*[Enwl-eng] PRESS RELEASE - Each Baltic coastal country and EU toconsider their share of environmental action
1 view
Skip to first unread message
ENWLine
Jun 17, 2013, 5:09:33 PM6/17/13
to "ENWL-uni"
]PRESS RELEASE
Preparations intensify for HELCOM Ministers’ meeting:
Each Baltic coastal country and EU to consider their share of environmental
action
17 June 2013, Helsinki, Finland – Negotiations on a more robust
implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action
Plan<http://www.helcom.fi/BSAP/en_GB/intro/> to achieve a healthy marine
environment will be the focus of the 2-day HELCOM Meeting started today. The
nine coastal countries and the EU are expected to progress on a number of
issues associated with eutrophication, hazardous substances, biodiversity
and maritime activities, as part of the process leading to the October 2013
HELCOM Ministerial
Meeting<http://www.helcom.fi/Ministerial2013/en_GB/MM2013intro/>.
The backbone of HELCOM’s efforts to fight eutrophication, the implementation
of the nutrient load reduction scheme is a major topic on the agenda.
Revised load reduction targets for each country will be presented for
consideration, in addition to reviewing national progress in cutting
nutrient inputs to the sea. The targets have been prepared following the
enhanced scientific advice by the Baltic Nest Institute of Sweden in
cooperation with national experts.
The aim of HELCOM is to always build its work on best available data and
scientific knowledge. Correct handling of data and transparency are
therefore crucial for all activities, and HELCOM continuously works to
improve the quality of monitoring, data management and reporting.
Proposals for three new HELCOM Recommendations for measures to protect the
Baltic Sea will be discussed by the Heads of Delegation. These measures
relate to safeguarding important bird habitats and migration routes from
negative effects of energy production at sea; reduction of discharges from
aquaculture; and enhanced airborne surveillance for illegal oil spills in
the Baltic Sea area.
A large compilation of cost-effective management options to reduce
discharges, emissions and losses of hazardous substances will be discussed
at the Meeting, as countries have committed to this activity in their
National Implementation Programmes. These management options stem from the
most recent scientific research and related projects. Another set of
measures deals with reducing phosphorus and nitrogen run-off from
agriculture, a key area in efforts for a healthier Baltic Sea. Among the
submitted documents is a report about the implementation of HELCOM
Recommendation 17/6<http://www.helcom.fi/Recommendations/en_GB/rec17_6/>,
including recent information on pollution from fertilizer production
facilities. The issue has been dealt with in several
Meetings<http://www.helcom.fi/press_office/Events/en_GB/press_HODs2013/> of
HELCOM in 2012 and 2013. Further actions to cope with the sources of
pollution will be considered in the 2nd day of the Meeting.
The HELCOM Red List of species in danger of becoming extinct will be
presented, indicating that about one out of 25 of the evaluated Baltic Sea
species is under a risk of extinction. The Red List is a result of four
years of dedicated work by an expert team drain from a wide range of
backgrounds. The revised Monitoring and Assessment Strategy of HELCOM is
expected to be among the documents proposed for adoption by the HELCOM
Ministers in October. Monitoring and assessment is the basis for most, if
not all, HELCOM work, as any improvement or decline in the status of the sea
can’t be tracked without these activities. Core indicators for biodiversity
and hazardous substances will be presented in the Meeting for agreement and
joint use.
Some major Ministerial deliverables related to environmentally friendly
shipping are being prepared, including regional procedures for response to
pollution incidents on the shore forming an amendment to the Helsinki
Convention and a new chapter to the HELCOM Response Manual. To assist the
delivery of untreated sewage at ports, soon obligatory for any passenger
ship entering the Baltic Sea, a special guidance document has been prepared
and will be addressed in the Meeting today. Another guidance expected to be
endorsed by the HELCOM members is related to a joint approach of the nations
bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea in order to comply with the
International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast
Water and Sediments.
The 41st Meeting of the HELCOM Heads of Delegations will be chaired by the
HELCOM Chair Ms Helle Pilsgaard, Denmark.
* * *
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.
* * *
Further information:
http://www.helcom.fi/press_office/Events/en_GB/press_HODs2013/
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/>
From: "Johanna Laurila" <johanna...@helcom.fi>
Sent: Monday, June 17, 2013 4:15 PM
Subject: PRESS RELEASE - Each Baltic coastal country and EU to consider
their share of environmental action
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------- * 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
Preparations intensify for HELCOM Ministers’ meeting:
Each Baltic coastal country and EU to consider their share of environmental
action
17 June 2013, Helsinki, Finland – Negotiations on a more robust
implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action
Plan<http://www.helcom.fi/BSAP/en_GB/intro/> to achieve a healthy marine
environment will be the focus of the 2-day HELCOM Meeting started today. The
nine coastal countries and the EU are expected to progress on a number of
issues associated with eutrophication, hazardous substances, biodiversity
and maritime activities, as part of the process leading to the October 2013
HELCOM Ministerial
Meeting<http://www.helcom.fi/Ministerial2013/en_GB/MM2013intro/>.
The backbone of HELCOM’s efforts to fight eutrophication, the implementation
of the nutrient load reduction scheme is a major topic on the agenda.
Revised load reduction targets for each country will be presented for
consideration, in addition to reviewing national progress in cutting
nutrient inputs to the sea. The targets have been prepared following the
enhanced scientific advice by the Baltic Nest Institute of Sweden in
cooperation with national experts.
The aim of HELCOM is to always build its work on best available data and
scientific knowledge. Correct handling of data and transparency are
therefore crucial for all activities, and HELCOM continuously works to
improve the quality of monitoring, data management and reporting.
Proposals for three new HELCOM Recommendations for measures to protect the
Baltic Sea will be discussed by the Heads of Delegation. These measures
relate to safeguarding important bird habitats and migration routes from
negative effects of energy production at sea; reduction of discharges from
aquaculture; and enhanced airborne surveillance for illegal oil spills in
the Baltic Sea area.
A large compilation of cost-effective management options to reduce
discharges, emissions and losses of hazardous substances will be discussed
at the Meeting, as countries have committed to this activity in their
National Implementation Programmes. These management options stem from the
most recent scientific research and related projects. Another set of
measures deals with reducing phosphorus and nitrogen run-off from
agriculture, a key area in efforts for a healthier Baltic Sea. Among the
submitted documents is a report about the implementation of HELCOM
Recommendation 17/6<http://www.helcom.fi/Recommendations/en_GB/rec17_6/>,
including recent information on pollution from fertilizer production
facilities. The issue has been dealt with in several
Meetings<http://www.helcom.fi/press_office/Events/en_GB/press_HODs2013/> of
HELCOM in 2012 and 2013. Further actions to cope with the sources of
pollution will be considered in the 2nd day of the Meeting.
The HELCOM Red List of species in danger of becoming extinct will be
presented, indicating that about one out of 25 of the evaluated Baltic Sea
species is under a risk of extinction. The Red List is a result of four
years of dedicated work by an expert team drain from a wide range of
backgrounds. The revised Monitoring and Assessment Strategy of HELCOM is
expected to be among the documents proposed for adoption by the HELCOM
Ministers in October. Monitoring and assessment is the basis for most, if
not all, HELCOM work, as any improvement or decline in the status of the sea
can’t be tracked without these activities. Core indicators for biodiversity
and hazardous substances will be presented in the Meeting for agreement and
joint use.
Some major Ministerial deliverables related to environmentally friendly
shipping are being prepared, including regional procedures for response to
pollution incidents on the shore forming an amendment to the Helsinki
Convention and a new chapter to the HELCOM Response Manual. To assist the
delivery of untreated sewage at ports, soon obligatory for any passenger
ship entering the Baltic Sea, a special guidance document has been prepared
and will be addressed in the Meeting today. Another guidance expected to be
endorsed by the HELCOM members is related to a joint approach of the nations
bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea in order to comply with the
International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast
Water and Sediments.
The 41st Meeting of the HELCOM Heads of Delegations will be chaired by the
HELCOM Chair Ms Helle Pilsgaard, Denmark.
* * *
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.
* * *
Further information:
http://www.helcom.fi/press_office/Events/en_GB/press_HODs2013/
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/>
From: "Johanna Laurila" <johanna...@helcom.fi>
Sent: Monday, June 17, 2013 4:15 PM
Subject: PRESS RELEASE - Each Baltic coastal country and EU to consider
their share of environmental action
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------- * 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
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages