The Baltic Sea is severely affected by general threats likebiodiversity loss and climate change, and by specific local pressuressuch as eutrophication, overfishing, elevated levels of contaminantssuch as pharmaceuticals, and litter, in particular plastic waste.Concerned by the poor state of the Sea and its marine environment, EUCommissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries VirginijusSinkevičius is organising a high-level conference on possible actions toredress the situation.
Our Baltic will gather ministers, decision makers,scientists and stakeholders from NGOs and industry in the region andacross the EU to discuss the challenges faced by this sea. In line withthe EU Biodiversity Strategy and the Zero Pollution ambition announcedin the European Green Deal, the Conference will focus on how to reducethe pressure from fisheries and the input of pollutants, litter andcontaminants, including pharmaceuticals. It aims to boost commitment tothe existing goals for the area in EU legislation, and opens the way tofurther commitments and new actions to tackle these problems.
The event will combine a high-level Ministerial session andstakeholder discussions. Ministers for Environment, Agriculture andFisheries from eight EU Member States in the region (Denmark, Estonia,Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden) have beeninvited and are expected to sign a Ministerial Declaration at theConference.
Link to the webstreaming: available on the day of the day of the Conference, 28 September.
To register visit https://scic.ec.europa.eu/ew/register/dgscic/Our_Baltic_Conference_2020_Lithuania/e/lk/g/16060/k/.
Provisional programme available at https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/online_draft_agenda_-_our_baltic_conference.pdf.
Conference website: https://ec.europa.eu/info/events/our-baltic-conference_en.