Baltic-wide actions needed to reach SDG targets

CCB • February 28, 2017

Today, high-level representatives of the HELCOM Contracting Parties will meet in Helsinki to discuss regional Baltic Sea contribution to conservation and sustainable use of the seas and marine resources by 2030. Actions related to eutrophication, marine litter and climate change will be given special focus in the discussion.

On behalf of environmentally concerned citizens of the Baltic Sea catchment, the NGO network Coalition Clean Baltic asks the Ministers and Baltic region governments to keep their focus and address the urgent needs of the Baltic Sea in order to reach the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs. Global goals are needed but it must start with regional sea actions to save the Baltic Sea from further deterioration. To set aside the already agreed goals is not acceptable and doing so may risk losing public support.

– The public expects that the big words and set goals matter and wants to see results not excuses , says Mikhail Durkin, CCB Executive secretary.

The 2018 HELCOM Ministerial Meeting will demonstrate whether the countries are serious that “protection and enhancement of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea Area are tasks that cannot effectively be accomplished by national efforts alone” as recognised by 1992 Helsinki Convention.

– We have only a few years left before the original Baltic Sea Action Plan deadline in 2021, HELCOM Contracting Parties should strongly focus and not shifting the deadline towards 2030, relying on SDG process to solve all the Baltic problems.  Mikhail Durkin CCB Executive secretary

The CCB considers the below points crucial to comment.

Eutrophication:

  • it is vital that the upcoming EU CAP reform process better address nutrient efficiency and nutrient recycling in agricultural systems
  • it is not acceptable that one Contracting Party is still blocking joint process of national commitments to reduce nutrient inputs that is set on best available national data and scientific knowledge!

Hazardous substances:

  • leading countries in the BSR pursuing domestic bans of microbeads use in cosmetics should first make the regional efforts and then have the courage and propose concerted global action
  • pharmaceutical residues problem should be addressed in a more comprehensive way, focusing on both source reduction through public awareness and efficient safe disposal systems, as well as end-of-pipe measures for sewage and sludge by its tertiary treatment

Biodiversity and nature conservation:

  • on one hand we are witnessing designation of new offshore MPAs to protect critically endangered harbour porpoise and on the other – plans for large infrastructure projects threatening the existence of already established MPAs, as e.g. routing of Nord Stream II across Kurgalskiy Peninsula and Navigation Canal across Vistula Spit.

Maritime activities

  • Baltic ports should address other, earlier considered negligent sources of pollution, e.g. through development and implementation of BAT for ports facilities handling fertilisers to avoid losses of nutrients during loading operations

See more detailed information in CCB’s full statement.

CCB is looking for a Network Officer to join our team at the CCB International Secretariat

By CCB • April 9, 2025
Coalition Clean Baltic – CCB is a politically independent network, uniting 27 environmental non-profit organizations, as well as partners and experts from 11 countries surrounding the Baltic Sea. The main goal of CCB is to promote the protection and improvement of the environment and natural resources of the Baltic Sea region by encouraging new and constructive approaches and engaging people to become part of the solution instead of part of the problem. CCB Secretariat is based in Uppsala, Sweden.

Attacks on NGOs: 570+ Organisations Join Forces to Defend Civil Society

By CCB • April 7, 2025
European civil society organisations (CSOs) are currently facing an attack coming from certain Members of the European Parliament. Spearheaded by some MEPs from the European People’s Party (EPP) and by far-right groups, this attack resorts to misleading arguments to fabricate a scandal. This portrayal has been amplified through the media, with notable exceptions of articles that attempted to clarify this misleading narrative. European CSOs are crucial to ensure the voices of citizens from different parts of Europe are heard in the EU institutions. Attacks against civil society are unfortunately not new and are exacerbated by this harmful idea. Furthermore, for-profit corporate lobbying is through the roof when compared to non-profit advocacy. In 2024, the 50 corporations with the largest lobbying budgets collectively spent nearly €200 million on lobbying the EU alone (66% more than in 2015). Comparing this to the funding environmental NGOs receive under the LIFE programme - €15.6 million annually of a €700 million yearly budget - truly shows the weakness of this ‘scandal’. This is why over 570 civil society organisations from 40 countries, including all EU Member States, have joined forces to call on those in power to act now and ensure that civil society is adequately funded and enabled to share our crucial perspectives . In this statement, we address: The source of this false narrative; Inaccurate claims made about how CSOs obtain and use funding; Why it’s paramount that CSOs receive sufficient funding; The need for civil dialogue to enable CSOs participation. Democracy is about the right of citizens to be collectively heard for building an inclusive society and a shared European future; properly funded independent CSOs are a crucial tool for that. We call on decision-makers to ensure civil society organisations can thrive and play their role in interacting with policy-makers in order to have a more fully informed decision-making process. Read the full statement here . -END Civil Society Europe (CSE) is the coordination of civil society organisations at EU level. Through its membership, CSE unites EU-level membership-based organisations that reach out to millions of people active in or supported by not-for-profits and civil society organisations across the EU. CSE was created by several civil society organisations as a follow-up to the European Year of Citizens and was established as an international not-for-profit under Belgian law in 2016. Since then, it has become the point of reference for EU institutions on transversal issues concerning civil dialogue and civic space.