Save The Baltic Sea collaborates with HELCOM to raise awareness on Baltic Sea pollution

The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) has become an official partner of the Save The Baltic Sea hiking expedition, supporting the initiative in raising awareness about the threats to the Baltic Sea environment and promoting citizen science.

The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) is an intergovernmental organisation, established in 1974 to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution.

The Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP), adopted by the 9 Baltic Sea countries and the European Union that together form HELCOM in 2007 (and updated in 2021), is HELCOM’s strategic programme of measures and actions for achieving good environmental status of the Baltic Sea, ultimately leading to a Baltic Sea in a healthy state by 2030.

Since its adoption, the BSAP has resulted in a number of environmental improvements. However, HELCOM reports that more than 50% of the agreed joint actions are still unaccomplished. Some of these actions are focused on raising awareness and interest in understanding the Baltic Sea and threats to its environment, as well as promoting opportunities for the general public to participate in citizen science. These are the overlapping goals between HELCOM and the Save The Baltic Sea expedition.

As a partner initiative of HELCOM, the Save The Baltic Sea expedition aims to catalyze the implementation of the BSAP to achieve a healthy sea by 2030. The 9 month, almost 6000 kilometer long hiking expedition will start on 11 of March. It will serve as an environmental awareness raising campaign that will bring Baltic Sea pollution issues into the spotlight. The hiking team will cross 8 countries, starting inLithuania and continuing in Poland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Latvia.

Numerous public events will be organized along the expedition route together with local scientific institutes, non-governmental organisations and citizen initiatives. The events will include ocean literacy and citizen science activities, discussions with local communities, as well as stakeholder workshops.

Save The Baltic Sea partners include the EU4Ocean Coalition, the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania, and a broad network of institutes and organisations from the 8 countries. If you wish to collaborate with our initiative, contact us by filling the form here: https://savebaltic.eu/join-us/