes and funds • plenty of funding can be made available • competition for funding between environmental and other sectors – need for change in national priority setting • private sector can bring extra momentum • Financiers are interested in funding concrete projects

8. Financing - Projects • Lack of good projects • Registry for prioritised projects on UWWTs and agricultural hot spots needed • HELCOM to organise a Pledging Conference

9. Enhanced policy integration • Need to integrate protection of the marine environment into other policies on all levels • Marine Spatial Planning • can be seen as a practical demonstration of integration of environmental considerations into other sectors • HELCOM Recommendation 28E/9 on the development of broad-scale marine spatial planning principles in the BSAP • to jointly develop common principles and tools to mitigate conflicting interests and to ensure sustainable use of marine resources and protection of marine areas

10. Implementation of the BSAP • Implementation Group • high level guidance on implementation • follow-up of implementation • review of measures • co-operation and co-ordination with other related work • National programmes by 2010 and their effectiveness to be evaluated at Ministerial Meeting in 2013

11. Concluding remarks- Recipe for success • Tailor made joint actions • Strong stakeholder involvement • Sufficient financing • Better policy integration • Strong political commitment • determination to implement the agreed actions

12. Thank you! For more information please contact: Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) Katajanokanlaituri 6 B FI-00160 Helsinki Finland www.helcom.fi