Category: BIODIV

The next holistic assessment of the Baltic ecosystem health was planned for in the Meeting of Monitoring and Assessment Group () of , concluding today, along with the review of overall process towards an operational system. MONAS Group meets regularly for a scientific-technical scrutiny of regional work on monitoring and assessment of – and human pressures on – Baltic Sea marine environment,  Decisions of last month’s HELCOM laid out major targets for the monitoring and assessment work of HELCOM and steered planning  for the future. The Ministers agreed that the holistic assessment of ecosystem health will be updated by the end of 2016, the first having been issued in 2010. MONAS Group has now agreed that the report will include information on the state of the marine environment and human derived pressures, an assessment of distance to good environmental status, socio-economic considerations of protecting the sea, as well as an update of solutions for how to reach good environmental status. Completing the set of core indicators on ecosystem health was at the heart of the Meeting, now when first such have recently been on the HELCOM website. The Meeting reviewed the work planned for 2014–2015 and proposed new activities for marine litter and underwater noise indicator development, as well as for monitoring, assessment and measures. The 2013 Ministerial Meeting decided that both marine litter and underwater noise ought to be in the focus of HELCOM work in the coming years, and for marine litter a regional action plan should be developed by 2015.  The Meeting reviewed activities and initial ideas for constructing a HELCOM Monitoring Manual that describes the joint coordinated monitoring system of the Baltic Sea. The Manual will streamline and modernise HELCOM’s current approach to coordinated monitoring. Furthermore, it is being prepared with the view to support the reporting on monitoring programmes by HELCOM countries being EU member states under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.  The Monitoring and Assessment Group was also briefed about core indicators to follow up on nutrient input reductions by the countries according to the new reduction targets. A full report on nutrient inputs is about to be published and work is underway to have a streamlined system with harmonised methods for monitoring and assessment of nutrient loads from Baltic Sea countries. In addition, a draft report presented to the Meeting show that significant decline in atmospheric pollution to the Baltic Sea has taken place since the beginning of the 1990s, on atmospheric supply of nitrogen, heavy metals, dioxins and furans. The report by the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme () details this decline, also resulting in lower deposition of these pollutants to the Baltic Sea. The full report will be published on the HELCOM and EMEP websites in late December. HELCOM MONAS Meeting also reviewed the work that is on-going in various projects and expert networks under MONAS Group, such as those working on monitoring and assessment of coastal fish, radioactivity, phytoplankton and zooplankton. The Meeting was chaired by HELCOM MONAS Chair Ms. Anna-Stiina Heiskanen, Finland, and co-chaired by Chair of HELCOM LOAD, Vice-Chair of HELCOM MONAS Mr. Lars M. Svendsen, Denmark.  * * *Note for editors:The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , 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.  * * *For further information:Maria LaamanenProfessional SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 46 8509198E-mail: maria.laamanen@helcom.fiSkype: helcom101 Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988E-mail: johanna.laurila@helcom.fiSkype: helcom70

The next holistic assessment of the Baltic ecosystem health was planned for in the Meeting concluding today.

As a pioneering region in spatial planning, experts, industries and managers from around the Baltic Sea join for two days of workshops on fisheries sector, aquaculture and harmonized planning of the marine area. The growing use of marine space requires clever planning and management across several national borders and sectors.  , holding the joint horizontal leadership in maritime spatial planning with Vision and Strategies around the Baltic Sea (VASAB) in EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea (EUSBSR), organizes . It is co-financed by the EU through technical assistance under EUSBSR.  The intention is to discuss the many aspects of cross-border planning; to further assess the benefits and challenges of integrating fisheries in maritime spatial planning (MSP); as well as MSP data needs. The outcome and recommendations of the first day, with a main focus on the Baltic Sea, will be passed on tomorrow Friday to the European Commission’s stakeholder on all EU seas. Even though positively acknowledged e.g. regarding the low numbers of overfished stocks, Baltic fisheries are not yet fully sustainable or integrated into the overall maritime planning. The discussions today will ponder on the aspects of interaction between fisheries and other sea users, such as essential fish habitats in MSP; consultation of fishery stakeholders; spatial and temporal dimension of MSP as regarding seasonality in fisheries and planning; and fishery data challenges in MSP.  The importance of fisheries has been increasingly recognized in maritime spatial planning. Knowledge is a necessity that underlies sound management decisions but many challenges prevail, particularly in successfully applying such relevant knowledge. The fishing sector needs to be better involved in the planning process if spatial measures that affect fisheries, nature conservation and other uses of the sea, are to be decided.As a part of the continuous work of the joint HELCOM-VASAB Working Group on MSP, established in 2010, the Regional Baltic MSP Roadmap for 2013–2020 has just been adopted in the HELCOM Copenhagen last month. The HELCOM workshop is coorganized with PartiSEApate, Baltic Sea RAC and International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).* * *Note for editors:A joint co-chaired (MSP) was established to ensure cooperation among the Baltic Sea region countries for coherent regional MSP processes in the Baltic Sea. The Group, launched in October 2010 by HELCOM and the Vision and Strategies around the Baltic Sea () meets regularly; and follows and examines as well as makes use of the outcomes and findings of regional project activities relevant to MSP, such as , and . The HELCOM Fisheries and Environment Forum () enhances dialogue between fisheries and environmental authorities on the Baltic fisheries and fish stocks in the context of protection and sustainable use of the Baltic Sea marine environment. The key focus of the Forum, established in 2008, is to facilitate the successful implementation of the fisheries related actions in the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan.The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organisation 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. Since 1974, HELCOM has governed the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * *For more information, please contact:Marco Milardi Project ResearcherHELCOMTel: +358 40 557 5631 Skype: helcom51E-mail:  Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail:  

As a pioneering region in spatial planning, experts, industries and managers from around the Baltic Sea join for two days of workshops on fisheries sector…

Today, the Baltic Sea Pilot Project on testing new concepts for integrated environmental monitoring of the Baltic Sea () brings together experts from all countries around the Baltic Sea to the project kick-off meeting in Helsinki. The basis of all work is coordinated of the state of the marine environment, human pressures on the environment and impacts of any actions to reduce such pressures. A key focus of the new EU-funded Project is on strengthening the capacity of the Baltic Sea states to develop their environmental monitoring programmes, including compatibility of data from different monitoring schemes, and ultimately, to lift the integrated joint monitoring to a new level regionally. In the BALSAM Meeting, more detailed action plan for the next 18 months will take shape. An important task for BALSAM, with its 19 consortium partners, is providing input to the on-going revision of HELCOM’s coordinated joint monitoring system, initiated with the revised HELCOM Monitoring and Assessment Strategy which was adopted in the HELCOM 2013 Copenhagen Ministerial Meeting last month. The process will continue in 2013-2014, with the development of a monitoring manual describing the revised joint coordinated monitoring system for the Baltic Sea and, in 2015, with the review and revision of the common monitoring guidelines.Moreover, BALSAM will upgrade the preparedness of the Baltic Sea region’s EU member states for implementing the monitoring requirements of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Other main areas of BALSAM work involve cross-border coordination and joint activities especially related to monitoring of biodiversity, i.e. marine mammals, water birds and non-indigenous species in ports and benthic biotopes. Also, a decision support tool will be developed for non-indigenous species monitoring in ports for use under the MSFD as well as the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention. The Project will make recommendations for enhancing coherence and synergies between environmental and fisheries monitoring, and data compatibility. This part of the work will be carried out in cooperation with the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES). As described in the initial Project plans, BALSAM aims to improve shared and coordinated use of research vessels for monitoring between the countries, which will enhance resource- and cost-efficiency of monitoring in the Baltic Sea region. Importantly, BALSAM will also share experiences with similar projects in the North Sea and in the Mediterranean – Black Sea to ensure inter-regional coherence.The project consortium is coordinated by the HELCOM Secretariat. * * *Note for editors:The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organisation 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. Since 1974, HELCOM has governed the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * *For more information, please contact:Johanna KarhuProject Coordinator – BALSAMHELCOM Tel: +358 40 661 9040 Skype: helcom63E-mail:  Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail:  

HELCOM pilot project on regional integrated monitoring kicks off today.

​The first complete threat assessment of the Baltic Sea species examines the risk of species and some populations of species becoming regionally extinct. The recently released assessment, focuses on macroscopic species living in the sea or being strongly dependent on it and it was carried out, also for the first time, using internationally agreed and globally applied criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The comprehensive report has been produced by about 80 experts from the Baltic Sea countries within the framework of the .  Reliable knowledge of the Baltic Sea ecosystem is essential when planning sustainable use of the sea space and protecting the marine environment.  The Red List of Baltic Sea species is an invaluable support to these efforts.  HELCOM has agreed to make the Red List assessments of Baltic Sea species, habitats and biotopes a regular activity which will enable the tracking of long-term trends in the status of Sea’s biodiversity. The methods used in previous assessments were different and do not allow for comparison, hence one can’t estimate whether changes have taken place in the total number of threatened species between HELCOM assessments.  The assessment was an important contribution to the , held in October in in Copenhagen, Denmark and it makes proposals for action to protect threatened species. The HELCOM Ministers agreed that by 2015, a new HELCOM Recommendation on conservation plans for species, habitats and biotopes will be developed since existing European nature conservation legislation cover only part of the species listed as threatened in this assessment. Highlights from the report:

– Great majority of the species living in the Baltic Sea
are not threatened by extinction. Out of the about 1750 IUCN-evaluated
species about 1610 were considered to be of Least Concern  Three species are regionally extinct from the Baltic Sea.
They include two fish: American Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus)
and the common skate (Dipturus batis), and one bird, the gull-billed
tern (Gelochelidon nilotica).
– Altogether 4 % of Baltic Sea species, or one in every
twenty-five, are threatened. Approximately 2800 Baltic Sea macro-species
were considered for the assessment and about 1750 (63%) were eventually
evaluated according to the IUCN criteria. – All eight Critically Endangered species are vertebrates.
Among them are European eel, harbour porpoise and wintering populations of
black-throated and red-throated divers (Gavia arctica and G. stellata) – Endangered species numbered 18 and Vulnerable 43.
Among these were 19 birds, ten fish, seven macrophyte plants and 19
invertebrates. Endangered and vulnerable groups included commercially exploited
species such as Atlantic cod, salmon and trout as well as species that are
regularly hunted such as common eider (Somateria mollissima) and velvet
and common scoters (Melanitta fusca and M. nigra) – Large proportion of Baltic Sea species was left out of
the assessment due to lack of data or poor knowledge about them. Although
about 2800 species of macrophytes, benthic invertebrates, fish, birds and
mammals are known to occur in the Baltic Sea it was possible to evaluate only
about 1750 against the red list criteria, leaving out about 820 species due to
poor knowledge and 220 species for other reasons, for example alien origin.
Current monitoring programs miss a large fraction of species. Many species
would also require special expertise for identification – All threatened species are under pressure from human
activities. None of the red-listed species seem to be under a pressure from
a single specific human activity; rather that each species faces a multitude of
pressures. Eutrophication, fishing, construction activities and spreading of
alien species are considered to be most significant past and present threats to
the red-listed species. Climate change is identified as the most increasing
threat  Species Information Sheets complement the report,
containing a wealth of detailed information about each species. They have been
produced for each the red-listed species of , , , breeding and wintering and .  . * * *Note for editors:The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organisation 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. Since 1974, HELCOM has governed the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * *For more information, please contact:Ms. Maria LaamanenProfessional SecretaryHELCOM Tel: +358 46 850 9198 Skype: helcom101 E-mail:   Ms. Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail:

Highlights of the recently released, first complete threat assessment of the Baltic Sea species.

Statement by HELCOM Chair at today’s plenary, on Macro-regional strategies – to boost smart and sustainable growth.

Underestimated potential of the Baltic Sea explored by science and policy experts The many benefits of ecosystems and wise marine management in the Baltic Sea area top the agenda of a workshop starting today, bringing together regional, European and global science and policy experts to share knowledge, experiences and forward-looking ideas.  The general understanding of values and benefits that the ecosystem services bring to human societies is still limited and mainly focuses on terrestrial ecosystems. The presents examples and practical guidance on how this can be changed in the future to support marine management and decision-making. The 2-day workshop is organized by Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (), ,   and , and co-funded by the .   “The potential of well-maintained marine environment is not acknowledged to its full by economic sectors and in maritime spatial planning,” says Monika Stankiewicz, HELCOM’s Executive Secretary. “The Baltic Sea supplies many ecosystem services that contribute to human well-being, ranging from fish resources and regulation of climate conditions to biogeochemical nutrient cycling, which in turn impact various sectors of regional economy, e.g. fisheries, shipping and tourism. As benefits provided by nature are not sufficiently recognized, political and management decisions regulating these and other sectors may not be optimal in terms of sustainable use of the Baltic Sea resources.”    Knowledge on the benefits provided by marine and coastal ecosystems can support reaching the objectives of the , and also assist in the implementation of other requirements such as the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Valuation of ecosystem services draws attention to the trade-offs between the protection of the marine environment and other economic activities, and might, therefore, assist in designing and executing policies more efficiently. It also allows for comparing the estimated benefits of environmental protection measures with their costs to assess the economic efficiency of environmental projects and programmes.  The cost-benefit analyses can be also useful in setting environmental targets and in deciding how to allocate public spending. In addition, valuation is one of the ways to take into account public values of favourable environmental condition and encourage public participation in decision-making. The latter process still underutilises the role of ecosystem values and benefits as a supporting tool, due to lacking coherent methodology.  The Workshop in Stockholm will pave the way for better use of the instrument of evaluating ecosystems in both national as well as regional decision-making, for reaching good environmental status of the Baltic Sea.        * * * Note for editors: The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , 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. Since 1974, HELCOM has governed the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * *For further information, please contact:Ms. Heini AhtiainenProject ResearcherHELCOMSkype: helcom62E-mail: heini.ahtiainen@helcom.fi Ms. Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila@helcom.fi

The many benefits of ecosystems, their underestimated potential and wise marine management top the agenda of a workshop starting today in Stockholm.

The Ministers of the Environment and High-Level Representatives of the nine Baltic coastal countries and the European Union, convened in a HELCOM Meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark today, have reached an agreement on a package of extensive actions and measures. This will open up new themes to be addressed in the protection of the Baltic Sea. After a year of negotiations, the new HELCOM Ministerial outcome expresses the ambition of the Baltic Sea region to become a model for good management of human activities and to steer regional actions for reaching a healthier marine environment for the Baltic Sea.  Today the Ministerial Meeting has adopted an overarching scheme for combatting eutrophication in the Baltic Sea. Within the scheme, each country commits to fulfil particular targets for reducing nutrient pollution, through measures addressing discharges and emissions from land and via air. The updated targets represent the best available knowledge and give guidance to sharing responsibility for reducing nutrient inputs originating from both HELCOM and non-HELCOM countries, as well as from shipping and sources outside the region.  Agriculture was singled out as a crucial sector for the success of reaching good environmental status of the Baltic. Regarding sustainable agricultural production, the Meeting agreed, among others, on measures that include annual nutrient accounting at farm level and environmentally sound utilization of manure nutrients to be achieved by the specific deadlines.  The future designation of the Baltic Sea as a Nitrogen Oxide Emission Control Area (NECA) under the MARPOL Convention of the International Maritime Organisation emerged as the main topic for negotiations among the Ministers. After lengthy negotiations the Meeting concluded by recalling the earlier commitment regarding the designation, and specified that it would lead to a reduction of nearly 7000 tons of nitrogen to the sea every year. The outcome further stresses that the achievement of the Baltic Sea unaffected by eutrophication relies on additional reduction efforts by shipping sector. The regional cooperation on preparedness and response to pollution especially on shoreline will now improve thanks to the adoption of an amendment to the Helsinki Convention providing the legal basis for HELCOM work. Furthermore, the new HELCOM Recommendation on airborne surveillance of illegal spills from ships enables more flexible border crossings of the patrol aircrafts, for more efficient gathering of evidence on environmental offenses.   The new Declaration also contains actions on Baltic marine protected areas. Some of them target fisheries practices with negative impacts in protected areas and others overall upgrading of the network of the areas. Furthermore, conservation plans for species, habitats and biotopes which are at risk of extinction will be developed.  New ways of biodiversity protection include a regional action plan for marine litter, to be developed within two years, as well as actions on negative impacts of underwater noise.  The Contracting Parties agreed that the implementation of all commitments in the declaration will be continuously reviewed by the Ministers. To support the continuous assessment of the state of the sea, the Meeting agreed on a new Monitoring and Assessment Strategy. Since the adoption of the Baltic Sea Action Plan in 2007, this is the second Ministerial Meeting, following the Ministerial Meeting in Moscow in 2010, to assess the effectiveness of the Action Plan and subsequent progress towards good environmental status of the Baltic Sea.  Out of all the measures and actions agreed in the Baltic Sea Action Plan as well as following up the 2010 Ministerial Declaration, about one third of agreed actions have been accomplished. Six out of ten measures have been partly accomplished or are still on-going with varying degree of implementation in different countries, and the remaining ten per cent are still to be initiated. * * *Reduction targets Changes in the country-wise nutrient reduction targets for nitrogen and phosphorus per country: 2007 – as in HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Pla2013 – as adopted by the HELCOM Ministerial Meeting on 3 October 2013* = figures after ‘+’ refer to loads originating from the country but being discharged to the Sea via another country; additional specific footnotes to the above table can be found in the text of the Ministerial Declaration * * *Note for editors:The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , 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. Associated documents for the Ministerial Meeting at:   * * *For further information, please contact:Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988E-mail: Skype: helcom70 

The new HELCOM Ministerial outcome, issued today, expresses the ambition of the Baltic Sea region to become a model…

​01.10.2013Note new time at 11:45 – MEDIA ADVISORYHELCOM Ministerial Meeting 2013 in CopenhagenNine Environment Ministers and EU Commissioner gather for Baltic Sea health checkWHAT Press conference
following the HELCOM 2013 Ministerial MeetingWHEN Thursday 3 October
2013, at 11.45 – 12.30 (local time)WHERE Eigtveds Pakhus,
Asiatisk Plads 2G, Copenhagen, DenmarkWHYThe high-level representatives from all nine Baltic coastal
states and EU will gather to discuss priorities and agree on actions for
improving the Baltic Sea marine environment. HELCOM Contracting Parties have
committed to implement the Baltic Sea Action Plan (2007–2021), and now the
progress will be reviewed. The outcome – 2013 Ministerial Declaration – is the
master blueprint for stronger efforts for a healthier Baltic Sea, following the
long tradition of regional HELCOM cooperation. Any interested media are invited to apply for
accreditation by sending name, media represented, and contact information to
HELCOM Secretariat (johanna.laurila@helcom.fi), by Tuesday 1 October
2013.Dedicated webpages: ( Temporary
disruptions possible on 1 October)New documents uploaded today
and tomorrow:
(or, visit ;
folder: Commission Meetings (HELCOM) / HELCOM Ministerial 2013. No log-in
required)* * *For further information, please
contact Johanna LaurilaInformation
SecretaryHELCOMHelsinki, FinlandE-mail:
johanna.laurila@helcom.fiTel: +358 40 523 8988Jonatan Lykke-OlesenPress and Communication
DepartmentNature Agency, Ministry of the EnvironmentCopenhagen,
DenmarkE-mail: jolyk@nst.dkTel: +45 41 11 22 84  Note for editors:The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually
referred to as , 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,
including response to spills and clean and safe shipping. HELCOM governs a legal
treaty from 1974, “Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the
Baltic Sea Area,” aka the Helsinki Convention High-level representatives attending the press
conference:Ms. Ida AukenMinister of the Environment, DenmarkMs. Keit Pentus-RosimannusMinister of the Environment,
EstoniaMr. Karl FalkenbergDirector General, DG Environment,
European CommissionMr. Ville NiinistöMinister of the Environment,
FinlandMr. Fritz HolzwarthDeputy Director-General, Federal
Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety,
GermanyMr. Edmunds SprūdžsMinister of Environmental
Protection and Regional Development, LatviaMr. Almantas PetkusVice-Minister of the Environment,
LithuaniaMr. Stanisław GawłowskiVice-Minister of the
Environment, PolandMr. Nuritdin Inamov Director of International
Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Russian
FederationMs. Lena EkMinister of the Environment, Sweden

The high-level representatives from all nine Baltic coastal states and EU will gather to discuss priorities and agree on actions for improving the Baltic Sea marine environment, along with observer organizations, financing institutes and other stakeholder

A recently released
on climate change in the Baltic Sea area looks into historical and more
recent changes in the region’s climate and changes that are projected
to take place in the future. The new assessment is an important
contribution to the ,
to be held next Thursday in Copenhagen, Denmark. Climate is an
important controlling factor for the marine ecosystem. The report
examines possible future changes in the Baltic Sea and explains what
future climate change may mean for the protection of the sea. he
report also contains proposals for action to counteract the expected
negative impacts from climate change on the Baltic Sea ecosystem. This
has been done to follow-up the needs for more stringent and
supplementary actions due to climate change indicated by the HELCOM 2007
and 2010 Ministerial Meetings Highlights from the report:-        The Baltic Sea region is warming faster than the Earth as a whole. On average since the late 19th
century the increase in annual average surface air temperature has been
0.11˚C per decade in the northern Baltic and 0.08˚C in the southern
Baltic compared to the global average of 0.05˚C per decade. The warming
is anticipated to continue-        Annual average sea-surface water temperature has increased
by up to 1˚C per decade since 1990 and a further increase of 2 to 4˚C
is projected near the end of this century. There will be a drastic
decrease in the amount of sea-ice cover and the length of the ice season
in the Baltic Sea if the warming continues as expected-        Precipitation during the past century has tended to increase in winter and spring
in the Baltic Sea region. Model simulations indicate that winter
precipitation could continue to increase during this century. Patterns
of river runoff tend to change considerably-        The volume of snow in the region is expected to decrease, particularly in the southern half of the region-        Sea-surface salinity may decrease
and the change may be largest in the region of the Danish Straits, and
small in the northern and eastern Baltic, and the smallest in the
Bothnian Bay-        Surface sea level projections
are associated with considerable uncertainty: mid-range scenarios
project a 0.6 m and high-end scenarios a 1.1 m sea-level rise over this
century-        Acidification that stems from increased CO
concentrations in the atmosphere has been slightly offset by an
increase in alkalinity; the decrease of 0.15 pH units expected for
marine systems from the increased atmospheric CO concentrations has been diminished by roughly 0.03 units due to increased alkalinity from the catchment area-        Changes in ecosystem structure and functioning
are expected as a result of climate change, warming in particular. Such
changes would include shifts in the ranges of species and distribution
of habitats, as well as a decrease of oxygen in the water-        Proposed actions to buffer the Baltic Sea ecosystem against the expected negative changes:
reduction of nutrient inputs to the maximum allowable levels, overall
reduction of human pressures stemming from activities such as shipping,
fisheries and construction activities, and lastly, the report proposes
strengthening of the network of marine protected areas so that it will
ensure a safe space for species and habitats he
previous assessment of climate change in the Baltic Sea Area was
released in 2007 (HELCOM BSEP No. 111) and the broader technical book,
Assessment of Climate Change for the Baltic Sea Basin, in 2008,
published by Springer. The current assessment builds on and extends the
previous assessment, and summarizes the current state of knowledge he report is a result of close collaboration between HELCOM and , the successor programme to .
It is based on the Second Assessment of Climate Change for the Baltic
Sea which is to be released in 2014. The material used for this
assessment has been produced by more than 120 experts from the Baltic
Sea region within the framework of BALTEX/Baltic Earth. The proposals
for action stem from the work of HELCOM ownload the report   * *Note for editors:The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as ,
is an intergovernmental organisation 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. Since 1974, HELCOM has
governed the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of
the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention  * *For more information, please contact:Ms. Maria LaamanenProfessional SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 46 850 9198Skype: helcom101E-mail:  #160Ms. Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail:

The Baltic Sea region is warming faster than the Earth as a whole, states a recent HELCOM report on climate change. The assessment looks into past changes and future projections in the region’s climate.