New obstacles emerge to Baltic Sea protection

Poland takes negative attitude toward agricultural emissions

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Drafting a new programme for the protection of the Baltic Sea faces fresh difficulties.
     The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM), comprising the member states of the European Union and countries which border the Baltic Sea, decided in the spring a year ago to draw up a new protection programme.
     The scheduled date for signing the programme is November 15th, but the countries are far from unanimous on the measures needed to protect the enclosed and ecologically sensitive body of water. Attempts to reduce emissions from agricultural chemicals are meeting with resistance, especially from Poland.
     The aim is to draw up a plan of action that would be as concrete as possible. The goals would be a reduction in the eutrophication of the Baltic Sea, developing marine environment security, securing the diversity of nature, and the control of hazardous substances.
     Finland and Latvia are working together to draft plans to reduce eutrophication, for which agriculture is the greatest single cause.
     Agriculture produces the greatest emissions in Finnish and Swedish sea areas. Finland has set ambitious goals for itself in the reduction of nutrient emissions, but the goals are far from being realised.
     
New challenges are coming from Poland and the Baltic Countries. Polish agriculture is already a major polluter of the Baltic Sea, while Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are making efforts at greater agricultural efficiency. After a transitional period, the countries are set to get significant support from the European Union for the purpose.
     The use of artificial fertiliser in the Baltic Sea area is expected to increase by between 20 and 35 per cent over the next ten years.
     No progress has been made in preparations by civil servants for the setting of goals. The negotiations are said to be in a "sensitive situation". According to civil servant sources, Poland does not want to come out as an opponent of protection of the Baltic, but "their priorities now are different".
     
Cleaning residential waste water is another key factor in saving the sea. Poland, Russia, and the Baltic Countries lag far behind Western standards in sewage treatment. More efficient sewage treatment would eliminate as much as a third of the annual phosphorous emissions into the sea.
     When it joined the EU, Poland was granted long transitional periods for the improvement of its sewage treatment. Poland has not adhered to all of the timetables that were set for it. In drafting the programme of action, there has been discussion of shortening the transitional periods, but Poland has been unwilling to agree to such a move.
     In HELCOM, decisions are made by consensus, and are not binding. However, the agreements that are reached do have considerable political weight.
     The first Convention for the Protection of the Baltic Sea was drawn up in 1974. It was renewed in 1992 when the Baltic Countries became independent.
     Finland continues to place a high priority on cooperation among the Baltic Sea states.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  New St Petersburg sewage treatment plant to be inaugurated today (22.9.2005)
  WWF: Finland falls short of target in protecting Baltic Sea (16.5.2007)
  Winter storms improve oxygen situation at bottom of Gulf of Finland (21.1.2007)
  Gulf of Finland in record-poor shape; bottom is dead and oxygen low in many areas (18.8.2006)
  Removal of phosphorous from St Petersburg waste water to begin next year (11.10.2005)
  VTT reports on emissions from ships in Baltic (13.3.2007)

Links:
  HELCOM website

Helsingin Sanomat