Report on the Exercise of the Observer Status of the BSPC at the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission 2021

BSPCBaltic Sea Parliamentary ConferenceReport on the Exercise of the Observer Status of theBaltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) at theBaltic Marine Environment Protection Commission(Helsinki Commission – HELCOM)2021Part IReport on HELCOM 2021, Part I The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) was established in 1991 as a forum for po-© Schwerin, 2021 litical dialogue between parliamentarians from the Baltic Sea Region. BSPC aims at raisingawareness and opinion on issues of current political interest and relevance for the Baltic SeaRegion. It promotes and drives various initiatives and efforts to support a sustainable envi-ronmental, social and economic development of the Baltic Sea Region. It strives at enhanc-Text: Beate Schlupp ing the visibility of the Baltic Sea Region and its issues in a wider European context.Editing: Evgeniya Bakalova, Georg Strätker and Bodo Bahr BSPC gathers parliamentarians from 11 national parliaments, 11 regional parliaments andLayout: produktionsbüro TINUS 5 parliamentary organisations around the Baltic Sea. The BSPC thus constitutes a uniquePhoto: Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern parliamentary bridge between all the EU- and non-EU countries of the Baltic Sea Region.BSPC external interfaces include parliamentary, governmental, sub-regional and other or-ganizations in the Baltic Sea Region and the Northern Dimension area, among them CBSS,HELCOM, the Northern Dimension Partnership in Health and Social Well-Being(NDPHS), the Baltic Sea Labour Forum (BSLF), the Baltic Sea States Sub-regional Coop-Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference eration (BSSSC) and the Baltic Development Forum.Bodo Bahr BSPC shall initiate and guide political activities in the region; support and strengthen dem-Secretary General ocratic institutions in the participating states; improve dialogue between governments, par-+49 171 5512557 liaments and civil society; strengthen the common identity of the Baltic Sea Region bybodo.bahr@bspcmail.net means of close co-operation between national and regional parliaments on the basis ofwww.bspc.net equality; and initiate and guide political activities in the Baltic Sea Region, endowing themwith additional democratic legitimacy and parliamentary authority.The political recommendations of the annual Parliamentary Conferences are expressed in aBSPC Secretariat Conference Resolution adopted by consensus by the Conference. The adopted ResolutionSchlossgartenallee 15 shall be submitted to the governments of the Baltic Sea Region, the CBSS and the EU, and19061 Schwerin disseminated to other relevant national, regional and local stakeholders in the Baltic Sea Re-Germany gion and its neighbourhood.Content 3Content ContentI. Introduction .....................................................................................................................................5II. Cooperation between the BSPC and HELCOM .............................................................................71. HELCOM Progress Report at the BSPC Standing Committee ..........................................................82. HELCOM Expert Presentations at the Meeting of the BSPC Working Group on“Climate Change and Biodiversity” ................................................................................................93. BSPC Efforts to Support HELCOM ..............................................................................................124. Sea-Dumped Munitions as a Common Priority for HELCOMand the BSPC ..............................................................................................................................14III. Main Developments and Events in 2020/2021 .............................................................................161. Update of the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) ................................................................................162. HELCOM Stakeholder Conference on Ecosystem-Based Management .............................................173. Launch of the HELCOM BLUES Project toSupport the Attainment of GES ....................................................................................................19IV. HELCOM Reports, Recommendations, and Manuals ..................................................................201. HELCOM Annual Report 2020 ...................................................................................................202. HELCOM Recommendations .......................................................................................................223. HELCOM Manuals ....................................................................................................................23IV. Prospects and Outlook ..................................................................................................................241. HELCOM Ministerial Meeting 2021 ..........................................................................................242. Strengthening Cooperation between the BSPC and HELCOM .......................................................25Content 4Sources and Links ...............................................................................................................................26ANNEX I: Updated List of HELCOM’s Working Groups and Projects .............................................27Annex I.1. List of Current HELCOM Working Groups and Expert Networks .................................................27Annex I.2. List of Ongoing HELCOM Projects ...............................................................................................29ANNEX II.Activities of the BSPC Observer to Support HELCOM .....................................................................301. Proposal to Update the Scope of Work of the BSPC Working Group on Climate Change andBiodiversity with a View to Relevant HELCOM Activities .............................................................302. Letter to HELCOM Chair Dr. Lilian Busse ..................................................................................313. Summary of the Public Discussion on Munitions Salvage in the Baltic Seafrom 12 August 2021 ..................................................................................................................33List of Abbreviations ..........................................................................................................................38I. Introduction 5I. IntroductionThe Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (Helsinki Com-mission – HELCOM) is an intergovernmental organization engaged in im-plementing the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environmentof the Baltic Sea Area (Helsinki Convention) signed in 1974. Throughoutthe years, HELCOM has established itself as a regional platform for envi-ronmental policy-making and science-policy dialogue on pressing ecologi-cal issues. The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) shares HEL-COM’s vision of a “healthy Baltic Sea environment” and traditionally refersto HELCOM’s goals and aims in its annual resolutions. Since 2002, the Ms Beate SchluppBSPC holds observer status at HELCOM; in November 2020, the BSPCStanding Committee has re-appointed me as BSPC observer at HELCOMto continue closely following the work of HELCOM bodies and reportback to the BSPC on relevant developments.Unlike previous reports, the present Report on the Exercise of the Observer Status of the BSPC at HELCOM,prepared in fulfilment of my observation mandate, is divided into two parts pending the outcomes of the forth-coming HELCOM Ministerial Meeting on 20 October 2021. The first – present – part of the report covers themain highlights in the cooperation between the BSPC and HELCOM as well as the central developments inHELCOM’s work from October 2020 to August 2021. It provides a summary of the presentations held byHELCOM representatives at the meetings of BSPC working bodies as well as the communication betweenHELCOM and myself in my observer capacity – with a special focus on nutrient inputs, biodiversity and cli-mate change as well as sea-dumped munitions, which constitute areas of mutual interest and concern for bothBSPC and HELCOM. The latter issue deserves specific attention in this regard.Finding new solutions for the problem of unexploded ordnance in the Baltic Sea has been identified as one ofthe priorities by the current German HELCOM presidency. The BSPC has been following relevant develop-ments since its early years, as has been underlined by BSPC Secretary General, Mr Bodo Bahr, at the kick-offevent of the German HELCOM chairmanship on 2 July 2020. The 28th and 29th resolutions of the BSPC di-rectly addressed this issue, calling upon the governments of the Baltic Sea region to develop a cross-border sus-tainable strategy for dealing with sea-dumped munitions and to support the German HELCOM presidency’sintention to intensify efforts to monitor and treat this problem. With a view to the demands of the 28th and 29thBSPC resolutions, the current HELCOM presidency’s priority and the motion on reducing the risks stemmingI. Introduction 6from unexploded ordnance in the sea (Drs. 7/6082(neu)) passed by the State Parliament of Mecklenburg-Vor-pommern on 6 May 2021, I have participated in a public discussion on ammunition recovery in the Baltic Sea.A summary of the event, which was also attended by the BSPC Secretary General Mr Bodo Bahr, is included inthe annex.Further, the report briefly summarises the ongoing update of the Baltic Sea Action Plan and concentrates on anumber of notable past events, such as the HELCOM Stakeholder Conference 2021, as well as HELCOM rec-ommendations and publications. The update of the BSAP, which was mandated by the Ministerial Meeting in2018, has constituted a major part of HELCOM’s work in 2020–2021. Overall, three drafts were presented forapproval at the 59th and 60th meetings of the Heads of Delegation (HOD) and the 42nd meeting of the Helsin-ki Commission. With the final text to be adopted at the Ministerial Meeting in October, the work is still ongo-ing – as is the finalisation of the action and supporting documents, which would be adopted together with theupdated Baltic Sea Action Plan. The second part of the report, which will be issued after the Ministerial Meet-ing in October, will address these processes and outcomes in detail.The BSPC will closely follow the forthcoming HELCOM Ministerial Meeting, which will agree on a widerange of strategic commitments, measures and actions towards the protection of the Baltic marine environmentand restoring the good ecological status of the Baltic Sea until 2030. It is crucial that the proclaimed aim of pre-serving the ambitious character of the original plan is upheld and that the implementation of both old and newmeasures is intensified. In addition, the BSPC will continue to pay special attention to HELCOM’s efforts inaddressing the priorities of the current presidency, with a particular focus on solving the problem of sea-dumpedmunitions.Beate SchluppFirst Vice President of theState Parliament of Mecklenburg-VorpommernBSPC Observer at HELCOMII. Cooperation between the BSPC and HELCOM 7II. Cooperation between the BSPC and HELCOMThe long-standing tradition of cooperation between the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference and the BalticMarine Environment Protection Commission was continued and strengthened in 2020/2021 in the run up tothe 30th BSPC in August 2021 and the upcoming HELCOM Ministerial Meeting in October 2021. These de-velopments did not only encompass explicit references to HELCOM’s work and chairmanship priorities in theresolution of the 29th BSPC but also HELCOM’s participation in the meetings of BSPC working bodies as wellas communication and contacts between HELCOM representatives and myself in my capacity as BSPC Ob-server at HELCOM.Baltic Sea parliamentarians traditionally signal their strong support towards the goals and efforts of the Helsin-ki Commission in the annual BSPC resolutions. In line with this tradition, the 29th BSPC called upon the Bal-tic Sea governments, the CBSS and the EU to support that the current German HELCOM chairmanship “pur-sues the objectives of explicitly considering aspects of sustainability, relevance for the climate and biodiversity aswell as suitability in the updating of the Baltic Sea Action Plan and future HELCOM decisions.”1 The resolu-tion also underlined the importance of not only updating the BSAP but also visibly accelerating its implemen-tation and intensifying efforts to further reduce the excessive nutrient load in the Baltic Sea – the main reasonfor eutrophication, which continues to plague the marine environment and severely affect human activities. Inaddition, the resolution of the 29th BSPC specifically addressed Germany’s chairmanship priority of intensify-ing efforts “to monitor and treat the problem of dumped munitions, wrecks and ghost nets in the Baltic Sea”with the ultimate goal of making the Baltic Sea region “a global leader” in this field.2With the aim of intensifying the information exchange between the two international organisations, HEL-COM was invited to report on the progress in the ongoing update of the Baltic Sea Action Plan, in addressingthe demands and recommendations of the 29th BSPC and on the Commission’s relevant activities in the area ofreduction of nutrient inputs, biodiversity and climate change. Consequently, current HELCOM Chair Dr. Lil-ian Busse, HELCOM Executive Secretary Mr Rüdiger Strempel and HELCOM Professional Secretary incharge of biodiversity and climate change Ms Jannica Haldin outlined the main developments in these fields atthe meetings of the BSPC Standing Committee on 22 February 2021 and the BSPC Working Group on Cli-mate Change and Biodiversity on 15 March 2021.1 Conference Resolution adopted by the Digital 29th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) on 24 August 2020, https://www.bspc.net/29th-bspc-resolu-tion-final-adopted/2 Ibid.II. Cooperation between the BSPC and HELCOM 8Although the possibilities for direct contacts have been significantly reduced as a result of the safety and protec-tion measures in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, I have strived to uphold and broaden the mutualcommunication channels in my observer capacity despite these limitations. Thus, in December 2020, I have ad-dressed a letter to the German HELCOM presidency and later held an information talk with HELCOM ViceChair from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Dr. Andreas Röpke. The following sections will elaborate on this ex-change in more detail.1. HELCOM Progress Report at the BSPC Standing CommitteeOn 22 February 2021, HELCOM Chair Dr. Lilian Busse informed the BSPC Standing Committee – the high-est executive body of the BSPC – about HELCOM’s ongoing activities in connection with the update of theBaltic Sea Action Plan and presented Germany’s chairmanship priorities for 2020–2022. Dr. Busse specificallyaddressed the issues of excessive nutrient loads, sea-dumped munitions and biodiversity – which constitute are-as of mutual concern and interest for both HELCOM and the BSPC.In the beginning of her presentation, Dr. Busse introduced the German chairmanship team, which took overHELCOM’s rotating presidency from Finland in July 2020. She explained that HELCOM’s presidents set thestrategic direction, convene and chair the meetings of HELCOM’s decision-making bodies and briefly sketchedout the organisational structure and decision-making process of the Helsinki Commission. Dr. Busse thenshortly introduced the Baltic Sea Action Plan adopted in 2007 and reminded that it aimed at restoring the goodecological status of the Baltic Sea by 2021. Seeing how this goal was unlikely to be attained by the target year,the 2018 Ministerial Meeting had mandated an update of the BSAP, which has constituted a significant part ofHELCOM’s work in the past three years. The update follows an evolutionary rather than revolutionary path,adopts an ecosystem approach, includes actions managing human activities, adapts the plan to current HEL-COM topics and considers global targets and commitments (such as the SDGs, Aichi targets, EU MSFD). Theupdated BSAP would also take stock of and integrate related HELCOM tools, such as the Nutrient RecyclingStrategy, the Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter, the Regional Action Plan on Underwater Noise, the Cli-mate Change Fact Sheet, and the Regional Baltic MSP Roadmap. Dr. Busse reminded that the updated BSAPis expected to be adopted by the HELCOM Ministerial Meeting in October 2021.II. Cooperation between the BSPC and HELCOM 9Dr. Busse further outlined the priorities of Germany’s HELCOM Chairmanship, which include: strengtheningocean governance, updating and implementing the Baltic Sea Action Plan, trying new solutions for well-known,pressing challenges, strengthening marine biodiversity, and understanding and responding to climate change inthe Baltic Sea region.Finally, the presentation touched upon three issues, which were raised in the resolution of the 29th BSPC: bio-diversity, excessive nutrients and sea-dumped munitions. In regard to strengthening marine biodiversity, Dr.Busse informed the meeting that HELCOM was working to complete and develop a coherent network of ma-rine protected areas (MPAs) and step up efforts to protect and conserve endangered species. On the issue of thereduction of nutrient inputs, she underlined the need for developing further actions by studying best practicesand analysing barriers to implementation but also updating nutrient hotspots. Regarding the problem of mu-nitions, shipwrecks and ghost nets, HELCOM is concentrating on the exchange of knowledge and expertiseand seeking ways to ensure the safe and environmentally sound removal of submerged hazardous objects fromthe seabed. Dr. Busse added that the latter issue has been one of the priorities of HELCOM’s Vice Chair fromSchleswig-Holstein Dr. Johannes Oelerich. The main tasks here are identifying affected sites, analysing the con-centration and impact of toxic substances, and finding ways to ensure the safe removal of sea-dumped muni-tions, shipwrecks and ghost nets.2. HELCOM Expert Presentations at the Meeting of the BSPC Working Groupon “Climate Change and Biodiversity”The BSPC Working Group on Climate Change and Biodiversity was established at the 29th annual conferencein August 2020 and is tasked with closely following the developments and formulating recommendations in thearea of climate change adaptation and preservation of biodiversity in the Baltic Sea area. Ahead of the first meet-ing in November 2020, Mr Philipp da Cunha, Member of the State Parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,and I have proposed to update the WG’s “Scope of Work” in order to consider ongoing HELCOM activitieswith a focus on climate change and biodiversity (see annex). The proposal came against the backdrop of theBSAP update, which would include climate change as a crosscutting topic within the revised plan. In addition,we proposed to pay special attention to the Climate Change Fact Sheet final report prepared by the joint HEL-COM/Baltic Earth Expert Network on Climate Change (EN CLIME) as well as the HELCOM Science Agen-da, in which climate change and biodiversity are featured as prominent issue areas.II. Cooperation between the BSPC and HELCOM 10The Working Group held its second meeting on 15 March 2021 and invited HELCOM representatives to up-date the Baltic Sea parliamentarians on HELCOM’s related efforts and activities. HELCOM experts spokeabout the update of the BSAP, also with regard to potential political/parliamentary support, and the ClimateChange Fact Sheet, which accumulates existing knowledge on the effects of climate change on the Baltic See en-vironment as well as economic and social life.At the beginning of his presentation, Mr Rüdiger Strempel, HELCOM Executive Secretary, underlined theuniqueness but also the fragility of the Baltic Sea ecosystem and reminded that HELCOM’s goal of reaching thegood environmental status of the Baltic Sea could not be reached by 2021. Mr Strempel noted that eutrophica-tion, which affects 97% of the Baltic Sea and results in total losses of 3.8–4.4. billion euros annually, remains agrave challenge despite the observed trend towards nutrient input reductions since the 1980s. Furthermore, theBaltic Sea environment is affected by emerging and previously unaddressed challenges, such as pharmaceuticals,underwater noise, seabed disturbance and climate change. These challenges, along with additional factors suchas the ecosystem lag and insufficient or lacking implementation, could explain the delay in reaching the envi-ronmental goals set by the Baltic Sea Action Plan in 2007. Mr Strempel then briefly sketched out the main de-velopments in the history of HELCOM – starting with the signing of the Helsinki Convention in 1974, theestablishment of the HELCOM Secretariat in 1980, the update of the Convention in 1992 and finally its entryinto force in 2000. He further emphasised that the Helsinki Convention is binding for its ten Contracting Par-ties, but governing bodies are required in order to ensure implementation. Consequently, Mr Strempel brieflypresented the structure of HELCOM as well as its decision making process, which follows a bottom-up, sci-ence-based approach. Accordingly, HELCOM’s Contracting Parties may provide an impulse or a mandate tolook into specific issues based on the findings of HELCOM Working or Expert Groups. Expert Groups aremade up of national experts, who provide technical and/or scientific background information, while WorkingGroups translate scientific findings into draft recommendations, strategies or actions. These drafts are then for-warded to the Heads of Delegation, who meet twice a year, for formal approval. The Helsinki Commissionmeets once a year, whereas Ministerial Meetings, which set the strategic direction and provide the necessary po-litical commitments, take place every three years. The main tools at the Commission’s disposal encompass firstand foremost the Helsinki Convention, which represents an instrument of international law and contains bind-ing obligations, recommendations on measures to address areas of concern and implementable through nation-al legislation, as well as actions plans and projects (such as e.g. the BSAP and the Regional Action Plan on Ma-rine Litter). In addition, monitoring and assessment constitutes a significant part of HELCOM’s work, with theholistic assessment of ecosystem health (HOLAS), thematic assessments and indicators standing at its centre.Mr Strempel then turned to the update of the BSAP reminding that it was mandated by the Ministerial Meet-ing in 2018 and should preserve the original level of ambition but also address current issues and considerII. Cooperation between the BSPC and HELCOM 11global targets and commitments. He also pointed out that while 71% of joint actions contained in the 2007BSAP were implemented, only 29% of national actions requiring steps to be taken at the national level were putinto practice as of March 2021. Mr Strempel concluded by saying that a lot has been done already, but a lot re-mains to be done still and specifically noted how parliamentarians could contribute to the process. Thus, par-liamentarians could influence their respective governments towards implementation but also communicate thegoals, measures and actions to be taken to their respective constituents, since local ownership is central toBSAP’s success.Subsequently, Ms Jannica Haldin, HELCOM Professional Secretary in charge of biodiversity and climate change,presented HELCOM’s work in the area of climate change. She noted that the ultimate aim in this regard wasincreasing the overall resilience of the Baltic Sea ecosystem in the face of climate change impacts. To this end,HELCOM aims to expand its function as a regional platform for policy-science dialogue and adopts a long-term multidisciplinary approach to understanding and communicating the implications of climate change forthe marine and coastal environment. The Joint HELCOM/Baltic Earth Expert Network on Climate Change(EN CLIME) was established in 2018 and includes over 110 experts from across the Baltic Sea region. Its ob-jective is to share relevant information and experience, support decision making through quality assured sci-ence, and to promote closer dialogue between policy makers and climate scientists. The network has prepared aClimate Change Fact Sheet, which synthesises existing peer-reviewed information and presents a science-basedconsensus view on the direct effects and indirect impact of climate change on the Baltic Sea region. The reportconsiders a total of 34 parameters divided into direct parameters such as air and water temperature, precipita-tion, sea level, etc. as well as indirect parameters with a focus on the ecosystem on one hand and human use ofthe marine environment on the other. Based on available knowledge, the report provides information on whatalready is happening, what is expected to happen, identifies knowledge gaps and provides messages relevant forpolicymaking.The Fact Sheet reveals that climate change impacts are already evident in the Baltic Sea region and are demon-strated through such direct effects as rising water temperature, decreasing ice coverage as well as increased annu-al mean rainfall in the northern part of the region. Indirect effects include changing wintering range of birds,increase in the number of warm water species, earlier trawl fishing, etc. Ms Haldin noted however that the Bal-tic Sea is a complex system, which is affected by multiple environmental pressures. This makes it difficult to dis-tinguish climate change effects from other anthropogenic pressures and to find straightforward and commonmanagement solutions that would work everywhere. Ms Haldin then turned to the issue of biodiversity describ-ing its state as poor. Climate change is already affecting the distribution and behaviour as species, since it im-pacts processes related to food-web interactions, nutrient recycling and ecosystem processes. Eutrophication isnot a result of climate change but is exacerbated by its effects. Thus, rising water temperature may increaseII. Cooperation between the BSPC and HELCOM 12primary production, which could in turn prompt different responses in organism groups. Decreasing salinitywould also affect the species composition. At the same time, Ms Haldin stressed that future nutrient loadswould affect nutrient concentration and consequently eutrophication more than climate change. The reductionof nutrient inputs from agriculture would therefore decrease eutrophication regardless of climate change effects.In conclusion, Ms Haldin explained how the Climate Change Fact Sheet could inform international policy-making. She underlined that the mitigation of the negative effects of climate change and other anthropogenicpressures requires a better understanding of their differences and interactions. The plan is to use the gatheredinformation in order to review target and threshold values. Thus, climate change is included as one of the hori-zontal segments in the updated BSAP, but also figures as a crosscutting topic in all segments and would be in-corporated into future assessments such as HOLAS III.In the subsequent discussion with experts, BSPC Secretary General Mr Bodo Bahr posed a question in relationto Marine Protected Areas and their actual protection status. Ms Haldin replied that there was an intention tolink HELCOM MPAs with the EU Biodiversity Strategy, which severely limits human activities other than forscientific purposes in strictly protected areas. She noted, however, that the discussion was still ongoing. Mr Strem-pel in turn underlined that the Baltic Sea region is a complex area governed by different global, regional and na-tional legal frameworks but stressed the need for more consistency.3. BSPC Efforts to Support HELCOMFollowing the well-established tradition of cooperation and exchange between the BSPC and HELCOM, Ihave addressed a letter to the current HELCOM Chair, Dr. Lilian Busse, in December 2020 (see annex). In thisletter, I informed Dr. Busse about the demands and recommendations contained in the resolution of the 29thBSPC and specifically drew attention to item points 14 and 15, which address the update process of the BalticSea Action Plan and Germany’s HELCOM chairmanship priorities in matters concerning sea-dumped muni-tions, wrecks and ghost nets. The letter also informed Dr. Busse about the newly constituted BSPC WorkingGroup on Climate Change and Biodiversity and noted that HELCOM’s relevant work in the area of mitigatingthe effects of climate change as well as preserving and strengthening marine biodiversity was of particular inter-est to the Working Group – as outlined in its updated “Scope of Work” strategic document. In view of theshared goals of the BSPC and HELCOM, I also enquired whether HELCOM representatives would considerupdating the BSPC in regards to relevant developments in areas of mutual interest. This especially concernedII. Cooperation between the BSPC and HELCOM 13the BSAP update process, efforts to monitor and treat the problem of sea-dumped munitions, as well as issuesrelated to climate change and biodiversity. HELCOM representatives followed this invitation and have updat-ed the BSPC Standing Committee as well as the BSPC Working Group on Climate Change and Biodiversityon the processes and activities of interest.Further, I have met with the State Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Mecklen-burg-Vorpommern Dr. Jürgen Buchwald and the upcoming HELCOM’s Vice Chair Dr. Andreas Röpke on11 March 2021 – ahead of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s HELCOM vice presidency. In July 2020, Germanytook over the chairmanship of the Helsinki Commission from Finland. In addition to the Chair, Dr. LilianBusse, Head of the Department “Environmental Health, Protection of Ecosystems” at the Federal EnvironmentAgency, the German Chairmanship team includes two Vice Chairs from the German states bordering the Bal-tic Sea: Dr. Johannes Oelerich, Head of the Department of Water Management, Marine and Coastal Protectionat the Ministry of the Environment of Schleswig-Holstein, and Dr. Andreas Röpke, Head of Unit for Water andMarine Protection at the Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. On 1July 2021, the vice chairmanship has passed from Schleswig-Holstein to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Againstthis backdrop, I have met with Dr. Röpke in order to discuss opportunities for deeper cooperation and exchangebetween the BSPC and HELCOM.The discussion highlighted the positive impetus provided by BSPC resolutions on the issue of unexploded ord-nance in the Baltic Sea, as mentioned by Ms Svenja Schulze, German Federal Minister for the Environment, inher address to the 29th BSPC in August 2020. Thus, the BSPC called for a transboundary sustainable strategyfor dealing with unexploded ordnance and buried/deposited munitions in its 28th resolution. On this basis,Mr Peter Stein, Member of the German Bundestag, was appointed as BSPC Rapporteur on Sea-Dumped Mu-nitions in November 2019. Furthermore, in its 29th resolution, the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference referredto the priorities of the German HELCOM chairmanship and called for an intensification of international ef-forts to address the problem of unexploded ordnance, wrecks and ghost nets in the Baltic Sea with the ultimategoal of making the Baltic Sea region a world leader in this field.II. Cooperation between the BSPC and HELCOM 144. Sea-Dumped Munitions as a Common Priority for HELCOMand the BSPCAs it has already been explicitly mentioned in the introduction to the present report, the solution of the prob-lem of sea-dumped munitions constitutes an area of mutual concern for both the BSPC and the current HEL-COM presidency. In 2021 – following the impulses provided by Baltic Sea parliamentarians – a number of stepshave been made at the regional, national and European levels, yet this is only the beginning of a long and hardroad lying ahead.The latest draft of the updated BSAP contains actions aiming at developing Best Environmental Practices forassessing the risks posed by munitions, wrecks as well as hazardous submerged objects and further implement-ing Best Available Techniques in order to ensure their environmentally safe management. Furthermore, HEL-COM’s thematic assessment on submerged objects should be maintained, whereas relevant information shouldbe included in the HELCOM Map and Data Service. In this regard, it is crucial that the work of the HELCOMExpert Group on Environmental Risks of Hazardous Submerged Objects (SUBMERGED) is continued in or-der to ensure the continuous assessment of the risks posed by hazardous submerged objects.At the European level, the European Parliament passed a resolution on Chemical residues in the Baltic Sea3 on27 April 2021, whereas at the national level, the German Bundestag passed a motion on the responsible han-dling of munitions in the North and Baltic Seas on May 6 2021 (Drs 19/29283). At the regional level, also on6 May 2021, the State Parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has passed a resolution recommendation titled“Reducing the Risks Stemming from Unexploded Ordnance in the Sea” (Drs 7/6082(neu)), which also includesa report on the relevant expert consultations at the Landtag’s Committee of the Interior and Europe. The Land-tag committed to regularly put the issue of unexploded ordnance in the Baltic Sea on the agenda of the Parlia-mentary Forum Southern Baltic Sea and the BSPC in order to intensify the search for common solutions alongwith other Baltic Sea coastal states.In line with this commitment and in an attempt to promote public awareness on this issue at the local level, Ihave been in contact with the Foundation for Climate and Environmental Protection Mecklenburg-Vorpom-mern (Stiftung Klima- und Umweltschutz MV). The Chairman of the Foundation’s Executive Board and for-mer Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Mr Erwin Sellering, was invited to speak at this year’s 30th3 European Parliament resolution of 27 April 2021 on chemical residues in the Baltic Sea, based on Petitions Nos 1328/2019 and 0406/2020(2021/2567(RSP)), https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0123_EN.htmlII. Cooperation between the BSPC and HELCOM 15BSPC. As a result of a joint talk between the members of the State Parliament’s delegation to the BSPC and therepresentatives of the Foundation on 11 June 2021, a public event on ammunition salvage in the Baltic Sea wasorganised in Kühlungsborn (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany) on 12 August 2021. The event was attend-ed by BSPC Secretary General Mr Bodo Bahr, member of the State Parliament Mecklenburg-Vorpommern andmember of the BSPC Working Group on Climate Change and Biodiversity Mr Philipp da Cunha and myself.A range of experts from the private and public sectors have shared their insights on a broad array of topics rang-ing from innovative technical solutions to division of responsibilities and the planned pilot project on construct-ing a waterborn platform for munition salvage in the Baltic Sea, while I have summarised the international ef-forts undertaken within the framework of the BSPC and HELCOM in order to address this issue. A detailedsummary of the event is included in the annex.III. Main Developments and Events in 2020/2021 16III. Main Developments and Events in 2020/20211. Update of the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP)The work on the update of the BSAP – one of HELCOM’s central priorities in 2019–2021 – has reached its fi-nal stages in 2021. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has severely curtailed the opportunities for travel and per-sonal interactions, the drafting of the text has been primarily conducted online based on the preliminary time-table and work plan agreed at the 58th Meeting of the Heads of Delegation (HOD 58-2020). According to thework plan, drafting was to be carried out by the BSAP Drafting Group (BSAP DG), thematic Working Groupsin collaboration with the HELCOM Secretariat and with input provided by HOD 59-2021 in December 2020until the draft’s approval by HOD 60-2021 in June 2021 and the adoption of the revised BSAP by the HEL-COM Ministerial Meeting in October 2021.HELCOM agreed that the updated BSAP would build on and adapt the structure of its 2007 predecessor andaddress pressures stemming from land (“Eutrophication” and “Hazardous substances and litter”) and sea activ-ities (“Sea-based activities”) as well as the state of the environment (“Biodiversity and ecosystems”). In addition,it would feature a segment on horizontal actions, which includes climate change, monitoring, maritime spatialplanning (MSP), economic and social analysis and financing. The revised BSAP would set 2030 as the new tar-get year for implementing the agreed measures and actions.In accordance with the plan and following this tight schedule, the first full draft of the revised BSAP was pre-sented at the 59th meeting of the Heads of Delegation at the end of 2020. At this meeting, decision-makers dis-cussed and made comments on the overarching preamble and introduction, segment introductions, the hori-zontal actions segment, the operative section as well as annexes and supporting documents. The meeting gaveguidance for further work and approved a draft of the HELCOM Science Agenda, which is designed to supportthe implementation of the BSAP and other HELCOM processes by identifying scientific knowledge needs re-lated to the Baltic marine environment.The second full draft of the updated BSAP was presented at the 42nd meeting of the Helsinki Commission(HELCOM 42-2021) in March 2021. The meeting gave guidance on further refinements to be made by thevarious HELCOM bodies tasked with the drafting of the updated plan. In addition, the meeting discussed andIII. Main Developments and Events in 2020/2021 17provided comments on several key processes and documents due to be adopted alongside the updated BSAPand serving as supporting tools in reaching its goals. These included the draft Baltic Sea Regional Nutrient Re-cycling Strategy and the draft Regional Maritime Spatial Planning Roadmap 2021–2030.Finally, the 60th meeting of the Heads of Delegation held online in June 2021 made further comments on thelatest BSAP draft and endorsed a number of key documents to be adopted alongside the revised plan in Octo-ber 2021. These included the revised HELCOM Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter, HELCOM Guide-lines for Sea-Based Measures to Manage Internal Nutrient Reserves in the Baltic Sea Region as well as the Re-gional Nutrient Recycling Strategy and the Regional MSP Roadmap 2021–2030 addressed earlier. The meetingprovided further input on the different text segments and specifically discussed the comments submitted by theContracting Parties on the proposed actions. Further preparations and finalisations will be conducted at the in-tersessional meetings of the Heads of Delegation (HOD 60A-2021 and HOD 60B-2021) ahead of the Minis-terial Meeting in autumn.Since the work on the update of the BSAP is still ongoing, more details on the processes leading up to the adop-tion of the revised plan as well as the outcomes will be provided in the second part of the 2021 Report on theExercise of the Observer Status of the BSPC at HELCOM after the Ministerial Meeting in October 2021.2. HELCOM Stakeholder Conference on Ecosystem-Based ManagementThe HELCOM Stakeholder Conference 2021 “Practically Implementing Ecosystem-Based Management” tookplace on 11 March 2021 as an online workshop. It was organised in cooperation with Coalition Clean Baltic(CCB) and the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM) and gathered around 100 partic-ipants from across the Baltic Sea region. The workshop was divided into three thematic stations, namely policy,science and society, while the participants were given the opportunity to switch between them in order to en-courage exchange of knowledge and expertise, generate ideas and provide comments on the discussed proposalsand solutions.At the workshop, HELCOM stakeholders exchanged their views and provided input on the ecosystem ap-proach (EA) and ecosystem-based management (EBM). The workshop set the following three objectives:• reaching a common understanding of the basic principles of EA and EBM,• discussing the bottlenecks to and opportunities for the implementation of EBM,III. Main Developments and Events in 2020/2021 18• elaborating on how the results of the conference could be used to support the drafting and futureimplementation of the BSAP.Overall, the workshop delivered the following key messages:• “Thinking and working in silos” was mentioned as a main barrier to EBM implementation. In order toovercome this challenge, the workshop proposed better cross-sectoral integration as well as morecoherence and cooperation across the international, regional, national and local levels.• EBM implementation should follow a holistic science-based approach, which should consider themanagement of human activities in addition to the biophysical system and environmental questions.• Improved communication, knowledge sharing and capacity building on all levels, including throughbetter science-practice collaboration, would contribute to developing a better understanding of issuesand help drive the implementation of EBM.• Small, easy-to-manage pilot projects could be helpful for gaining insights on the implementationprocesses and should later be widely communicated across the Baltic Sea region in order to ensurebroader knowledge sharing.• Ownership through stakeholder involvement is crucial for implementation.• Enough knowledge has already been accumulated, the main obstacle to a wider EBM roll-out being lackof concrete application rather than policies or knowledge.The outcomes were presented at the 42nd Meeting of the Helsinki Commission and forwarded to relevant HEL-COM bodies in order to elaborate how the results could be used in the update of the BSAP, the HELCOM Sci-ence Agenda as well as the update of the HELCOM Roadmap on the Ecosystem Approach.The next Stakeholder Conference is tentatively scheduled for 10 March 2022. It will address climate change andfeature a presentation of the joint HELCOM/Baltic Earth Climate Change Fact Sheet.III. Main Developments and Events in 2020/2021 193. Launch of the HELCOM BLUES Project toSupport the Attainment of GESThe beginning of 2021 saw the launch of the “HELCOM Biodiversity, Litter, Underwater noise and Effectiveregional measures for the Baltic Sea” (HELCOM BLUES) project co-funded by the EU and led by HELCOM.The project aims at supporting regional capacity, coordination and cooperation with a view to achieving a goodstatus of the marine environment and would run for two years until the beginning of 2023. The project is struc-tured along seven activity areas encompassing:• analyses to support effective regional measures and policies,• improved regional assessment of biodiversity,• support for and harmonisation of the regional work on marine litter,• support for and harmonisation of the regional work underwater noise,• data accessibility,• dissemination,• and project coordination.The project is expected to deliver relevant products and results, which would further support the preparationand execution of the next Holistic Assessment of the State of the Baltic Sea (HOLAS III), which will cover theassessment period 2016–2021 and be finalised in 2023. The project will further support the implementation ofthe Baltic Sea Action Plan as well as national work relating to reporting under articles 8 and 13 of the EU Ma-rine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). It will do so by delivering better methodologies, developing indi-cators as well as improving the capacities for assessment and reporting in such areas as biodiversity, marine litterand underwater noise.The project includes 14 partners from six Baltic Sea states with various backgrounds ranging from politics, re-search and civil society. The joint kick-off online meeting took place on 2–4 February 2021 and gathered 90participants from all nine Baltic Sea coastal states. The meeting lay the foundation for a common regional un-derstanding and sharpened the focus for the work lying ahead.IV. HELCOM Reports, Recommendations, and Manuals 20IV. HELCOM Reports, Recommendations, and Manuals1. HELCOM Annual Report 2020The HELCOM Annual Report 2020 summarising the main processes and activities of HELCOM bodies in thepast year was released as part of the Baltic Sea Environmental Proceedings series in March 2021. In his forwardto the report, Mr Rüdiger Strempel, Executive Secretary of HELCOM, noted that the COVID-19 pandemichas severely affected international events and processes hampering what should have been a “biodiversity andocean ‘super year’,” with e.g. the UN Ocean Conference 2020 having been postponed until 2022. Nonetheless,he stressed that HELCOM was able to continue implementing the program for 2018–2021, as agreed by the2018 Ministerial Meeting. Among the main highlights of the year 2020, Mr Strempel named the BSAP updateprocess, which has reached its final stage in 2021, as well as the change of HELCOM’s chairmanship with Ger-many having taken over the reins from Finland in July 2020.The report is structured along HELCOM’s central issue areas: agriculture, Marine Protected Areas (MPA), spe-cies and biotopes, underwater noise, marine litter, dredging and seabed, industrial and municipal releases, mar-itime spatial planning (MSP), fisheries, response to spills, shipping, climate change, monitoring and assessment,international cooperation, and finally the update of the Baltic Sea Action Plan.Among the important developments in the year 2020, the report enumerated:• The change of HELCOM’s presidency, which Germany assumed in 2020 for a period of two years. Inaddition to setting a list of strategic priorities, the German chairmanship will lead the finalisation of theBSAP update process and host the Ministerial Meeting in October 2021.• The adoption of Recommendation 41/3 on the use of national manure standards as well as thecontinuation of work on the Baltic Sea Regional Nutrient Recycling Strategy.• The continued mapping of gaps, needs and existing knowledge pertaining to the entire process ofdesignating Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) with the aim of identifying future priorities and getting asystematic overview of positive examples and best practices.• The adoption of Recommendation 17/2 on the protection of harbour porpoise as well as the beginningof the planning phase for the next regional Red List assessment.• The work on the Climate Change Fact Sheet prepared by the Joint HELCOM/Baltic Earth ExpertNetwork and expected to be published by the end of 2021.IV. HELCOM Reports, Recommendations, and Manuals 21• The continued development of the HELCOM Action Plan on Underwater Noise, the update of theunderwater noise monitoring programmes as part of the HELCOM Monitoring Manual as well as theset-up of a HELCOM continuous noise database and soundscape tool.• The production of Best Practices to reduce marine litter from net cutting waste and the HELCOMpolicy message on End of Life Boats (ELB), continued work on the updated HELCOMRecommendation 23/5 on storm water management as well as the start of the revision of theHELCOM Action Plan on Marine Litter.• The update of Recommendation 36/2 on management of dredged material as well as the Guideline forManagement of Dredged Material at Sea with a view to streamlining the dataflow on depositing ofdredged material and avoiding double reporting.• Publication of the project results relating to the Assessment of progress towards nutrient input ceilingsfor HELCOM countries and the four overviews of hazardous substances of high concern as well as thelaunch of an update of the HELCOM Recommendation on storm water management.• The preparation of a new regional MSP Roadmap 2021–2030 by the joint HELCOM-VASAB MSPworking group, which is expected to be adopted together with the updated BSAP in October 2021.• The adoption of a Roadmap on the collection of fisheries data in order to assess incidental bycatches andfisheries impact on benthic biotopes in the Baltic Sea as well as the continued work of the developmentof BAT/BEP for sustainable aquaculture in the Baltic Sea.• The completion of the revision of the HELCOM Response Manual and of Recommendation 31E/6 onintegrated wildlife response planning in the Baltic Sea Area.• HELCOM joining the EMERGE project on shipping emissions in EU marine waters as well as thefinalisation of the revised Joint Harmonised Procedure for the Contracting Parties of OSPAR andHELCOM on the granting of exemptions under the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention.• The finalisation of the review and update of HELCOM’s 40 monitoring programmes as well as of theHELCOM Monitoring Manual and the preparation of the HELCOM Indicator Manual ahead of thenext Holistic Assessment (HOLAS III), which will start in 2022. In addition, HELCOM launched theBaltic Data Flows project aiming at the enhancement of the existing harmonisation and sharing of dataon the marine environment across various sea monitoring programmes.• HELCOM joining the EU4Ocean Platform, which consolidates existing ocean literacy initiatives andstakeholders, as a founding member.In addition, the report briefly outlined the central developments within the framework of the BSAP update pro-cess. It specifically mentioned the 2020 Stakeholder Conference, which focused on proposing new actions andmeasures to be considered for the updated BSAP, as well as the completion of the revision of the HELCOM Ex-plorer database documenting Contracting Parties’ progress in achieving the goals agreed upon in the BSAP.IV. HELCOM Reports, Recommendations, and Manuals 222. HELCOM RecommendationsThe 42nd Meeting of the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM 42-2021) held online from 17 to 18 March 2021adopted the revised HELCOM Recommendation 31E/6 Rev on integrated wildlife response planning in the Bal-tic Sea Area. The Recommendation proposes options and strategies for the response to maritime accidents (suchas oil spills) on the bases of best practices and existing handbooks and guidelines. In 2019, the HELCOM Re-sponse Working Group agreed to invite the HELCOM Expert Network on Oiled Wildlife Response (EWGOWR) to review the Recommendation in consultation with HELCOM Expert Coordination Network on Re-sponse on the Shore (SHORE Network) with a view to simplifying the existing Guidelines. Consequently, therevised Recommendation includes references to updated international guidelines.In June 2021, the 60th Meeting of the Heads of Delegation (HOD 60-2021) adopted the amended HELCOMRecommendation 23/5 on the reduction of discharges from urban areas by the proper management of storm watersystems. The Recommendation was revised throughout 2019–2020 by the HELCOM Pressure Working Groupwith a view to extending its scope considering additional environmental aspects of urban storm water manage-ments such as e.g. climate change resilience. The revision process took stock of the knowledge accumulatedwithin regional projects in the area of waste and storm water management as well as the modern concept of In-tegrated Storm Water Management (ISWM).IV. HELCOM Reports, Recommendations, and Manuals 233. HELCOM ManualsHELCOM indicators represent a crucial part of the efforts to assess the status of the Baltic Sea environment, toaddress the effectiveness of the measures agreed upon within the BSAP and to evaluate the progress towardsreaching its goals and objectives. Throughout the years, HELCOM has developed a comprehensive and ever ad-vancing array of indicators, highlighting the need for a strategy to outline the indicator development process.Following this aim, the 59th Heads of Delegation meeting from 7–8 December 2020 approved the HELCOMIndicator Manual,4 which introduces HELCOM indicators as well as their relevance for HELCOM’s work andprovides information on how they are developed and maintained.The 42nd Meeting of the Helsinki Commission held online on 17–18 March 2021 adopted two important in-struments to improve and coordinate international efforts in response to transboundary maritime incidents affect-ing the waters of several countries. The Revised HELCOM Manual on Co-Operation in Response to MarinePollution5 and the Marine HNS Response Manual,6 which will replace the current HELCOM Response Man-ual Volume 2, provide guidelines on dealing with major pollution accidents such as oil or chemical spills andare intended for authorities involved in response operations at sea and on the shore.4 HELCOM Indicator Manual version 2020-1,https://helcom.fi/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/BSEP175.pdf5 HELCOM Manual on cooperation in response to Marine pollution, https://helcom.fi/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/HELCOM-Manual-on-Co-operation-in-Response-to-Marine-Pollution.pdf6 HELCOM Manual on marine HNS response 2021, https://helcom.fi/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Marine-HNS-Response-Manual.pdfIV. Prospects and Outlook 24IV. Prospects and Outlook1. HELCOM Ministerial Meeting 2021The next HELCOM Ministerial Meeting will be organised by Germany as the Contracting Party currentlyholding HELCOM’s chairmanship and is provisionally scheduled to take place in Lübeck (alternatively online,depending on the development of the pandemic situation) on 20 October 2021. At the meeting, the Ministersof the Environment of the Baltic Sea coastal states and the Commissioner for the Environment of the Europe-an Union will agree on a wide range of crucial commitments to achieve a good environmental status of the Bal-tic Sea until 2030. The adoption of the updated Baltic Sea Action Plan at the highest decision making level inHELCOM will be the main highlight of the event and will send a strong collective signal for stepping up effortsin the area of marine environment protection not only at the regional but also at the global level.Together with the BSAP, the Ministerial Meeting will adopt a package of associated action documents, support-ing documents and background documents. The action documents directly relate to the implementation of ac-tions and measures with the aim of achieving the objectives of the updated BSAP and include the HELCOMRegional Action Plan on Underwater Noise, the updated Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter, the Baltic SeaNutrient Recycling Strategy, the Regional MSP Roadmap 2021–2030 and the revised Recommendation foramending the Annex III part II of the Helsinki Convention. The supporting documents contribute to achievingthe visions and objectives of the updated BSAP but do not require specific actions. These include the ClimateChange Fact Sheet and the HELCOM Science Agenda. In addition, background documents would providesupplementary information on the BSAP update process.Furthermore, the meeting is expected to issue a Ministerial Statement, which would adopt a broader perspec-tive and reflect upon HELCOM’s political and strategic positioning as a significant regional player striving notonly for achieving a good environmental status of the Baltic Sea but for also contributing to the internationaldebate and providing input on the protection of oceans and seas.IV. Prospects and Outlook 252. Strengthening Cooperation between the BSPC and HELCOMThe updated BSAP will reinforce existing commitments towards a stronger and healthier Baltic Sea ecosystembut also address newly emerging challenges and align with existing international and regional objectives. It iscrucial that the high level of ambition is upheld and progress in achieving these objectives is accelerated. Theadoption of the revised plan will signify the finalisation of an important conceptual phase with the elaborationof goals, objectives and targets for the next decade – until 2030. In the next phase, it would be crucial to ensurethat the agreed measures and actions – both old and new ones – are put into practice. The success of the updat-ed BSAP will largely be determined by the Contracting Parties’ political will. Yet communication, cooperationand exchange across various sectors and different levels will be no less crucial. The state of the Baltic Sea ecosys-tem is a matter of common concern and a shared responsibility. With this in mind, the BSPC will continue tofollow the implementation of the measures and actions agreed upon by the Contracting Parties in the updatedBaltic Sea Action Plan and strongly support HELCOM in its current and future efforts to achieve a good eco-logical status of the Baltic Sea by 2030.Looking beyond the BSAP update and the 2021 Ministerial Meeting, the BSPC will further support HEL-COM in achieving progress on the priorities identified by the current chairmanship with a special view tostrengthening marine biodiversity, increasing the ecosystem’s resilience in the face of climate change, further re-ducing nutrient inputs and – specifically – addressing the problem of sea-dumped munitions, wrecks and ghostnets.The BSPC Working Group on Climate Change and Biodiversity will further follow and support the relevantHELCOM activities in its areas of concern. In this regard, the planned HELCOM Workshop on Blue Carbonin the Baltic Sea Region, which would concentrate on the potential of the Baltic Sea for carbon sequestration,as well as the 2022 Stakeholder Conference with a focus on broader issues related to climate change, would beof particular interest and importance.Sources and Links 26Sources and LinksHELCOM Activities Report 2020, https://helcom.fi/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/HELCOM-Activities-re-port-2020-BSEP176.pdfHELCOM Recommendation 23/5-Rev.1 on the reduction of discharges from urban areas by the proper man-agement of storm water systems, https://helcom.fi/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Rec-23-5-Rev.1.pdfHELCOM Recommendation 31E/6 Rev on integrated wildlife response planning in the Baltic Sea Area, https://helcom.fi/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Rec-31E-6_revised-2021.pdfOutcome of HELCOM 42-2021, https://portal.helcom.fi/meetings/HELCOM%2042-2021-746/MeetingDocu-ments/Outcome%20of%20HELCOM%2042-2021.pdfOutcome of HOD 59-2020, https://portal.helcom.fi/meetings/HOD%2059-2020-784/MeetingDocuments/Out-come%20of%20HOD%2059-2020.pdfOutcome of HOD 60-2021, https://portal.helcom.fi/meetings/HOD%2060-2021-786/MeetingDocuments/Out-come%20of%20HOD%2060-2021.pdfOutcome of the HELCOM Stakeholder Conference 2021 (HSC2021) “Practically Implementing Ecosys-tem-Based Management”, https://helcom.fi/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/HSC2021-outcome.pdfANNEX I: Updated List of HELCOM’s Working Groups and Projects 27ANNEX I: Updated List of HELCOM’s Working Groups andProjectsAnnex I.1. List of Current HELCOM Working Groups and Expert Networks1. Gear – Group on the Implementation of the Ecosystem Approach1.1. Economic and Social Analyses (ESA) network2. Maritime –Maritime Working Group2.1. AIS EWG – Expert Working Group on Mutual Exchange and Deliveries of AIS Data2.2. Green Technology and Alternative Fuels Platform for Sustainable Shipping2.3. Safe NAV – Group of Experts of Safety of Navigation2.4. J TG Ballast & Biofouling – The Joint HELCOM/OSPAR Task Group on Ballast Water Manage-ment Convention (BWMC) and Biofouling3. Pressure – Working Group on reduction of Pressures from the Baltic sea Catchment area3.1. EN Marine Litter – HELCOM Expert Network on Marine Litter3.2. EN Noise – HELCOM Expert Network on Underwater Noise3.3. E N DREDS – HELCOM Expert Network on Dredging and Subsequent Depositing Operations atSea3.4. REDCORE DG – Reduction Scheme Core Drafting Group3.5. CG PHARMA – HELCOM Correspondence Group on Pharmaceuticals4. Response – Response Working Group4.1. EWG OWR – Expert Working Group on Oiled Wildlife Response4.2. IWGAS – Informal Working Group on Aerial Surveillance4.3. SHORE Network – HELCOM Expert Coordination Network on Response on the Shore4.4. SU BMERGED – Expert Group on Environmental Risks of Hazardous Submerged ObjectsANNEX I: Updated List of HELCOM’s Working Groups and Projects 285. S tate and Conservation – Working group on the State of the Environment and Nature Conservation5.1. EG MAMA – HELCOM Expert Group on Marine Mammals5.1.1. HELCOM SEAL – HELCOM ad hoc SEAL Expert Group5.2. EG STUR – HELCOM Expert Group on Sturgeon Remediation5.3. EN Hazardous Substances – HELCOM Expert Network on Hazardous Substances5.4. EN BENTHIC – HELCOM Expert Network on Benthic Habitats and Biotopes5.5. IN Benthic Habitat – HELCOM Intersessional Network on Benthic Habitat Monitoring5.6. EN CLIME – Joint HELCOM/Baltic Earth Expert Network on Climate Change5.7. IN Eutrophication – HELCOM Intersessional Network on Eutrophication5.8. JWG Bird – HELCOM-OSPAR-ICES Joint Working Group on Seabirds5.9. M ORS EG – HELCOM Expert Group on Monitoring of Radioactive Substances inthe Baltic Sea6. Agri Group – Group on Sustainable Agricultural Practices7. Fish Group – Group on Ecosystem-Based Sustainable Fisheries7.1. C G Aquaculture – Correspondence Group concerning a draft document on Best Available Technol-ogy/Best Environmental Practices (BAT/BEP) descriptions for sustainable aquaculture in the BalticSea region7.2. FISH-M – Task Force on Migratory Fish Species8. HELCOM-VASAB MSP WG – Joint Working Group on Maritime Spatial Planning8.1. M SP Data Expert Sub-Group – Baltic Sea Region Maritime Spatial Planning Data Expert Sub-GroupANNEX I: Updated List of HELCOM’s Working Groups and Projects 29Annex I.2. List of Ongoing HELCOM Projects1. ACTION – Actions to Evaluate and Identify Effective Measures to Reach GES in the Baltic Sea MarineRegion (2019–2021)2. Baltic Data Flows (2020–2023)3. BLUES – HELCOM Biodiversity, Litter, Underwater Noise and Effective Regional Measures for the Bal-tic Sea (2021–2023)4. BSR WATER – Platform on Integrated Water Cooperation (2018–2021)5. Capacity4MSP (2019–2022)6. COMPLETE PLUS – Practical Implementation of the COMPLETE Project Outputs and Tools (2021)7. EMERGE – Evaluation, Control and Mitigation of the Environmental Impacts of Shipping Emissions(2020–2024)8. FanpLESStic-sea – Initiatives to Remove Microplastics Before they Enter the Sea (2019–2021)9. FISH-PRO III – Project for Baltic-Wide Assessment of Coastal Fish Communities in Support of an Eco-system-Based Management (2018–2023)10. HASPS 3 – Horizontal Action “Spatial Planning” Support 3 (2018–2020/21)11. PEG – Quality Assurance of Phytoplankton Monitoring in the Baltic Sea (PEG QA) (2020–2022)12. PLC-8 – Eighth Baltic Sea Pollution Load Compilation (2020–2024)13. RETROUT – Development, Promotion and Sustainable Management of the Baltic Sea Region as aCoastal Fishing Tourism Destination (2017–2021)14. SuMaNu – Sustainable Manure and Nutrient Management for Reduction of Nutrient Loss in the BalticSea Region (2018–2021)ANNEX II. Activities of the BSPC Observer to Support HELCOM 30ANNEX II.Activities of the BSPC Observer to Support HELCOM1. Proposal to Update the Scope of Work of the BSPC Working Group onClimate Change and Biodiversity with a View to Relevant HELCOM ActivitiesANNEX II. Activities of the BSPC Observer to Support HELCOM 312. Letter to HELCOM Chair Dr. Lilian BusseANNEX II. Activities of the BSPC Observer to Support HELCOM 32ANNEX II. Activities of the BSPC Observer to Support HELCOM 333. Summary of the Public Discussion on Munitions Salvage in the BalticSea from 12 August 2021On 12 August 2021, the Foundation for Climate and Environmental Protection Mecklenburg-Vorpom-mern (“Stiftung Klima- und Umweltschutz MV”) organised a public event on ammunition salvage in theBaltic Sea. The event was held in a face-to face format under COVID-19 safety measures. The event was at-tended by the First Vice President of the State Parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Ms Beate Schlupp,Member of the State Parliament Mr Philipp da Cunha and BSPC Secretary General Mr Bodo Bahr.Ms Beate Schlupp, Mr Philipp da Cunha, Mr Bodo Bahr (left to right)In recent years, the issue of unexploded ordnance in the Baltic Sea has been gaining ever-increasing atten-tion – but the need for discussion and action still remains. Over 70 years after the end of World War II,sea-dumped munitions continue to plague the Baltic Sea environment. Currently, about 1.6 million tonsANNEX II. Activities of the BSPC Observer to Support HELCOM 34of conventional munitions lay on the seabed in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea – not only as a result ofmilitary operations during the war but also massive dumping after the war. Around 300,000 tons of con-ventional munitions remain on the Baltic Sea seafloor. The short-sighted disposal of munitions has result-ed in enormous problems for the environment. Unexploded ordnance is rotting away, releasing carcino-genic, mutagenic substances and heavy metals, which are accumulating in organisms and entering thefood chain. Even though the concentration of these harmful substances in the Baltic Sea is hardly detect-able at present, the situation will only deteriorate in the future.The event was opened by Mr Erwin Sellering, Chairman of the Executive Board of the Foundation for Cli-mate and Environmental Protection Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Mr Sellering introduced the Foundationand explained that it strived to promote public awareness on the issue of sea-dumped munitions in the Bal-tic Sea, together with the members of the State Parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the Baltic SeaParliamentary Conference. The issue was urgent, the recovery and remediation of old ammunition from theBaltic Sea required not only political and social attention, but also appropriate funding.Mr Dieter Guldin, Ms Beate Schlupp, Ms Anke Rösler, Mr Erwin Sellering, Mr Philipp da Cunha (left to right)ANNEX II. Activities of the BSPC Observer to Support HELCOM 35The event featured a panel discussion moderated by Ms Anke Rösler, Head of Communication and Pressof the Foundation for Climate and Environmental Protection Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and followedby a round table discussion. The panel, consisting of Ms Beate Schlupp, Mr Philipp da Cunha andMr Dieter Guldin, COO at SeaTerra GmbH, first exchanged thoughts on the various aspects of the issueof ammunition salvage, including international and national efforts as well as technological solutions. Inthe course of the panel and round table discussions and during the informal exchange afterwards, it be-came apparent that the issue raised three central questions in relation to political will, technological pos-sibilities and funding.Both Ms Schlupp and Mr da Cunha devoted their speeches primarily to the question of political will. At thebeginning of the panel discussion, Ms Schlupp outlined the political efforts that had been made so far. Thus,the State Parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern passed a resolution and a report on the motion of theparliamentary group DIE LINKE titled “Reducing the Risks Stemming from Unexploded Ordnance in theSea,” which had emphasised the urgency of the problem at the regional, national and international levels.Among other things, the resolution called upon the State Parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to putthe issue of unexploded ordnance on the agenda of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference and the Parlia-mentary Forum Southern Baltic Sea. In addition, the State Government had been asked to urge the GermanFederal Government to consider the issue in the update of the Baltic Sea Action Plan and with a special viewto Germany’s HELCOM chairmanship priorities. However, the topic had hardly been taken into account,especially in the updated Baltic Sea Action Plan, the level of consensus at HELCOM being rather low. HEL-COM could not fully address the demands contained in the 28th and 29th resolutions of the Baltic Sea Par-liamentary Conference. Although there was general agreement that old ammunitions in the Baltic Sea poseda risk to the environment, there was massive dissent when it came to responsibilities and financing. Mean-while, certain efforts in connection with the issue of ammunition in the North and Baltic Sea have beenmade at the national level. The German Bundestag had decided to release 100 million euros for a pilot pro-ject on the disposal of old ammunitions, e.g. by means of constructing a waterborne platform in the BalticSea. However, the concrete details in connection with the pilot project remained to be clarified.According to Ms Schlupp, it was evident in all political processes regarding this topic that there was a lackof communication between the various actors. For that reason, she welcomed the event organised by theFoundation for Climate and Environmental Protection Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, since open exchangewas what was urgently needed. Ms Schlupp appealed to all actors to not let the issue slide and to act nowwith a view to effective hazard prevention in the future. In this context, the Baltic Sea region had the op-portunity to become a worldwide leading region in the recovery of old ammunitions. Mr da Cunhaagreed with this appeal. Some of the dumped munitions dated back to World War I and have been lyingANNEX II. Activities of the BSPC Observer to Support HELCOM 36at the bottom of the Baltic Sea for over a hundred years. Mr da Cunha also saw promising opportunitiesfor the Baltic Sea region to become a model region in the recovery of unexploded ordnance from the sea.As a member of the BSPC Working Group on “Climate Change and Biodiversity,” Mr da Cunha also ex-pressed the intention to place more emphasis on this topic. After all, the Working Group was responsiblefor providing the executive with recommendations for action concerning the protection of the marine en-vironment and marine species in particular.Mr Claus Böttcher, member of the “Expert Network Munitions in the Sea” of the joint Bund-LänderWorking Group North and Baltic Sea – BLANO Expertenkreis Munition im Meer, stated that Schle-swig-Holstein had already put extensive political effort into the subject. He said that various ministries inSchleswig-Holstein were working on the issue. For example, several ministries from Schleswig-Holsteinwere members of the above mentioned BLANO Expert Network. He advised to seek bilateral exchangewith Schleswig-Holstein in order to solve the problems and advance developments jointly.Furthermore, according to Mr Böttcher, it was essential that responsibilities and competences were clari-fied at the federal-regional levels, since valuable time was wasted due to these uncertainties. Mr Böttcherappealed to finally clarify the responsibilities and to set the necessary political framework. Mr Eyk-UwePap from Baltic Diver Germany agreed with Mr Böttcher’s assessment. Politicians must create the neces-sary framework so that companies could dedicate themselves to the enormous task of ammunitions recov-ery. At the end of the event, Ms Beate Schlupp and Mr Philipp da Cunha agreed that Mecklenburg-Vor-pommern should seek exchange with Schleswig-Holstein in search of joint solutions.A number of speakers focused on the existing technical possibilities. Mr Dieter Guldin highlighted thattechnology had made a huge leap forward and was thus ahead of politics. Mr Böttcher and Mr Pap alsoagreed with this statement. Currently, automated, remote-controlled technology was actively being usedunderwater. SeaTerra GmbH, for example, worked with crawlers that could relocalize, identify and recov-er old ammunitions. New technologies allowed to do much more than was being done at present. He ex-plained that only 2 % of SeaTerra’s salvage operations were carried out with environmental protection inmind. Further 8 % of the salvage operations carried out by SeaTerra aimed at establishing constructionsafety. The remaining 90 % of salvage operations were carried out in the context of infrastructure devel-opment, in particular due to the expansion of offshore facilities in the Baltic Sea. However, offshore facil-ities were not built in or around dumping sites, which occupy an area of about 15,000 km2 in the BalticSea. Consequently, there was no comprehensive recovery and treatment program for dumping sites. If onewere to continue the munitions recovery in the Baltic Sea at the current rate, it would take another 893years to completely clear the Baltic Sea of contaminated sites.ANNEX II. Activities of the BSPC Observer to Support HELCOM 37Mr Robert Molitor, Head of the Extraction Service Mecklenburg-Vorpommern – Munitionsbergungsdi-enst Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, MBD MV, however, pointed out that no matter how efficient new sal-vage technologies were, the problem of environmentally friendly disposal of old munitions still remained.There were only four disposal sites in Germany, and even without the dumped munitions from the BalticSea, most of them were already working at full capacity. In addition, the transportation of recovered am-munitions to these disposal sites required considerable planning and safety precautions. Therefore, therewas the urgent need to find possibilities for salvaging and destroying old munitions on site – preferably atsea. Waterborne salvage and destruction platforms could be a helpful solution in this respect. Accordingto Mr Tommy Kaltofen from Atlas Elektronik, Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems was developing such pi-lot platforms. However, the platform alone was not enough. In order for the platform to be economicallyworthwhile, it had to work at full capacity, thus requiring a comprehensive program for ammunition re-covery and disposal.The participants all stated that appropriate funding mechanisms to start clearing the Baltic Sea seabed ofold munitions were still missing. The 100 million euros intended to fund the pilot project were notenough. In the future, federal states – in particular coastal states – would also have to contribute finan-cially. This further explicated the need for cooperation and exchange between Mecklenburg-Vorpommernand Schleswig-Holstein. In the long term, more platforms would be needed for the task. However,Mr Böttcher also pointed out that this challenge could be understood as an economic opportunity. With-out proper funding, there would be no development, but new developments would create and stimulatenew economic opportunities. New companies could settle in coastal regions and more jobs would be cre-ated.Mr Molitor stressed that international cooperation in the Baltic Sea region, also with a view to financing,should be continued. Toxic substances that continue to be released into the sea would not stop at nation-al borders. At the same time, Germany alone did not have the resources to clear the entire Baltic Sea.The final message was clear: all participants agreed that the salvage process must begin soon. In his clos-ing remarks, Mr Sellering underlined that funding opportunities should be found urgently. The privatesector had already developed the necessary technologies; it was time for policymakers to catch up.List of Abbreviations 38List of AbbreviationsBSAP Baltic Sea Action PlanBSPC Baltic Sea Parliamentary ConferenceCBSS Council of the Baltic Sea StatesEA Ecosystem ApproachEBM Ecosystem-Based ManagamentEN CLIME Expert Network on Climate ChangeESA Economic and Social AspectsEU European UnionEUSBSR EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea RegionGEAR Group on the Implementation of the Ecosystem ApproachGES Good Environmental/Ecological StatusHELCOM Helsinki CommissionHOD Heads of DelegationsHOLAS Holistic Assessment of the Ecosystem Health of the Baltic SeaMPA Marine Protected AreasMSFD Marine Strategy Framework DirectiveMSP Maritime Spatial PlanningOSPAR Oslo Paris CommissionSDG Sustainable Development GoalSOM Sufficiency of MeasuresUBA German Environment AgencyUN United NationsVASAB Vision and Strategies around the Baltic SeaBaltic Sea Parliamentary Conferencewww.bspc.netBSPC SecretariatSchlossgartenallee 1519061 SchwerinGermany