3 6 Helkom Schlupp

29 BSPCYEARSBaltic Sea Parliamentary ConferenceTHIRD SESSIONREPORTHELCOMMs. Beate SchluppBSPC Observer in HELCOMHonourable President,Distinguished delegates,Dear friends,Last year I have been given the honour to continue the exceptional and passionate work of SylviaBretschneider as BSPC Rapporteur at HELCOM. This has occurred in especially turbulent times withthe COVID-19 pandemic and the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan update process in full swing. Thelast couple of months have been trying, but I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to HELCOMfor its continued hard and intensive work. I would specifically like to compliment the Commission’stransparency and openness with a view to its online presence and outreach.Let me start by sharing a personal impression. Being new to the role of HELCOM Observer, I first had tocome to terms with the restrictions imposed by the mandate. This role is, by nature, limited to acting asBSPC’s eyes and ears at the meeting of the executive – but not as the voice of the constituents, which weare all accustomed to as parliamentarians. This required some adaptation, but it also made me think aboutthe ways we can make the most of our observer status and not only act as silent guests.In this regard, I would like to recall point 24 of our last year’s resolution and draw attention to point10 of this year’s resolution draft (nach drafting committee Abgleich), in which the BSPC calls upongovernments to “support that the HELCOM chairmanship” pursues “to intensify efforts to address theproblem of munition dumps in the sea”. The German team, which assumed HELCOM chairmanshipin July, advocates for exchanges of expertise, information sharing and technology tests in order to gain abetter overview of the scale of munition compounds and their potential impacts. The ultimate goal is toensure their safe and environmentally sound removal from the Baltic Sea.Within the framework of the Baltic Sea Action Plan update process, the HELCOM Expert Group onenvironmental risks of hazardous submerged objects (SUBMERGED) has submitted a correspondingproposal for new action. It aims at the development of Best Environmental Practice and control of threatsposed by munitions, wrecks and other hazardous submerged objects in the Baltic Sea. Today and tomorrow,the BSAP UP workshop on hazardous substances will discuss and evaluate this proposal, among others.We should keep a close eye on these developments bearing in mind that the 41st HELCOM MinisterialMeeting stressed that the BSAP update process should be participatory and inclusive.As far as the update of the Baltic Sea Action Plan is concerned, 2019-2020 has marked a departure fromplans to concrete actions. The work here has mainly concentrated on two aspects: review and reassessmentof current actions and consideration of proposals for new ones. HELCOM is working on a tight scheduledespite the pandemic-induced limitations: the updated Plan should be adopted next year at the 42ndMinisterial Meeting.With the BSAP update high on HELCOM’s agenda, regular work on pressing issues had to continueregardless. In order to improve the safety of navigation and protection of the marine environment giventhe increase of Baltic Sea traffic, this year’s Ministerial Meeting adopted recommendations on deep-seapilotage and enhancing the use of pilots in Route T and Sound. In addition, it revised the recommendationon the protection of harbour porpoise in view of increased human activities and the critical status ofharbour porpoise populations.At the same time, HELCOM is actively working to increase its outreach and contribute to globalcommitments. State representatives have agreed to use the HELCOM platform to coordinate the regionalimplementation of ocean-related SDGs in the Baltic Sea. In addition, HELCOM undertook new voluntarycommitments for the 2020 UN Ocean Conference, which ranged from integrating ocean-related SDGsinto the updated BSAP, contributing to the UN Decade of Science for Sustainable Development throughthe development of the HELCOM Science Agenda, to sharing experience within the framework of theUN Regional Seas Programme.Less than two months ago, the German team has assumed Chairmanship at HELCOM and presented sixstrategic priorities covering such issue areas as:- updating and implementing the Baltic Sea Action Plan,- the already mentioned munitions,- enhancing marine biodiversity,- and – last but not least – understanding and responding to climate change.The outlined priorities show potential synergies with the newly established BSPC Working Group onClimate Change and Biodiversity and could serve as a solid basis for further cooperation between BSPCand HELCOM.Overall, it has been a busy year, not only because of COVID-19. Much work still lies ahead towards ourcommonly shared goal: a healthy and safe Baltic Sea.Thank you for your attention.