External meeting
Third informal consultation session of the Working Group on Reduction of Pressures from the Baltic Sea Catchment Area (IC PRESSURE 3-2022)
October 18, 2022
External meeting
Third informal consultation session of the Working Group on Reduction of Pressures from the Baltic Sea Catchment Area (IC PRESSURE 3-2022)
Start date: October 18, 2022
End date: October 21, 2022
Place: Uppsala, Sweden
Address:
Official meetings of all HELCOM Working and Experts Groups and other subsidiary bodies are postponed due to the HELCOM strategic pause until further notice, however, informal consultation sessions, without Russian participation, are organized and hosted by a Contracting Party.
The informal consultation sessions process and discuss documents and provide guidance and recommendations as to how to progress work.
The informal consultation sessions process and discuss documents and provide guidance and recommendations as to how to progress work.
Description
The third informal consultation session of the Working Group on Reduction of Pressures from the Baltic Sea Catchment Area (IC PRESSURE 3-2022) was hosted by Sweden in Uppsala and online, on 18-21 October 2022.
The Session was attended by Denmark, Estonia, European Union, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden. Observers from Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB), World Wide Fund for Nature, Race for the Baltic and Baltic Farmers’ Forum on Environment as well as invited guests also attended the Session.
CCB participant in the session:
- Mikhail Durkin, CCB Executive Secretary
- Ewa Leś, CCB Working Area Leader Eutrophication
Outcomes of the session:
- In relation to action S57, the Session took note of the status of ongoing work, as well as of additional information as follows:
* CCB informed of the status of the planned longer-term (provisionally, six years project) application to regionally raise awareness, engage stakeholders, advocate and test specific pilot solutions globally available;
* Germany informed about the informal consultation workshop on shipping noise organized by CCB and Germany as a first step. The documentation and presentation of the workshop are available on a dedicated CCB events page. In addition, reiterated their support to hold a workshop on recreational boating as proposed by IC MARITIME 1-2022, that would also address the issue of underwater noise.
- The Session took note of the inputs by CCB to the implementation of the BSAP actions related to underwater noise as contained in document 4-3.
- The Session welcomed the results and progress made in the informal consultation workshop on shipping noise co-organized by Germany supported by CCB. The Session took note of the views by Germany on the emphasis made in the workshop on the need to involve all relevant
stakeholders from the beginning for mitigation measures to succeed. Germany highlighted and supported the recommendation to establish national round tables to inform and involve the relevant stakeholders.
- The Session took note of the clarification from CCB that the Baltic Sea PSSA is primarily addressing vulnerability of Baltic Sea ecosystem from the environmental impacts of shipping, including recreational boating, and therefore can contain new APMs related to continuous noise originating from it.
- The Session took note that CCB sees the value of the proposed changes but that it is unclear why Maritime and Response WGs are not affected by this restructuring process.
- The Session took note of the suggestion by Sweden, supported by CCB, to have EN Clime under Gear WG, due to its cross-cutting character. The Session took note of the clarification by the Secretariat that Gear WG will be the responsible working group for most of the climate related actions in the BSAP. The Session took note of the view by Germany that there may be a lack of technical expertise on the climate topic within the Gear WG.
-The Session took note of the Strategy for nutrient reduction in the waters of the Oder International River Basin District presented by CCB. The Session welcomed the presentation of the strategy to the Group, as it is the core management tool of the International Commission on the Protection of the Oder against Pollution (ICPO) for WFD implementation by 2027.
- The Session took note of the concern of CCB that the current state of Odra River should be taken into account when considering the deletion of the Odra lagoon hot spot and that CCB has strong objection towards deleting the Odra lagoon hot spot due to the current situation.
- The Session took note of the additional legal considerations by CCB pointing out that in 2016, the Polish government pledged to reach so-called good ecological potential for the Odra River, that the target has not been met but instead it is planned to be lowered. The Session also took note of the position by CCB that it is wrong to limit the search for entities responsible for the damage only to the control of compliance of the discharges with the permits held.
- The Session took note that the International Plan of Warnings and Alarms for the Oder River Basin was established in 2015 by the International Odra Commission Against Pollution (ICPO) and the view by CCB that in the situation in August 2022 the plan did not work sufficiently.
- The Session took note that the Chair of HELCOM has responded to the letters of concern by CCB and WWF.
- The Session took note of the position of CCB that the restoration of the Odra River and revision of alarm plan of the transboundary river basin are of the highest priority. Stopping the expansion of Odra (regulation works on Odra River) needs to be undertaken due to the vulnerability of its disrupted ecosystem.
CCB inputs documents:
- Outline for drafting BAT/BEP to minimize nutrient losses from dry bulk fertilizer storage and handling in ports in the Baltic Sea
- 3-4 Single Use Plastics Directive Implementation Assessment Report
- 4-3 Inputs to the implementation of the BSAP actions related to underwater noise
Participation supported by
CCB's participation in the event was supported by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor CINEA can be held responsible for them.
The Session was attended by Denmark, Estonia, European Union, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden. Observers from Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB), World Wide Fund for Nature, Race for the Baltic and Baltic Farmers’ Forum on Environment as well as invited guests also attended the Session.
CCB participant in the session:
- Mikhail Durkin, CCB Executive Secretary
- Ewa Leś, CCB Working Area Leader Eutrophication
Outcomes of the session:
- In relation to action S57, the Session took note of the status of ongoing work, as well as of additional information as follows:
* CCB informed of the status of the planned longer-term (provisionally, six years project) application to regionally raise awareness, engage stakeholders, advocate and test specific pilot solutions globally available;
* Germany informed about the informal consultation workshop on shipping noise organized by CCB and Germany as a first step. The documentation and presentation of the workshop are available on a dedicated CCB events page. In addition, reiterated their support to hold a workshop on recreational boating as proposed by IC MARITIME 1-2022, that would also address the issue of underwater noise.
- The Session took note of the inputs by CCB to the implementation of the BSAP actions related to underwater noise as contained in document 4-3.
- The Session welcomed the results and progress made in the informal consultation workshop on shipping noise co-organized by Germany supported by CCB. The Session took note of the views by Germany on the emphasis made in the workshop on the need to involve all relevant
stakeholders from the beginning for mitigation measures to succeed. Germany highlighted and supported the recommendation to establish national round tables to inform and involve the relevant stakeholders.
- The Session took note of the clarification from CCB that the Baltic Sea PSSA is primarily addressing vulnerability of Baltic Sea ecosystem from the environmental impacts of shipping, including recreational boating, and therefore can contain new APMs related to continuous noise originating from it.
- The Session took note that CCB sees the value of the proposed changes but that it is unclear why Maritime and Response WGs are not affected by this restructuring process.
- The Session took note of the suggestion by Sweden, supported by CCB, to have EN Clime under Gear WG, due to its cross-cutting character. The Session took note of the clarification by the Secretariat that Gear WG will be the responsible working group for most of the climate related actions in the BSAP. The Session took note of the view by Germany that there may be a lack of technical expertise on the climate topic within the Gear WG.
-The Session took note of the Strategy for nutrient reduction in the waters of the Oder International River Basin District presented by CCB. The Session welcomed the presentation of the strategy to the Group, as it is the core management tool of the International Commission on the Protection of the Oder against Pollution (ICPO) for WFD implementation by 2027.
- The Session took note of the concern of CCB that the current state of Odra River should be taken into account when considering the deletion of the Odra lagoon hot spot and that CCB has strong objection towards deleting the Odra lagoon hot spot due to the current situation.
- The Session took note of the additional legal considerations by CCB pointing out that in 2016, the Polish government pledged to reach so-called good ecological potential for the Odra River, that the target has not been met but instead it is planned to be lowered. The Session also took note of the position by CCB that it is wrong to limit the search for entities responsible for the damage only to the control of compliance of the discharges with the permits held.
- The Session took note that the International Plan of Warnings and Alarms for the Oder River Basin was established in 2015 by the International Odra Commission Against Pollution (ICPO) and the view by CCB that in the situation in August 2022 the plan did not work sufficiently.
- The Session took note that the Chair of HELCOM has responded to the letters of concern by CCB and WWF.
- The Session took note of the position of CCB that the restoration of the Odra River and revision of alarm plan of the transboundary river basin are of the highest priority. Stopping the expansion of Odra (regulation works on Odra River) needs to be undertaken due to the vulnerability of its disrupted ecosystem.
CCB inputs documents:
- Outline for drafting BAT/BEP to minimize nutrient losses from dry bulk fertilizer storage and handling in ports in the Baltic Sea
- 3-4 Single Use Plastics Directive Implementation Assessment Report
- 4-3 Inputs to the implementation of the BSAP actions related to underwater noise
Participation supported by
CCB's participation in the event was supported by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor CINEA can be held responsible for them.