This September, HELCOM and PROTECT BALTIC proudly took part in World Cleanup Day 2025, mobilizing efforts along the Finnish coast to tackle the growing challenge of marine litter.
Photo: HELCOM
Cleanup activities were held in Mustikkamaa in Helsinki and on the beaches of Uniluoto, Yyteri, and Kallo in Pori.
The events brought together enthusiastic young volunteers who dedicated their time and energy to collecting litter from shorelines and raising awareness of how pollution affects the Baltic Sea.
Plastic waste, cigarette butts, and other discarded items were removed from sensitive coastal environments, preventing them from entering marine ecosystems where they can harm wildlife and degrade habitats.
Photo: Kimmo Koivumäki
Beyond the immediate impact of removing waste, the cleanups also became a platform for dialogue and awareness-raising with the wider community. Curious passers-by stopped to ask questions, join short discussions, and learn more about how marine litter affects the Baltic Sea. These spontaneous interactions provided opportunities to highlight how everyday choices, such as reducing single-use plastics and disposing of waste responsibly, can make a difference.
By engaging both volunteers and onlookers, the events helped connect local action with HELCOM’s broader regional efforts to combat marine litter, an issue recognized as one of the key pressures on the Baltic Sea environment.
Photo: Kimmo Koivumäki
World Cleanup Day is a global initiative uniting millions of people across more than 150 countries in a single-day effort to address litter on 20 September. By joining this movement, HELCOM and PROTECT BALTIC underline the importance of collective action in achieving a cleaner and healthier Baltic Sea.
Contact
Paul Trouth Communications Coordinator paul.trouth@helcom.fi
The Baltic Sea needs urgent action. Ecosfera Baltica, a new educational board and online game, transforms science into interactive play — inviting players to work together to restore the sea.
Helsinki, FINLAND – August 28, 2025 – HELCOM, the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, together with Julibert Games and Reaktor, today launched a new game where players team up with the shared mission of saving the Baltic Sea. By turning complex ecological concepts into accessible gameplay, the game demonstrates how play can foster environmental understanding and inspire action for a more sustainable future.
Ecosfera Baltica is an educational, cooperative multiplayer game that immerses players in the fragile marine ecosystem of the Baltic Sea. Offered both as a classic board game and a free interactive online version, it invites players to team up, make strategic decisions, and tackle environmental threats, all while having fun.
The Baltic Sea’s condition is becoming increasingly critical, as pollution, marine biodiversity loss, and a changing climate push its ecosystems. Rooted in science and inspired by the findings of HELCOM’s State of the Baltic Sea 2023 report, Ecosfera Baltica encourages players to broaden their understanding of ecological principles, marine species and habitats and most importantly: the value of collaboration.
“It is amazing how well the complex Baltic Sea ecosystem can be translated into a board and online game,” said Jannica Haldin from HELCOM. “Ecosfera Baltica lets us explore our relationship with the environment. While we can cause harm, we also have the power to provide solutions or prevent damage. The game has strong educational value, but these aspects are subtly built into the gameplay as the main focus is on a varied and exciting gaming experience”.
Designed for players aged 8 and up, the game is colorblind-friendly and largely language-independent. Rulebooks are currently offered in eight languages: English, Finnish, Swedish, Estonian, Danish, German, Russian, and Lithuanian, with more Baltic Sea languages on the way. To support environmental education, over 1,500 copies of the board game will be distributed free of charge to schools, libraries, and public institutions across the Baltic Sea region. The digital version, developed together with Reaktor, is open-access and globally available.
“For Reaktor, the development of the online version of Ecosfera Baltica has been both rewarding and exploratory. Saving the Baltic Sea is a mission we strongly support as a company, and it was inspiring for our team to figure out how to bring the board game experience online,” says Pauliina Luhtanen, SVP for Gaming at Reaktor.
The development of Ecosfera Baltica was made possible through the support of the Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation.
For anyone interested in trying out Ecosfera Baltica, either as a board game or in its digital version, the game will be showcased today, 28 August, at the EU@Oodi stand on the first floor of Oodi as part of the Baltic Sea Festival, from 12:00 to 19:00.
The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission – also known as the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) – is an intergovernmental organisation (IGO) and a regional sea convention (the Helsinki Convention) in the Baltic Sea area. A regional platform for environmental policy making, HELCOM was established in 1974 to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution. The headquarters of HELCOM, the Secretariat, is in Helsinki. helcom.fi
About Reaktor
Reaktor is a global technology and design consultancy solving highly complex, mission-critical challenges in the most demanding industry sectors. Reaktor’s expertise spans the full lifecycle of problem-solving — from pioneering data and AI to strategy, design, development, delivery and continuous services — anchored in deep industry know-how and high-performing teams. Founded in 2000, Reaktor has 700 employees and offices in Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, New York, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Stockholm, and Tokyo. Reaktor’s clients include Adidas, HBO, Supercell, Cathay Pacific, and KONE. reaktor.com
About Julibert Games
Julibert Games is an independent board game publisher from Finland, specializing in educational games and firmly committed to producing games with a minimal environmental footprint. All Julibert Games titles are produced in Europe with carbon-neutral processes using energy sourced entirely from renewable origins. julibert.com
Media contacts
For HELCOM Eeva Nyyssönen Communication Secretary, HELCOM eeva.nyyssonen@helcom.fi +358 40 647 3996
For Reaktor Anne Karumo Head of Communications and Marketing anne.karumo@reaktor.com +358 44 493 8533
HELCOM, together with partners, brought the issue of submerged munitions in European seas to the forefront during a side event of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3). The event, “No Time to Waste: Tackling Submerged Munitions in European Seas”, was held aboard the German research vessel Meteor on June 11, 2025, gathering around 80 participants, including decision makers, scientists and NGOs.
Organized by HELCOM, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), and the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the side event highlighted the urgent need for joint action and open dialogue on the risks posed by the millions of tons of conventional and chemical munitions dumped into European seas after the World Wars.
The programme featured a panel discussion on “The Baltic Perspective: front-runner regional approaches to addressing a global threat”, alongside thematic islands that showcased best practices for marine munition research and remediation. International experts presented approaches and solutions developed in ongoing national and international projects.
Panelists at the event (from left): Delilah Al Khudhairy, Agnieszka Jędruch, Stefan Mehlhase and Rüdiger Strempel. Photo: Sarah Uphoff/GEOMAR
At the panel, experts made personal commitments to ensure that the issue translates into tangible progress:
Delilah Al Khudhairy, European Commission (DG MARE), pledged stronger cooperation with HELCOM and the Coordination Centre for Submerged Munitions (CSS) to advance the EU’s Ocean PACT strategy.
Agnieszka Jędruch, Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, vowed to ensure that research outcomes from projects such as MINIMAP and MUNIRISK are turned into real-world action.
Stefan Mehlhase, BMUKN, committed to advancing the construction of a dedicated disposal facility within the munitions action programme.
Rüdiger Strempel, HELCOM Executive Secretary, promised HELCOM’s continued dedication to maintaining momentum: “We don’t have time to lose — and we won’t relent.”
The event was supported by the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IO PAN), JPI Oceans, and the German Environment Agency (UBA).
The 2025 UN Ocean Conference was held in held in Nice, France, from 9 – 13 June 2025, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica.
HELCOM has been awarded the prestigious Professor Kazimierz Demel Medal, recognising its outstanding scientific and organisational contributions in biology, ecology, fisheries and the promotion of marine science.
HELCOM’s Executive Secretary Rüdiger Strempel accepted the Medal on behalf of the organisation at a ceremony held on 28 May 2025 in Gdynia, Poland.
“This medial is a tribute to all those in the HELCOM community who work untiringly to achieve our vision of good environmental status for the Baltic Sea and to those on whose shoulders we stand”, he said.
The Professor Kazimierz Demel Medal is a prestigious distinction awarded for outstanding scientific and organizational achievements in the fields of biology, ecology, and fisheries, as well as for significant contributions to the promotion of marine science. It is presented to individuals and institutions, both Polish and international, based on nominations reviewed by the Medal Chapter, which includes previous laureates, the Chair of the Scientific Council, and the Director of the National Marine Fisheries Research Institute.
Photo: National Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Poland
The high-level 2025 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (the 2025 UN Ocean Conference) will be held in Nice, France, from 9 – 13 June 2025, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica.
HELCOM is involved in organising two side events at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, both taking place on 11 June 2025. These events are open to the public either via on-site participation or live streaming.
No time to waste: Tackling submerged munitions in European seas
When: 11 June 2025, 18:00-20:00 Where: Research vessel METEOR, Port of Nice, France Hosted by: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM), the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), and the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR)
The event aims to highlight the urgent need for joint action and open dialogue concerning submerged munitions in the sea. It will bring together decision makers, offshore infrastructure developers, security agencies, NGOs and representatives from ongoing national and international research projects to address the global issue of munitions in the sea. The event will include a panel discussion on ‘The Baltic Perspective: front-runner regional approaches to addressing a global threat’.
The sea knows no borders: transboundary protection for a thriving Baltic
When: 11 June 2025, 09:15-11:00 Where: Le Cabo Coworking, 6 Rue du Congrès, 06200 Nice, France Hosted by PROTECT BALTIC project
This side event will showcase how Baltic Sea nations have come together to transform their commitment to accelerating marine protection efforts into concrete action. Representatives from key institutions, policymakers, civil society and conservation practitioners will be invited to share their views on the initiative and their experiences in, and expectations of, this unparalleled endeavor to enhance marine biodiversity protection on a sea-basin scale.
The Helsinki Commission has approved the deletion of the five remaining municipal HELCOM Hot Spots (main pollution sites) in Poland. These hot spots included the municipal wastewater treatment plants in Katowice, Gliwice, Bytom, Łódź and Wrocław.
On March 28, 2025, the Helsinki Commission confirmed the deletion of these sites from the list after reviewing and approving a report submitted by the State Water Holding Polish Waters.
Poland has made significant progress in municipal wastewater treatment, particularly through the implementation of the National Programme for Municipal Wastewater Treatment. The previous deletion of Polish hot spots took place in 2015, when the modernization of wastewater treatment plants in Warsaw, Poznań and Kraków were completed.
“We are very gratified by this Polish success story, which testifies to the overall success of the work on hot spots under the Baltic Sea Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme (JCP), initiated in 1992,” notes HELCOM Executive Secretary Rüdiger Strempel.
The 2021 Baltic Sea Action Plan saw the countries around the Baltic Sea renew their commitment to eliminating the remaining hot spots identified under the JCP (Action HT23).
“On behalf of Polish Waters, I would like to thank all national and international partners involved for the cooperation that led to this important achievement. It is the result of consistent investment, infrastructure modernisation, and joint efforts to protect the Baltic Sea, as well as clear proof of effective international collaboration in the Baltic Sea region”, states Deputy President of State Holding Polish Waters Mrs. Alicja Michalik-Kucińska.
Overall, there are only 35 sites left from the original 162 significant pollution points identified in the Baltic Sea catchment area. Currently only nine municipal hot spots remain on the HELCOM hot spot list, located in Latvia (2), Russia (2), Belarus (3), Ukraine (1) and the Czech Republic (1).
To delete the remaining hot spots from the list, it must be demonstrated that they meet the regionally defined criteria, in this case regarding the quality of the treated wastewater and its impact on the surface water downstream. For municipal wastewater treatment plants, this includes compliance with HELCOM Recommendation 28/E on municipal wastewater treatment. This recommendation sets parameters for five-day biological oxygen demand (BOD5), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP). Additionally, compliance with HELCOM Recommendation 38/1 on sewage sludge handling is required.
Above: A map of HELCOM Hot Spots.
About HELCOM Hot Spots
The HELCOM Hot Spot list was established in 1992 by the Helsinki Commission to draw attention to the most important sources of pollution affecting the quality of the Baltic Sea waters. Among them there were large agglomerations with insufficient wastewater management (municipal point sources), industrial areas and areas of intensive agriculture. Under the Helsinki Convention, Contracting Parties of are obliged to take action to remove hot spots from the list. Deletion of a Hot Spot requires proof that effective measures have been taken in the area, the hot spot’s environmental impact has been eliminated, and that the contaminated areas have been remediated.
Contact
Eeva Nyyssönen Communication Secretary eeva.nyyssonen@helcom.fi
Rüdiger Strempel, Executive Secretary of HELCOM, reflects on Finland’s special connection with HELCOM and the organisation’s regional efforts to protect the Baltic Sea
On 18th March 1974, the Finnish Postal Service issued a stamp and first-day cover to commemorate the Diplomatic Conference on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area. Four days later, the Conference adopted the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, or Helsinki Convention. This was a milestone in a process in which Finland has continuously played a pivotal part. In this article, I would like to recall why a story that began more than fifty years ago still matters – and the special role of Finland in writing it.
The commemorative stamp depicted a flock of seagulls above a deep blue sea and bore the inscription “The Baltic Sea – our environment” in Finnish and Swedish. Sadly, however, by the 1970s, that environment was severely compromised, and the Baltic Sea was considered the most polluted sea in the world. Without decisive action on the part of the Baltic Sea states, it was at risk of spiralling into the abyss of ecological apocalypse.
Regional efforts to protect the Baltic Sea since 1972
In 1972, Finland spurred those states to action. An initiative that Finland, due to its special role in the bipolar Cold War world order, was uniquely well-placed to take and that matched the overall fabric of the country’s foreign policy. In the course of 1973, it hosted and chaired three intergovernmental expert meetings on the Baltic Sea in Helsinki, bringing together the then-seven Baltic Sea states: Denmark, Finland, the German Democratic Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, Poland, the Soviet Union, and Sweden.
These efforts were crowned with success, and by early 1974, the process was brought to a successful conclusion at the Diplomatic Conference.
It took another six years for the agreement, a front- runner in international marine environmental law as the first international treaty globally to protect a regional sea from all sources of pollution, to enter into force. During that time, the governing body provided for in the Convention, the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), met six times in a provisional format, the so-called Interim Commission (IC).
Finland hosted and chaired all six of those meetings, as well as roughly one-fourth of the meetings of the technical Working Groups established by the IC. It also provided an interim Secretariat. In 1980, the Commission’s first regular meeting occurred in Helsinki, and the permanent HELCOM Secretariat was established. It became the first international organisation to permanently establish its headquarters in the Finnish capital, where it is still located today.
And Finland’s close involvement with HELCOM continued beyond the inception phase. As the organisation’s host country, it has continuously supported HELCOM work both financially and substantively. Finland has hosted four HELCOM Ministerial Meetings – more than any other country. Moreover, when the geopolitical changes of the late 1980s and early 1990s and advancements in international environmental law and policy necessitated a revision of the Convention, Finland again played a key role in facilitating this process and ensuring that HELCOM remained fit for purpose.
In April 1992, Helsinki’s iconic Finlandia Hall was the venue of another Diplomatic Conference under Finnish chairmanship, which adopted the revised Helsinki Convention. The 1992 Convention has ten Contracting Parties, all Baltic Sea States, and the European Union, reflecting the geopolitical realignment following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc. In force since 2000, it has stood the test of time and remains the basis of HELCOM’s work to this day.
And that work is crucially important. Water knows no boundaries, and no one country can achieve marine protection on its own. For five decades, HELCOM has provided Baltic Sea states with a platform for the regional exchange, dialogue and cooperation required to tackle the formidable challenges faced by their common sea. It is a multilateral success story, leading to improvements in the state of the Baltic Sea environment and thereby benefitting nature and people across the region.
Yet, it has not been an unqualified success. The condition of the Sea remains deplorable, as documented by the third Holistic Assessment of the State of the Baltic Sea (HOLAS 3), published by HELCOM in 2023. Already ailing, our sea is severely affected by the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. But the assessment also offers hope. Decades of monitoring and assessment under the auspices of HELCOM have vastly expanded our knowledge of the Baltic Sea.
Moreover, HOLAS 3, the most comprehensive assessment of its kind to date, also shows that if duly implemented, regional measures will lead to an improvement in the sea’s condition.
HELCOM’s 2021 Baltic Sea Action Plan (2021 BSAP) lays out a broad range of such measures, along with a roadmap for their implementation, clearly indicating what needs to be done and by when. While the costs of such measures may seem daunting, the high cost of inaction, also evidenced by HOLAS 3, makes them a critically important long-term investment that we cannot afford not to make.
Achieving good environmental status for the Baltic Sea
Fifty years after HELCOM’s establishment, the organisation’s job is far from done, and protecting the Baltic Sea requires continued, sustained multilateral efforts. It can, therefore, reasonably be said that if HELCOM did not exist, it would need to be invented. Fortunately, however, it does exist.
While the current challenging geopolitical situation has forced the organisation to modify its operational procedures, it remains largely on track in implementing the 2021 BSAP. In line with the bold vision that originated in Finland over half a century ago, HELCOM is poised to continue catalysing and crystallising joint regional efforts towards achieving good environmental status for the Baltic Sea – our environment.
This article was first published in Open Access Government. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of HELCOM or its Contracting Parties.
A groundbreaking initiative is harnessing the power of gaming to inspire action for the restoration of the Baltic Sea. Ecosfera Baltica, developed by HELCOM and Julibert Games, merges science, sustainability, and strategy into an engaging and fun collaborative game experience aimed at all ages.
The Baltic Sea faces significant environmental challenges, as highlighted by the State of the Baltic Sea 2023 report. Ecosfera Baltica brings these findings to life by educating players on the complex interplay of ecosystems, biodiversity, and the impact our activities have on the sea. Available in both a tabletop boardgame and a digital version, the game encourages cooperation, critical thinking, and empathy while emphasising actionable solutions for a sustainable future.
“Games have been proven to help players foster empathy, enhance problem-solving skills, and encourage critical thinking, ultimately driving social change by encouraging players to take action in the real world,” concludes Jannica Haldin, who coordinates the project at HELCOM together with Owen Rowe.
The game features scientifically accurate scenarios, multiple levels of complexity, and accessibility options to appeal to players of all ages and backgrounds. Funded by the Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation, Ecosfera Baltica is set for release in early 2025.
The digital multiplayer version, developed in collaboration with Reaktor, aims to make the game more accessible, thereby expanding its reach to schools and other educational institutions across the Baltic Sea region.
How to access the game?
Both versions of the game (digital and tabletop board game) are due to launch early 2025.
This event will focus on strategies to restore marine ecosystems in the Nordic region, presenting insights from leading environmental organizations in this field.
With growing political focus on marine environments—particularly in light of the new EU regulation on nature restoration—understanding the socio-economic implications and costs of marine restoration measures has become essential.
The recording and the report from the event are now available.
Laura Wendling (SINTEF) Sanna Kuningas (LUKE) Federica Montesanto (Aarhus University) Liisa Saikkonen (SYKE) Moderator: Mikelis Bendiks
11:45-12:00
Wrap up
Moderator: Mikelis Bendiks
Pathways to restoring Nordic Seas
A unique and innovative element of this event was the creation of an AI-generated video that synthesized the insights and responses provided by the audience. Before the event, participants were invited to answer three key questions about marine restoration.
What are the main challenges?
What is needed to overcome them?
If we overcome the challenges, what can restoration do for the health of the marine environment?
This AI-driven approach allowed for an engaging, data-driven summary of the audience’s input, bringing their voices to life in a format that added depth to the event.
Live Illustration
Throughout the event, key moments, ideas, and themes were captured visually in real-time by a live illustrator, who translated the complex concepts being discussed into an accessible and visually-engaging narrative.
Credit: Doti at Illustrated Live – katiechappell.com
By translating the presentations and panel discussion insights into illustrations, this creative process not only helped to simplify complex concepts but also deepened the audience’s engagement with the topics being discussed.
Live illustration is an effective tool for enhancing communication and audience engagement, as it provides a dynamic and creative way to summarize and highlight key points. It helps capture the essence of the event in a visual form, allowing the ideas to come to life and giving participants a clearer connection between the discussions and the practical implications of marine restoration.
The illustrations also serve as a valuable resource for reinforcing learning and ensuring that important concepts are retained long after the event has concluded. This method of communication is particularly beneficial in complex subjects like marine restoration, where diverse and technical topics can sometimes be difficult to fully absorb. Live illustration helps make these discussions more memorable, turning abstract concepts into tangible representations that foster a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the field.
Audience: Aimed at researchers, policymakers, environmental economists, and marine restoration practitioners, and anyone else interested.
Join us for a pivotal conversation on developing sustainable, cost-effective approaches to protect and restore the invaluable Nordic marine environment.
The Nordic Council of Ministers’ Working Group for Environment and Economy (NME) and HELCOM will jointly host a webinar on cost-effective marine restoration on 4 December 2024.
HELCOM has long collected various shipping and maritime-related data within the HELCOM Maritime Working Group, Expert Groups and projects. Now, this data is more accessible than ever with the launch of a new, user-friendly shipping data platform.
The platform is organized into three sections for easy navigation:
Dashboards: Interactive charts and figures displaying e.g. time series of amounts of illegal oil spills observed in the Baltic Sea
Stories: Stories and more in-depth information based on project results, showcasing various aspects of shipping in the Baltic Sea.
The shipping data platform utilizes datasets published in HELCOM Map and data service with customized visualizations tailored for these specific datasets. Datasets are results from specific projects or resulting from the annually collected data flows under HELCOM data collection policy. All datasets can be downloaded from the HELCOM Metadata catalogue.
