The Green Deal and the Baltic Sea

Daniela Björkenstam

I remember when I first realized that the situation in the Baltic Sea was bad. It was a hot summers day, I was probably 15 years old, and my family and I went on a boat trip to cool down and go for a swim. Although, the trip turned out to not be very successful. We soon noticed a thick layer of toxic floating blue-green algae that was covering the sea. After spending hours going around looking for even just a small bay with clear water, we decided to give up and go back home. Before that day I think I had normalized this green bubbly blanket, it was part of summer, and part of life. That day I realized that this is not normal, and this is not how it should be, and how much the sea had changed in just a few generations. I remember my grandmother talking about all the spectacular swimming spots and lovely, sandy beaches that she would go to when she was a child, and how that was not an option for me and my friends anymore.

Sandy bottoms no longer exist in this part of the Baltic Sea because every year another thin layer of dead algae drops to the bottom and creates sediment, which is mud consisting of organic materials, which then covers the sand. The extent of dead bottoms is one of the largest in the world and all water below 60 meters is deficient in oxygen.  This leads to declining fish stocks and threatened ecosystems. Industrial waste, agriculture, pollution from factories, ship emissions etc. all contribute to this situation.  The Baltic Sea is one of the most polluted seas in the world. Growing up next to it, I’ve seen a tremendous change, for the worse, in its condition only during my lifetime. This topic affects me personally and it’s therefore a topic that I’m working with as an artist. A change is crucial for the survival of the Baltic Sea and it’s not too late yet. We can still set the Baltic Sea on the right course again, for us and for future generations. But how can we help? How can we contribute?

The Green Deal

The European Union’s strategy to tackle the climate crisis is called the Green Deal. EU aims for Europe to be the first climate neutral continent by 2050 and for emissions to be reduced by 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.  Climate neutrality means that the EU removes the same amount of carbon (CO2) from the atmosphere as it emits. To achieve this, the amount of carbon being emitted into the atmosphere needs to be reduced so that all of it can be absorbed by carbon sinks. The carbon sinks consist of systems that absorb more carbon than they emit, and we rely mainly on natural carbon sinks such as soil, forests, and oceans. As it is now, these natural sinks are not able to handle all the carbon being emitted into the atmosphere, and neither are the artificial sinks. To achieve the climate neutrality goal, there needs to be a balance between emitting carbon and absorbing carbon in the atmosphere.  The benefits that will be created from this balance are for instance: cleaner air, water and soil, healthier food and improved health for current and future generations , recovery of the ozone layer , and reduced natural disaster risks . In addition to this, the Green Deal will also contribute to more eco-friendly living, better public transport, less waste,  economic growth , circular economy  etc.

Circular economy is a concept used to promote a more sustainable living. The EU produces more than 2.2 billion tons of waste every year and by using circular economy, the goal is to reduce waste to a minimum. Whereas the old model of production was linear:

Take - Make - Use - Dispose

The new model is instead circular and focuses on reusing, repairing, and recycling. Focus will be on producing more sustainable products from the start, extending the life cycle of everything that’s being produced, and recycling the materials. This will help slow down the use of natural resources and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. A more circular economy will also help reduce energy and resource consumption, boost innovation and economic growth, and create more jobs.

The ocean

The ocean is our main climate regulator and a fantastic resource. It is, as mentioned above, a natural carbon sink, and it offers us clean energy, oxygen, and food, amongst other things.  Imbalanced oceans are an enormous threat to the planet, and the Green Deal, therefore, includes an ocean action plan. The following list of actions is taken from the official website of the European Union

●    protecting our biodiversity and ecosystems
●    reducing air, water and soil pollution
●    moving towards a circular economy
●    improving waste management
●    ensuring the sustainability of our blue economy and fisheries sectors

These actions will contribute to improved health and quality for the seas and oceans in Europe.  The blue economy, as mentioned in the list, can be defined as the sustainable use of natural resources. Practically speaking, it means that all industries and other sectors related to the seas, oceans, and coasts, such as fisheries, aquaculture, coastal tourism, maritime transport, port activities, and shipbuilding need to reduce their climate impact in order for the goals to be achieved. It’s not possible to tackle the climate crisis without healthy seas and oceans and we need to start using their resources in a more sustainable way.  The blue economy’s model for more sustainable oceans can be found on EU’s website, and they include

● a 90% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport [...]
● minimising the environmental impacts of fishing on marine habitats with measures such as specifications for fishing gear and mesh sizes, closed areas and seasons [...]
● turning blue economy sectors more circular [...]
● expanding offshore renewable energy, which could generate a quarter of the EU's electricity in 2050 [...]
● contributing to the transition towards a sustainable, low-carbon food system [...]
● developing nature-based solutions to adapt to sea level rise [...]

Innovation is key in this transformation, and new technologies such as ocean renewable energy, bio-technology, artificial intelligence, and zero emission vessels are going to help us achieve our goals. For change to happen, we also need to have one united system that can be applied across sectors and borders. Collaborations are going to be necessary, especially since some of Europe’s seas are shared with non-EU countries, that may not be as interested to get involved.

The Baltic Sea

Not only is the Baltic Sea the youngest sea on the planet, it’s also one of the smallest. The sea has the world’s largest brackish waters and it’s almost enclosed, which means that the inflow of new water is quite small. Because of this, the Baltic Sea has unique and fragile ecosystems. These ecosystems are now affected by general threats such as biodiversity and climate change, as well as overfishing, maritime transport, industrial waste etc. EU has introduced something called The Baltic Sea Strategy (EUSBSR) and it involves the eight EU countries surrounding the Baltic Sea as well as four non-EU countries in the region.  The action plan that’s been created within The Baltic Sea Strategy focuses on cooperation between these countries, and the plan is divided into three goals: “...saving the sea, connecting the region and increasing prosperity”. Through these goals, the EU wishes to achieve “...clean water, rich and healthy wildlife, clean and safe shipping, connections in the region, and climate change adaptions…”, to name a few. All countries involved receive funding from the EU to support projects and innovations that contribute to an improvement for the Baltic Sea, and also for projects that encourage cooperation.  

What can we do?

If I’m not a politician, innovator or fisherman, how can I help? The project Our Baltic Sea Media Project has published a list on their website of how you and I can contribute to the recovery of the Baltic Sea

●    Be fish-friendly. Eat non-threatened fish. Download WWF's Fishing Guide.
●    Put pressure on your politicians. Put pressure on your local politicians regarding the Baltic Sea environment. Ask questions and write letters to the press and drive on – not least if you live in a coastal municipality.
●    Wash with care. Wash with eco-labeled and phosphate-free detergents.
●    Use less disposable cutlery. Use less disposable cutlery, plates and grill, and throw garbage on the environment station to hold nature clean.
●    Don't throw your waste overboard. Empty hull toilet and waste water on port reception stations instead of into the sea. Choose eco-friendly vehicles and fuels on land and at sea.
●    Don't use toxic paints. Do not use toxic paints on the boat and feel free to use hull washing.
●    Replace the 2-stroke engine with a 4-stroke. Replace the boat's old two-stroke engine with a four-stroke. Use environmentally friendly cleaning products, toiletries and other liquids.

We all need to make small changes in our lives if we want to see an improvement. It’s also important that we educate ourselves and learn more about this topic and the consequences of our behaviors. Talk to the people around you, your friends and family, inform them, get them interested and engaged, and show them how to make sustainable choices. It’s also possible to participate in voluntary work, and support and donate to organisations that work with the Baltic Sea.

This is what I do as an artist. To me, the artist’s role is to ask the questions and initiate the conversations, not to offer practical solutions. The potential of art is in its sensitivity, co-creation, and possibility to create something that does not necessarily have to be defined in advance.

If you want to learn more about the Baltic Sea and The Green Deal, check out these links below.

The EU’s official websites on the Baltic Sea:

Baltic Sea (europa.eu)
Inforegio - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (europa.eu)

The Baltic Sea Strategy:

Home (eusbsr.eu)

Our Baltic Sea Media Project:

What you can do — Our Baltic Sea

WWF Baltic:

Start - WWF Baltic

Baltic Sea Project:

Home - Balticseaproject (itameriprojekti.fi)

The Green Deal:

The European Green Deal (europa.eu)

Green Deal: key to a climate-neutral and sustainable EU | News | European Parliament (europa.eu)

What is carbon neutrality and how can it be achieved by 2050? | News | European Parliament (europa.eu)

Footnotes

1. Stockholm University. (2022). The Baltic Sea oxygen debt worse than ever. https://www.su.se/english/research/news-research/the-baltic-sea-oxygen-debt-worse-than-ever-1.634195

2. ICES. (2023). Where now for Baltic Sea stocks? https://www.ices.dk/news-and-events/news-archive/news/Pages/baltic_advice.aspx

3. European Parliament. (2023). Green Deal: key to a climate-neutral and sustainable EU. Green Deal: key to a climate-neutral and sustainable EU | News | European Parliament (europa.eu)

4. European Parliament. (2023). What is carbon neutrality and how can it be achieved by 2050? What is carbon neutrality and how can it be achieved by 2050? | News | European Parliament (europa.eu)

5. European Parliament. (2023). Green Deal: key to a climate-neutral and sustainable EU.
Green Deal: key to a climate-neutral and sustainable EU | News | European Parliament (europa.eu)

6. European Commission. (n.d.). Climate Action - Overview. https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/ozone-layer/overview_en

7. European Commission. (2020). The external dimension of the Green Deal.
https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/intpa/items/673950/en

8. European Parliament. (2023). Green Deal: key to a climate-neutral and sustainable EU.
Green Deal: key to a climate-neutral and sustainable EU | News | European Parliament (europa.eu)

9. European Commission. (n.d.). The European Green Deal: Striving to be the first climate-neutral continent.
https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en

10. European Parliament. (2023). Circular economy: definition, importance and benefits.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/priorities/circular-economy/20151201STO05603/circular-economy-definition-importance-and-benefits

11. European Parliament. (2023). Circular economy: definition, importance and benefits.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/priorities/circular-economy/20151201STO05603/circular-economy-definition-importance-and-benefits

12. European Commission. (2021). Sustainable Blue Economy - Questions and Answers. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_21_2346

13. European Commission. (n.d.). Protecting the environment and oceans with the Green Deal.
https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal/protecting-environment-and-oceans-green-deal_en

14. European Commission. (2021). European Green Deal: Developing a sustainable blue economy in the European Union. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_2341

15. European Commission. (2021). Sustainable Blue Economy - Questions and Answers. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_21_2346

16. European Commission. (n.d.). Baltic Sea. https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/ocean/sea-basins/baltic-sea_en

17. European Commission. (n.d.). EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.
https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/policy/cooperation/macro-regional-strategies/baltic-sea_en

18. Our Baltic Sea Media Project. (n.d.). It is not too late, yet! https://ourbalticsea.com/it-is-not-too-late-yet