*[Enwl-eng] PRESS RELEASE - HELCOM takes steps in many fronts tocraft new measures for a healthy Baltic Sea
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Jun 18, 2013, 3:41:07 PM6/18/13
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[cid:image0...@01CE6C49.634239A0]PRESS RELEASE
HELCOM takes steps in many fronts to craft new measures for a healthy Baltic
Sea
18 June 2013, Helsinki, Finland – The members of the Baltic Sea Marine
Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM<http://www.helcom.fi/>), formed by
the nine coastal countries and the EU, have completed their 2-day Meeting
filled with intense discussions, particularly on the precise contents of the
Declaration
proposed<http://www.helcom.fi/Ministerial2013/en_GB/MM2013intro/> for the
Ministers of Environment in less than 4 months’ time. In October, the Baltic
Sea Ministers will review the progress in implementing the HELCOM Baltic Sea
Action Plan (2007– 2021) and set priorities for action.
The Delegations agreed to pass the proposed changes to Annex
VII<http://www.helcom.fi/Convention/en_GB/annexes/#annex7> of the Helsinki
Convention, which is expected to considerably strengthen the Baltic Sea
pollution response cooperation in situations where oil or other substance
has reached the shore. This means a series of amendments to the Helsinki
Convention, to more explicitly include response on the shore. The meeting
agreed also on a related regional HELCOM response manual. So far, such
response on the shore has largely been a national matter. Both of the
documents will be forwarded for adoption at the 2013 HELCOM Ministerial
Meeting.
The revised Monitoring and Assessment Strategy of HELCOM has been approved
yesterday for immediate implementation and for later formal adoption by
HELCOM Ministers. This will streamline the joint regional assessments of the
marine and coastal waters, as well as assist in reporting purposes under
other international frameworks. Measuring the marine environment is the
basis of HELCOM, as the efficiency of any measures can’t be reliably
evidenced without these activities.
The Baltic nations also jointly discussed today the report addressing
environmental risks from phosphate fertiliser production and phosphogypsum
waste handling sites in the Baltic Sea region, considered a significant
potential source of pollution to the Baltic Sea. The report, compiled by
experts and HELCOM Land Group and related to the follow-up of implementation
of HELCOM Recommendation
17/6<http://www.helcom.fi/Recommendations/en_GB/rec17_6/>, identifies eight
such facilities in the Region. The missing information from some - 2 sites
in Poland, 1 site in Sweden and 1 in Russia - prevented the Contracting
Parties from full assessment of risks of potential significant leaching into
the surrounding waters.
The Meeting endorsed the conclusions of the fertiliser production report,
such as the measured phosphate concentrations have been detected at
considerably high levels in some rivers close by the fertilizer production
sites, as also pointed out by other recent reports. To prevent the
fertilizer industry from generating excessive pollution, regular monitoring
in the vicinity of respective industrial sites and the phosphogypsum piles
should be continued, and additional clarifications for details are
imminently needed from some sites. The Meeting also welcomed the information
on cooperation of Ministers between Finland and Poland, on joint sampling
and assessment of the situation near Wislinka phosphogypsum site in Gdansk,
Poland.
As an outcome of the Meeting, HELCOM endorsed a classification of Baltic
underwater habitats and biotopes, which will significantly contribute in
planning and management of sea areas. Further, a report is about to be
released on species in danger of extinction, providing in depth information
on a great number of fishes, birds, invertebrates and marine mammals.
The Meeting unanimously approved a particular guidance document to assist
the delivery of untreated sewage at ports, soon obligatory for any passenger
ship entering the Baltic Sea and a result of a successful initiative of
HELCOM countries within IMO.
Heads of Delegation of HELCOM will continue in September the negotiations
towards the 2013 Ministerial Meeting.
* * *
Note for editors:
The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as
HELCOM<http://www.helcom.fi/>, is an intergovernmental organization of the
nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. HELCOM has worked
since 1974 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," more usually known as the
Helsinki Convention.
* * *
HELCOM Ministerial
Meeting<http://www.helcom.fi/Ministerial2013/en_GB/MM2013intro/> will be
held on 3 October 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Ministers of the
Environment of the nine Baltic coastal states and the EU Environment
Commissioner will gather to discuss the status and the future of the Baltic
Sea marine environment – reviewing the progress in implementing the Baltic
Sea Action Plan (2007– 2021), and setting priorities for action. The outcome
of the 2013 Meeting is expected to revolve around the still unsatisfactory
status of the Baltic Sea; the ecosystem approach as the basis for blue and
green growth, the opportunities for more coherent policies and
implementation, as well as committing to do more for a healthier Baltic Sea.
* * *
For further information:
All the Meeting documents [Heads Of Delegation (HELCOM HOD/HOD 41, 2013] can
be accessed by tomorrow, without any log-in, at HELCOM Meeting
portal<http://meeting.helcom.fi/web/hod/1?p_p_id=110_INSTANCE_vmKe&p_p_action=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-2&p_p_col_pos=2&p_p_col_count=3&_110_INSTANCE_vmKe_struts_action=%2Fdocument_library_display%2Fview&_110_INSTANCE_vmKe_folderId=2258447>
Contact:
Johanna Laurila
Information Secretary
HELCOM
Tel: +358 40 523 8988
E-mail: johanna...@helcom.fi<mailto:johanna...@helcom.fi>
Skype: helcom70
[Description: Mail banner red_MM2013
500pix]<http://www.helcom.fi/Ministerial2013/en_GB/MM2013intro/>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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HELCOM takes steps in many fronts to craft new measures for a healthy Baltic
Sea
18 June 2013, Helsinki, Finland – The members of the Baltic Sea Marine
Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM<http://www.helcom.fi/>), formed by
the nine coastal countries and the EU, have completed their 2-day Meeting
filled with intense discussions, particularly on the precise contents of the
Declaration
proposed<http://www.helcom.fi/Ministerial2013/en_GB/MM2013intro/> for the
Ministers of Environment in less than 4 months’ time. In October, the Baltic
Sea Ministers will review the progress in implementing the HELCOM Baltic Sea
Action Plan (2007– 2021) and set priorities for action.
The Delegations agreed to pass the proposed changes to Annex
VII<http://www.helcom.fi/Convention/en_GB/annexes/#annex7> of the Helsinki
Convention, which is expected to considerably strengthen the Baltic Sea
pollution response cooperation in situations where oil or other substance
has reached the shore. This means a series of amendments to the Helsinki
Convention, to more explicitly include response on the shore. The meeting
agreed also on a related regional HELCOM response manual. So far, such
response on the shore has largely been a national matter. Both of the
documents will be forwarded for adoption at the 2013 HELCOM Ministerial
Meeting.
The revised Monitoring and Assessment Strategy of HELCOM has been approved
yesterday for immediate implementation and for later formal adoption by
HELCOM Ministers. This will streamline the joint regional assessments of the
marine and coastal waters, as well as assist in reporting purposes under
other international frameworks. Measuring the marine environment is the
basis of HELCOM, as the efficiency of any measures can’t be reliably
evidenced without these activities.
The Baltic nations also jointly discussed today the report addressing
environmental risks from phosphate fertiliser production and phosphogypsum
waste handling sites in the Baltic Sea region, considered a significant
potential source of pollution to the Baltic Sea. The report, compiled by
experts and HELCOM Land Group and related to the follow-up of implementation
of HELCOM Recommendation
17/6<http://www.helcom.fi/Recommendations/en_GB/rec17_6/>, identifies eight
such facilities in the Region. The missing information from some - 2 sites
in Poland, 1 site in Sweden and 1 in Russia - prevented the Contracting
Parties from full assessment of risks of potential significant leaching into
the surrounding waters.
The Meeting endorsed the conclusions of the fertiliser production report,
such as the measured phosphate concentrations have been detected at
considerably high levels in some rivers close by the fertilizer production
sites, as also pointed out by other recent reports. To prevent the
fertilizer industry from generating excessive pollution, regular monitoring
in the vicinity of respective industrial sites and the phosphogypsum piles
should be continued, and additional clarifications for details are
imminently needed from some sites. The Meeting also welcomed the information
on cooperation of Ministers between Finland and Poland, on joint sampling
and assessment of the situation near Wislinka phosphogypsum site in Gdansk,
Poland.
As an outcome of the Meeting, HELCOM endorsed a classification of Baltic
underwater habitats and biotopes, which will significantly contribute in
planning and management of sea areas. Further, a report is about to be
released on species in danger of extinction, providing in depth information
on a great number of fishes, birds, invertebrates and marine mammals.
The Meeting unanimously approved a particular guidance document to assist
the delivery of untreated sewage at ports, soon obligatory for any passenger
ship entering the Baltic Sea and a result of a successful initiative of
HELCOM countries within IMO.
Heads of Delegation of HELCOM will continue in September the negotiations
towards the 2013 Ministerial Meeting.
* * *
Note for editors:
The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as
HELCOM<http://www.helcom.fi/>, is an intergovernmental organization of the
nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. HELCOM has worked
since 1974 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," more usually known as the
Helsinki Convention.
* * *
HELCOM Ministerial
Meeting<http://www.helcom.fi/Ministerial2013/en_GB/MM2013intro/> will be
held on 3 October 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Ministers of the
Environment of the nine Baltic coastal states and the EU Environment
Commissioner will gather to discuss the status and the future of the Baltic
Sea marine environment – reviewing the progress in implementing the Baltic
Sea Action Plan (2007– 2021), and setting priorities for action. The outcome
of the 2013 Meeting is expected to revolve around the still unsatisfactory
status of the Baltic Sea; the ecosystem approach as the basis for blue and
green growth, the opportunities for more coherent policies and
implementation, as well as committing to do more for a healthier Baltic Sea.
* * *
For further information:
All the Meeting documents [Heads Of Delegation (HELCOM HOD/HOD 41, 2013] can
be accessed by tomorrow, without any log-in, at HELCOM Meeting
portal<http://meeting.helcom.fi/web/hod/1?p_p_id=110_INSTANCE_vmKe&p_p_action=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-2&p_p_col_pos=2&p_p_col_count=3&_110_INSTANCE_vmKe_struts_action=%2Fdocument_library_display%2Fview&_110_INSTANCE_vmKe_folderId=2258447>
Contact:
Johanna Laurila
Information Secretary
HELCOM
Tel: +358 40 523 8988
E-mail: johanna...@helcom.fi<mailto:johanna...@helcom.fi>
Skype: helcom70
[Description: Mail banner red_MM2013
500pix]<http://www.helcom.fi/Ministerial2013/en_GB/MM2013intro/>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------- * ENWL * ------------
Ecological North West Line * St. Petersburg, Russia
Independent Environmental Net Service: http://www.bellona.ru/enwl/
Russian: ENWL(discussions), ENWL-inf(FSU information), ENWL-misc(any topics)
English: ENWL-eng (world information)
en...@lew.spb.org, enwl...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.org
Subscription, Moderator: vf...@lew.spb.org or en...@enw.net.ru
Archive: http://enwl.bellona.ru/pipermail/
and http://groups.google.com/group/enwl/
SEE ALSO: http://www.bellona.org (English)and http://www.bellona.ru
(Russian)
RSS: http://groups.google.ru/group/enwl/feeds?hl=ru
(C) Please refer to exclusive articles of ENWL
-------------------------------------
ONLY if your address is subscribed:
Enwl-eng mailing list
Enwl...@enwl.bellona.ru
http://enwl.bellona.ru/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/enwl-eng
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