Latest status
Biodiversity loss driven by human activities is identified among the biggest current global threats to humanity, through effects on ecosystems and the functioning of foodwebs. On the other hand, restored and properly protected marine ecosystems can bring substantial health, societal and economic benefits.
A HELCOM core vision for biodiversity is a healthy Baltic Sea environment with diverse biological components functioning in balance, resulting in good ecological status. Through the actions included in the 2021 Baltic Sea Action Plan, HELCOM Contracting Parties have declared their firm determination to ensure the possibility of self-regeneration of the marine environment, preservation of its ecological balance, and to take all appropriate measures to conserve natural habitats and biological diversity and to protect the ecological processes of the Baltic Sea by 2030 at the latest.
Latest biodiversity status assessment results for the Baltic Sea clearly show the need for continued and improved coordinated measures for its environment and biodiversity. Species and communities at all levels of the food web have at least partially inadequate environmental status across the full spatial extent of the Baltic Sea, as presented in the HELCOM thematic assessment of biodiversity in the Baltic Sea 2016-2021.
Only a few indicators have acceptable levels in parts of the region, and none in all assessed areas. The deteriorated status is of immediate concern for the affected species, but deteriorated status of individual species also leads to impacts on ecosystem processes through the connections among species and populations in the food web. Hence, deteriorated biodiversity status also has implications for the capacity of the Baltic Sea to support our human well-being.
HELCOM Thematic assessment of biodiversity
HELCOM Thematic assessment of biodiversity 2016-2021 (Main report compressed)
Full resolution downloads:
- HELCOM Thematic assessment of biodiversity 2016-2021 PART 1 (Preface – Chapter 7)
- HELCOM Thematic assessment of biodiversity 2016-2021 PART 2 (Chapter 8 – References)
- HELCOM Thematic assessment of biodiversity 2016-2021 ANNEXES