Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan: An Ecosystem Approach to the Management of Human Activities

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Climate Impacts on the Baltic Sea: From Science to Policy

Part of the book series: Springer Earth System Sciences ((SPRINGEREARTH))

Abstract

HELCOM is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to protecting the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution. In 2007, the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) was adopted with the aim to radically reduce pollution to the Baltic Sea and reverse its degradation by 2021. The holistic plan embodies an ecosystem-based approach to the management of human activities and contains concrete actions to solve the major problems affecting the Baltic Sea, including a concept of maximum allowable input of nutrients that would allow reaching a good environmental status of the Baltic Sea as concerns eutrophication. The plan specifies milestones and compliance dates as well as a system of measurable parameters that make it possible to evaluate the efficiency of adopted measures, and progress towards reaching the desired state of the Baltic Sea. The environmental objectives and proposed cost-effective measures were defined using the best available scientific knowledge at the time, but because the action plan embraces the concept of adaptive management these will be periodically reviewed and revised using a harmonized approach and the most updated information available.

The author works as Assisting Professional Secretary at the HELCOM Secretariat. Some of the views presented in this chapter are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those of the Helsinki Commission.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    The contracting parties of the 1974 Helsinki Convention were Denmark, Finland, German Democratic Republic, Federal Republic of Germany, Polish Peoples Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Sweden. In 1992, after the fall of communism in the region, the Helsinki Convention was revised and signed by Denmark, Estonia, European Economic Community (now European Union), Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russian Federation and Sweden.

  2. 2.

    The 1992 Helsinki Convention included, amongst other things, the expansion of the ‘Convention Area’ to cover also inland waters within the catchment area of the Baltic Sea, rather than only the marine areas of the Baltic Sea. In addition, the revised Convention included new environmental principles such as the precautionary principle, polluter pays principle and the application of Best Environmental Practices (BEP) and Best Available Technology (BAT). The revised Conventions also took on board issues of biodiversity and nature conservation, as well as the sustainable use of the natural resources of the Baltic Sea area.

  3. 3.

    With the fall of the Soviet Union, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania became contracting parties to the Helsinki Convention (see also supra note 1).

  4. 4.

    The Helsinki Commission, or HELCOM, works to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution through intergovernmental cooperation between the countries bordering the sea – Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden; as well as, the European Community.

  5. 5.

    HELCOM Recommendations can be characterized as soft law instruments in that they are not legally binding as such. However, the fact that the Recommendations are adopted unanimously, and that countries are required to report on their national implementation, diminishes concerns about the lacking legal nature. Furthermore, the Recommendations support the implementation of the Helsinki Convention, which in turn is a legally binding instrument.

  6. 6.

    Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) bioconcentrate in organisms directly from the water via body surfaces, bioaccumulate from food, and biomagnify along the trophic chain from bacteria to predators.

  7. 7.

    For more information about the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), see: http://europa.eu/pol/agr/index_en.htm. Accessed 24.02.2011.

  8. 8.

    For more information about the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), see http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/cfp/index_en.htm. Accessed 24.02.2011.

  9. 9.

    The ecosystem approach to the management of human activities was officially accepted in the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (UN 1992) and reiterated in the Plan of Implementation of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (UN 2002).

  10. 10.

    Examples of the historical HELCOM approach are the 1988 and 1998 HELCOM Ministerial decisions on a flat 50% reduction target for discharges of nutrients and hazardous substances (HELCOM 1988, 1998).

  11. 11.

    The EQR approach has been used in the HELCOM integrated thematic assessments on biodiversity and eutrophication (HELCOM 2009a, b). The HELCOM integrated thematic assessment on hazardous substance (HELCOM 2010a), however, is based on a different approach. For most persistent organic pollutants the reference concentration is zero, or close to zero, and therefore it makes sense to instead of the EQR, use a threshold value as the target (the threshold level being the level above which the substance is known to cause adverse effects). By comparing the measured value (status) with the threshold value we get a Contamination Ratio (CR). If status is above the threshold, then CR is above one and we move from an acceptable status to an unacceptable status.

  12. 12.

    The core set of eutrophication indicators can be viewed on the HELCOM website http://www.helcom.fi/BSAP_assessment/en_GB/main/. Accessed 24.02.2011.

  13. 13.

    In the BSAP, the HELCOM contracting parties noted that the calculated figures were based on the best available scientific information, and thus stressed the provisional character of the data and that all the figures related to targets and maximum allowable nutrient inputs should be periodically reviewed and revised using a harmonized approach using updated information.

  14. 14.

    Information about the status of implementation of the BSAP by the HELCOM countries can be viewed on the HELCOM website: http://www.helcom.fi/BSAP/Implementation/en_GB/Implementation/. Accessed 24.02.2011.

  15. 15.

    For more information on the EU Cohesion Fund, see: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/funds/procf/cf_en.htm. Accessed 24.02.2011.

  16. 16.

    For more information about the Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership fund, see: http://www.ndep.org/home.asp?type=nh&pageid=6#support. Accessed 24.02.2011.

  17. 17.

    For more information, see: http://www.nefco.org/files/48521_BSAPfactsheet.pdf. Accessed 24.02.2011.

  18. 18.

    Examples are the management of shipping activities under the International Maritime Organization, the management of fisheries and agriculture under the EU framework and the addressing of transboundary air pollution under the UNECE Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution.

  19. 19.

    For more information, see: http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/north_dim/index_en.htm. Accessed 24.02.2011.

  20. 20.

    For more information, see: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/enlarg/russianis_en.htm. Accessed 24.02.2011.

  21. 21.

    For more information, see: Nordic Council of Ministers’ Nordic Environment Action Plan 2009–2012. http://www.norden.org/en/publications/publications/2008-733. Accessed 24.02.2011.

  22. 22.

    For more information about the Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union, see: http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/subpage_en.html. Accessed 24.02.2011.

  23. 23.

    Article 5§2 of the MSFD states that: Member States sharing a marine region or subregion shall cooperate to ensure that, within each marine region or subregion, the measures required to achieve the objectives of this Directive […] are coherent and coordinated across the marine region or subregion concerned.

  24. 24.

    Article 6§1 of the MSFD states that: In order to achieve the coordination referred to in Article 5§2, Member States shall, where practical and appropriate, use existing regional institutional cooperation structures, including those under Regional Sea Conventions, covering that marine region or subregion.

  25. 25.

    Especially Article 5 of the WFD on the determination of the characteristics of the river basin district, review of the environmental impact of human activity and economic analysis of water use, as well as, Article 8 of the WFD on the establishment of programmes for the monitoring of water status.

  26. 26.

    Specifically Articles 5§2(a) concerning (1) the preparation of an initial assessment, (2) a determination of good environmental status for the waters concerned, (3) establishment of a series of environmental targets and associated indicators and (4) establishment and implementation of a monitoring programme for ongoing assessment and regular updating of targets and Article 8 on the specifics of the initial assessment of national marine waters.

  27. 27.

    The UNEP Regional Seas Programme was launched in 1974 in the wake of the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm (UN 1972). For more information, see http://www.unep.org/regionalseas/about/default.asp. Accessed 08.01.2010.

  28. 28.

    The Manual for Marine Monitoring in the COMBINE Programme of HELCOM is available on the HELCOM website at: http://www.helcom.fi/groups/monas/CombineManual/en_GB/main/. Accessed 24.02.2011.

  29. 29.

    It is not the aim of this chapter to go into details about the effects of climate change on the Baltic Sea and therefore the reader is encouraged to explore the other relevant chapters of this book for more specific information.

  30. 30.

    According to Belkin (2009) compared to other large marine ecosystems around the world, the Baltic Sea has shown the highest rate of increase in water temperature during the past half a century.

  31. 31.

    The preamble of the BSAP states: FULLY AWARE that climate change will have a significant impact on the Baltic Sea ecosystem requiring even more stringent actions in the future and of the efforts made by the Conference of the Parties to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

  32. 32.

    Article 3§2 of the 1992 Helsinki Convention.

  33. 33.

    For an in depth discussion about the application of the precautionary principle in the work of HELCOM, see Pyhälä et al. (2007).

Abbreviations

BSAP:

HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan

EC:

European Community

EQR:

Ecological Quality Ratio

EU:

European Union

HELCOM:

Helsinki Commission

IMO:

International Maritime Organization

MSFD:

Marine Strategy Framework Directive

NECD:

EU National Emission Ceiling Directive

NEFCO:

Nordic Environmental Finance Corporation

NIB:

Nordic Investment Bank

OSPAR:

Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic

WFD:

EU Water Framework Directive

References

  • Andersen JH, Axe P, Backer H, Carstensen J, Claussen U, Fleming-Lehtinen V, Järvinen M, Kaartokallio H, Knuuttila S, Korpinen S, Kubiliute A, Laamanen M, Lysiak-Pastuszak E, Martin G, Murray C, Møhlenberg F, Nausch G, Norkko A, Villnäs A (2010) Getting the measure of eutrophication in the Baltic Sea: towards improved assessment principles and methods. Biogeochemistry. doi:10.1007/s10533-010-9508-4

  • Backer H, Leppänen J-M, Brusendorff AC, Forsius F, Stankiewicz M, Mehtonen J, Pyhälä M, Laamanen M, Paulomäki H, Vlasov N, Haaranen T (2010) HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan – a regional programme of measures for the marine environment based on the ecosystem approach. Mar Pollut Bull 60(5):642–649

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bäcklin B-M, Moraeus C, Kunnasranta M, Isomursu M (2009) Health assessment in the Baltic grey seal (Halichoerus grypus). HELCOM indicator fact sheets 2009. http://www.helcom.fi/BSAP_assessment/ifs/en_GB/cover/

  • Belkin I (2009) Rapid warming of large marine ecosystems. Prog Oceanogr 81(1–4):207–213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bignert A, Danielsson S, Nyberg E (2010a) PCB concentrations in fish muscle. HELCOM indicator fact sheets 2010. http://www.helcom.fi/BSAP_assessment/ifs/en_GB/cover/

  • Bignert A, Danielsson S, Nyberg E (2010b) TCDD-equivalents in herring muscle and guillemot eggs. HELCOM indicator fact sheets 2010. http://www.helcom.fi/BSAP_assessment/ifs/en_GB/cover/

  • Dippner JW, Vuorinen I, Daunys D, Flinkman J, Halkka A, Köster FW, Lehikoinen E, MacKenzie BR, Möllmann C, Møhlenberg F, Olenin S, Schiedek D, Skov H, Wasmund N (2008) Climate related marine ecosystem change. In: The BACC Author team (eds) Assessment of climate change for the Baltic Sea basin regional climate studies. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • EC (2000) Directive 2000/60/EC of the European parliament and of the council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for community action in the field of water policy (Water framework directive). Official Journal of the European Communities L 327 2000

    Google Scholar 

  • EC (2001) Directive 2001/81/EC of the European parliament and of the council of 23 October 2001 on national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants (NEC Directive). Official Journal of the European L 309/22 2001

    Google Scholar 

  • EC (2008) Directive 2008/56/EC of the European parliament and of the council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine strategy framework directive). Official Journal of the European Union L 164/19 2008

    Google Scholar 

  • EC (2009a) Communication from the commission to the European parliament, the council, the European economic and social committee and the committee of the regions concerning the European union strategy for the Baltic Sea region, Brussels, 10.6.2009 COM

    Google Scholar 

  • EC (2009b) Decision No. 406/2009/EC of the European parliament and of the council of 23 April 2009 on the effort of member states to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to meet the Community’s greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments up to 2020. Official Journal of the European Union L 140/136

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleming-Lehtinen V, Kaartokallio H (2009) Water transparency in the Baltic Sea between 1903 and 2009. HELCOM indicator fact sheets 2009. http://www.helcom.fi/BSAP_assessment/ifs/en_GB/cover/

  • Fleming-Lehtinen V, Laamanen M (in press) Long-term changes in Secchi depth and the role of phytoplankton in explaining light attenuation in the Baltic Sea. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham LP, Chen D, Christensen OB, Kjellström E, Krysanova V, Meier HEM, Radziejewski M, Räisänen J, Rockel B, Ruosteenoja K (2008) Projections of future anthropogenic climate change. In: The BACC Author team (eds) Assessment of climate change for the Baltic Sea Basin. Regional climate studies. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Granskog M, Kaartokallio H, Kuosa H, Thomas DN, Vainio J (2006) Sea ice in the Baltic Sea – a review. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 70:145–160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gusev A (2010a) Atmospheric depositions of heavy metals on the Baltic Sea. HELCOM indicator fact sheets 2010. http://www.helcom.fi/BSAP_assessment/ifs/en_GB/cover/

  • Gusev A (2010b) Atmospheric depositions of PCDD/Fs on the Baltic Sea. HELCOM indicator fact sheets 2010. http://www.helcom.fi/BSAP_assessment/ifs/en_GB/cover/

  • Helander B, Bignert A, Herrmann C (2009) Predatory bird health – white-tailed sea eagle. HELCOM indicator fact sheets 2009. http://www.helcom.fi/BSAP_assessment/ifs/en_GB/cover/

  • HELCOM (1974) Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea area, Helsinki, 22 March 1974, in force 3 May 1980

    Google Scholar 

  • HELCOM (1988) Declaration on the protection of the environment of the Baltic Sea. Ninth meeting of the Baltic marine environment protection commission, Helsinki, 15 Feb 1988

    Google Scholar 

  • HELCOM (1992) Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea area. Adopted in Helsinki, Finland on 9 April 1992, in force 17 Jan 2000

    Google Scholar 

  • HELCOM (1998) Communiqué of the ministerial session on 26 March 1998. Meeting of the Baltic marine environment protection commission, Helsinki, 26 March 1998

    Google Scholar 

  • HELCOM (2002) Environment of the Baltic Sea area 1994–1998. Baltic Sea environmental proceedings no. 82B

    Google Scholar 

  • HELCOM (2006) Development of tools for assessment of eutrophication in the Baltic Sea. Baltic Sea environment proceedings no. 104

    Google Scholar 

  • HELCOM (2007a) Baltic Sea Action Plan. HELCOM ministerial meeting. Krakow, Poland, 15 Nov 2007

    Google Scholar 

  • HELCOM (2007b) Climate change in the Baltic Sea area – HELCOM thematic assessment in 2007. Baltic Sea environmental proceedings no. 111

    Google Scholar 

  • HELCOM (2009a) Biodiversity in the Baltic Sea – an integrated thematic assessment on biodiversity and nature conservation in the Baltic Sea. Baltic Sea environment proceedings no. 116B

    Google Scholar 

  • HELCOM (2009b) Eutrophication in the Baltic Sea – an integrated thematic assessment of the effects of nutrient enrichment in the Baltic Sea region. Baltic Sea environment proceedings no. 115B

    Google Scholar 

  • HELCOM (2010a) Hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea – an integrated thematic assessment of hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea. Baltic Sea environment proceedings no. 120B

    Google Scholar 

  • HELCOM (2010b) Ecosystem health of the Baltic Sea – HELCOM initial holistic assessment. Baltic Sea environment proceedings no. 122

    Google Scholar 

  • HELCOM (2010c) HELCOM ministerial declaration on the implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. HELCOM ministerial meeting, Moscow, 20 May 2010

    Google Scholar 

  • JMM (2003) Statement on the ecosystem approach to the management of human activities: towards and ecosystem approach to the management of human activities. Annex 5. First joint meeting of the Helsinki and OSPAR commissions (JMM), Bremen, 25–26 June 2003

    Google Scholar 

  • Knuuttila S (ed) (2009) Waterborne loads of nitrogen and phosphorus to the Baltic Sea in 2006. HELCOM indicator fact sheets 2009. http://www.helcom.fi/BSAP_assessment/ifs/en_GB/cover/

  • Laine AO (2008) Climate change in the Baltic Sea area: observed and projected changes and possible biological indicators in the marine ecosystem. A draft report of the project “People, Nature and Harbours”, Part 1. Metsähallitus, The Natural Heritage Services, Finland

    Google Scholar 

  • Leppäranta M, Myrberg K (2009) Physical oceanography of the Baltic Sea. Springer, Berlin

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Mee LD (2005) Assessment and monitoring requirements for the adaptive management of European’s regional seas. In: Vermaat J, Bouwer L, Salomons W, Turner K (eds) Managing European coasts: past present and future. Springer, Berlin, pp 227–237

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen B, Kvaavik C (2007) Pelagic habitat mapping: a tool for area-based fisheries management in the Baltic Sea. BALANCE interim report no. 20

    Google Scholar 

  • Pyhälä M, Brusendorff AC, Paulomäki H, Ehlers P, Kohonen T (2007) The precautionary principle and HELCOM. In: de Sadeleer N (ed) Implementing the precautionary principle: approaches from the Nordic Countries, EU and USA. Earthscan, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Sabine CL, Feely RA, Gruber N, Key RM, Lee K, Bullister JL, Wanninkhof R, Wong CS, Wallace DWR, Tilbrook B, Millero FJ, Peng T-H, Kozyr A, Ono T, Rios AF (2004) The oceanic sink for anthropogenic CO2. Science 305:367–371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sherman K, Belkin I, Friedland KD, O’Reilly J, Hyde K (2009) Accelerated warming and emergent trends in fisheries biomass yields of the world’s large marine ecosystems. Ambio 38(4):215–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UN (1972) Declaration of the United Nations conference on the human environment, Stockholm, 5–16 June 1972

    Google Scholar 

  • UN (1992) Declaration on environment and development. The United Nations conference on environment and development, Rio de Janeiro, 3–14 June 1992

    Google Scholar 

  • UN (2002) Plan of implementation of the 2002 world summit on sustainable development, Johannesburg, 26 Aug–4 Sep 2002

    Google Scholar 

  • UNECE (1999) Protocol to the 1979 convention on long-range transboundary air pollution to abate acidification, eutrophication and ground-level ozone, Gothenburg, 30 Nov 1999

    Google Scholar 

  • Wulff F, Savchuk OP, Sokolov A, Humborg C, Mörth C-M (2007) Management options and effects on a marine ecosystem: assessing the future of the Baltic. Ambio 36(2–3):243–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Helsinki Commission, Katajanokanlaituri 6B, 00160, Helsinki, Finland

    Minna Pyhälä (Secretariat of the Helsinki Commission)

Authors
  1. Minna Pyhälä
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Minna Pyhälä .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Technical University of Denmark, Jaegersborg Allé 1, Charlottenlund, 2920, Denmark

    Keith Brander

  2. Technical University of Denmark, Jaegersborg Allé 1, Charlottenlund, 2920, Denmark

    Brian R. MacKenzie

  3. , Earth Sciences Centre, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, 40530, Sweden

    Anders Omstedt

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Pyhälä, M. (2012). HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan: An Ecosystem Approach to the Management of Human Activities. In: Brander, K., MacKenzie, B., Omstedt, A. (eds) Climate Impacts on the Baltic Sea: From Science to Policy. Springer Earth System Sciences. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-25728-5_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation