*[Enwl] Coastal nations gather for Baltic health check - MEDIARELEASE

[ENWLine]

First proposal crafted for the Ministerial Meeting outcome
Coastal nations gather for Baltic health check

5 March 2013, Helsinki, Finland (HELCOM Information Services) – The highest
decision-making body within HELCOM<http://www.helcom.fi/>, the Baltic Marine
Environment Protection Commission started a two-day meeting today as the
preparations intensify for the HELCOM Ministerial
Meeting<http://www.helcom.fi/Ministerial2013/en_GB/MM2013intro/> in October
2013. The first proposal for the Ministerial Declaration – master blueprint
for additional efforts in the region – will be considered, along with a wide
range of topics related to the protection of the Baltic Sea marine
environment by the HELCOM members, representing each Baltic Sea state and
the EU.
The
agenda<http://www.helcom.fi/stc/files/Convention/1-2%20Annotations%20to%20Provisional%20Agenda.pdf>
of the Annual Meeting focuses on the latest progress and updates on
implementing HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP), structured under four
broad segments: eutrophication, hazardous substances, biodiversity and
maritime activities. After six years since the adoption of the Action Plan,
a more complete review will be undertaken by the Ministers of Environment in
half a year’s time, in the October meeting in Copenhagen. Further action
will also be considered for reaching a good environmental status for the
Baltic Sea.

“The Ministerial outcome will revolve around the ecosystem approach
underpinning blue economy and green growth, the still unsatisfactory status
of the Baltic, opportunities for more coherent policies and implementation,
as well as generally committing to do more for a healthier Baltic Sea,” says
Monika Stankiewicz, the Executive Secretary of HELCOM.

Today and tomorrow the HELCOM Contracting Parties will review HELCOM’s core
work and achievements, and the reports of annual activities of the HELCOM
groups, sub-groups and projects will be discussed. These will include, for
instance, the ongoing revision of nutrient pollution reduction targets and
how to account for the impact of climate change in the region; advancing
Maritime Spatial Planning in the Baltic Sea; more informed decisions in
sustainable agriculture; and the developments for a new regional pollution
load database; among others. The outcomes of the two Stakeholder Conferences
held yesterday, HELCOM-BONUS
Conference<http://www.helcom.fi/press_office/Events/en_GB/Bonus_Conference_2013/>
on future research needs, and on “Baltic Sea – NECA”<http://www.helcom.fi/press_office/Events/en_GB/NECA_Conference_2013/>,
will be delivered to the Meeting.

The Meeting is expected to adopt the draft revised HELCOM Recommendation
15/1 “Protection of the coastal strip”, and the draft revised HELCOM
Recommendation 17/2 “Protection of harbour porpoise in the Baltic Sea Area”.


* * *
Note for editors:
The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as
the Helsinki Commission or
HELCOM<http://www.helcom.fi/home/en_GB/welcome/>, is an intergovernmental
organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union
working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources
of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region.

HELCOM is the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the
Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’<http://www.helcom.fi/Convention/en_GB/convention/>,
more usually known as the Helsinki Convention.


For further information, please contact
Ms. Johanna Laurila
Information Secretary
HELCOM
Tel: +358 40 523 8988
Fax: +358 207 412 645
E-mail: johanna...@helcom.fi<mailto:johanna...@helcom.fi>



From: "Johanna Laurila" <johanna...@helcom.fi>
Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2013 2:18 PM
Subject: Coastal nations gather for Baltic health check - MEDIA RELEASE




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