Author: Aleksandra Milewska

The pollution of the coast and the waters of the Baltic Sea is becoming a growing problem. To give more people a chance, the competition for entrepreneurs has been extended until October 4, 2021! If you run a small or medium-sized business in the coastal area, you have a chance to win PLN 2,000 gross.

What is the competition about?

Selling souvenirs at the seaside, running eateries, agritourism or a convenience store are just some examples of activities carried out by small entrepreneurs on the Baltic Sea. Are you running a business or company? Record a video showing how you reduce the waste production of your business on a daily basis and save the sea with us!

Design gadgets are provided for everyone participating in the competition.

Regulations and details in the COMPETITION tab.

The Ministry of Infrastructure and the State Water Holding Polish Waters cordially invite you to the second conference on the protection of sea waters. On August 31 in Gdynia, representatives of the government administration and experts will discuss the results of the work carried out so far on the updated action program and will summarize the SEA procedure. We also invite you to participate in the discussion.

We invite you to participate in the conference and online debate. Registration and the meeting agenda are available at: www.chronmorze.eu/konferencje.

The sea water protection program is an important element of the marine strategy implemented in accordance with the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Water Law Act. During the conference, the key results of analytical and design works as well as proposals for remedial measures to improve the condition of the Baltic Sea and its protection will be presented. From August 9 to 30, public consultations on the environmental impact assessment of the aPOWM project are conducted. The results of the so far conducted strategic environmental impact assessment procedure for the aPOWM project will also be presented at the conference.

We invite you to participate in the conference. Save the sea with us!

As part of the conference inaugurating the consultations, which took place on July 9 this year. in the online formula, questions and comments from the stakeholders of the meeting appeared. If possible, the answers were provided on an ongoing basis, in the chat of the meeting or as part of the discussion panel in the last part of the meeting. Thank you for all comments and questions.

For those of you who did not have the opportunity to participate directly in the meeting, we would like to remind you that the presentations and responses to the conference comments are available in the DO POBRANIA tab.

The next nationwide conference as part of public consultations is scheduled for the turn of August and September.

We encourage you to follow the news on the website and actively participate in aPOWM public consultations. There are still 2 months to submit comments.

The Baltic Sea, compared to other seas and oceans, is a relatively shallow, almost inland water body in the heart of Europe, the geographic location, history and prospects of climate change make it a very specific sea. Monitoring of the hydrographic conditions of our sea allows us to verify its variability over time and assess its condition.

The future of the inhabitants of the Baltic Sea basin is inextricably linked with the future of the sea itself. Nearly 100 million people live by the Baltic Sea, whose activities affect the state of the waters of our sea. We call it anthropopressure. Industrial and agricultural activities and the associated huge loads of nutrients reaching sea waters are just some of the elements influencing the quality of the Baltic Sea. One of the features influencing the assessment of the state of our sea’s waters are hydrographic conditions, including: salinity, temperature, sea currents and waves. Data on them are part of the strategic document prepared by PGW Waters Polskie – the sea water protection program and its update.

Is the Baltic Sea salty enough?

The amount of salt dissolved in the waters of the Baltic Sea is small compared to other seas. The average salinity of our sea ranges from 7-8 per mille in the vicinity of Denmark to only 3 in the north, between Finland and Sweden. When going on a trip to the Adriatic Sea or the Black Sea, we will immediately feel the difference. Foreign, much saltier waters will make us feel stinging or dry skin. For comparison, the average salinity of the Mediterranean Sea is as high as 39 per mille.

The salinity of the Baltic Sea is strictly dependent on the water exchange with the North Sea, which in the case of the Baltic Sea is difficult due to the narrow and tight connection enabling water exchange due to the presence of the Danish Straits. The infusions of salty waters from the North Sea are beneficial, because the colder, better oxygenated water from the ocean provides fresh oxygen, so much needed by the Baltic Sea, which often suffers from its deficit. Unfortunately, we observe that this water exchange occurs less and less frequently. In the 1970s and 1980s, it was about 5-7 infusions every 10 years. Meanwhile, only two have been found since 2000.

Oxygen deficiencies, huge amounts of fresh water coming in, and difficult exchange of waters with other reservoirs are just a few elements that bring us closer to the conclusion that over time our sea may turn into a reservoir more fresh than saltwater. Let us remember that fresh waters from over 200 rivers are pumped into the Baltic Sea every day. With limited water exchange with the North Sea, the degree of salinity in the Baltic Sea will decrease, and the problem of excessive eutrophication of its waters will increase.

The level of eutrophication of the Baltic Sea basins has significantly increased over the last 110 years. Source: https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12221.

The Baltic Sea is getting warmer

The temperature of the waters of the Baltic Sea is an element that changes depending on the season. In summer, the temperature in the open sea usually does not exceed 20⁰C, and in winter it drops to around 2⁰C. Geographic location, eastern winds, bringing cool arctic-continental air or a characteristic rising current called upwelling are just some of the factors influencing the temperature variability of our sea.

In the latest issue of the IMWM Observer, we read that the temperature of the Baltic Sea undergoes noticeable changes over the years. Already in the period 1861-2000, the air temperature in the Baltic Sea basin increased by 0.11 ° C / 10 years (north of 60 ° N) and 0.08 ° C / 10 years (south of 60 ° N), while the global value is an increase of 0.05 ° C / 10 years. These figures show how much faster the Baltic Sea is warming compared to other waters. The local climate is created by the variability of the atmospheric circulation over the North Atlantic, which is manifested in the different intensity of the western runoff, as reflected by the NAO index. Its strongly positive values ​​in the last twenty years of the twentieth century were responsible for warm and humid winters abundant with storms, which certainly did not help to slow down the process of water warming.

Rising water temperatures catalyze the eutrophication process, and warmer waters are able to absorb much less oxygen, contributing to the formation of dead zones in the sea. Higher water temperature also favors the development of microorganisms and algae, which results in problematic blooms of cyanobacteria, which pose a threat not only to marine ecosystems, but also a direct danger to people resting at the seaside.

Building and destructive forces shaping the shores of the Baltic Sea, i.e. waves and sea currents

Waves and sea currents are the eternal forces that shaped the shores of the Baltic Sea. Coastal lakes, such as Łebsko and Gardno, spits and shallows are selected examples of the building force, and landslides, cliffs or “taking beaches” – the destructive power of the Baltic Sea. Over the centuries, they allowed for the specific appearance of the Polish coast, and the hydrotechnical solutions used by engineers, such as breakwaters or spurs, are only selected structures aimed at limiting the force of the sea element, used to protect a given area or infrastructure.

The presence of waves visible to the naked eye and invisible currents in the water column at various depths is mainly the effect of the wind. In the area of ​​the Polish coast, those blowing from the western sector prevail, bringing relatively warm and humid air masses to the Baltic Sea. It is also a direct cause of increased sums of precipitation in the coastal region, and therefore also the supply of fresh water to the basin.

Due to the progressive climate change, winds above 8⁰ on the Beaufort scale and the associated waves, even several meters high, are a phenomenon more and more frequent in the waters of the Baltic Sea. This dangerous phenomenon is also responsible for the so-called storm surges, which cause huge losses, especially in densely populated and highly urbanized areas, such as larger cities of the Polish coast. More information in the topic article Sea shield and hydrolologists from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management.

Climate change will not bypass the Baltic Sea

According to the Water Law Act, the monitoring of the Baltic Sea is carried out by the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection as part of the State Environmental Monitoring. Modeling of hydrodynamic processes is carried out by IMWM-PIB. The latest information on forecasts for the Baltic Sea is available here.

The scenarios of climate change in the Baltic Sea area clearly indicate an increase in the average annual air temperature in the 21st century – in the case of the best variant, it will rise from 1 ° C to 5 ° C. As for the Baltic Sea itself, the climate scenarios predict an increase in water temperature, a decrease in ice cover and a decrease in salinity of its waters as a result of increased rainfall and runoff. The seasonal pattern of the runoff will be modified by changes in precipitation and faster snow melting. You can read more about the future of the Baltic Sea in the light of climate change in the IMGW Observer in the article Can the Baltic Sea be a warm sea ?

Change (in relation to the period 1991-2020) in the values of air temperature (° C) and precipitation (%) for the Baltic Sea area (source: KNMI Climate Change Explorer, https://climexp.knmi.nl/plot_atlas_form.py).

Save the sea!

The program for the protection of marine waters contains a set of measures aimed primarily at improving the state of the environment of marine waters and achieving good status (GES), as well as increasing access to knowledge about individual elements of the environment. The condition assessment consists of 11 condition features and pressures, including hydrographic conditions. These elements are characterized by seasonal variability, and human activity may even cause a permanent change in these parameters. Limiting cumulative pressures on habitats, in particular benthic habitats, continuation of activities in the scope of establishing zones free from permanent anthropogenic interference in the spatial development plans of Polish sea areas and Natura 2000 protection plans are also activities aimed at improving the physical elements influencing the state of the Baltic Sea.

The activities included in the sea water protection program and its updating are carried out by various entities and ministries, but each of us can contribute to the achievement of the goal of a good condition of the Baltic Sea. We should remember that only effective cooperation of many units and organizations, as well as increasing the awareness of all inhabitants of our country about the importance of caring for the condition of our sea, will allow to improve the condition of the Baltic Sea and protect it properly, ensuring access to clean, biodiverse and safe sea waters. for future generations. Until October 5, 2021, 3-month public consultations on the draft update of the marine water protection program – aPOWM, last. Take part in project consultations and protect the sea with us!

The sea water protection program, updated by Polish Waters, is aimed at ensuring the good condition of the marine environment. Broken by storms and abandoned fishing nets are deadly traps for the inhabitants of the Baltic Sea, so marking fishing nets and catching them as part of the cleaning action are actions that will reduce the amount of ghost nets in the waters of our sea, thus helping to protect the species and marine ecosystems of the Baltic Sea.

Broken by storms and abandoned fishing nets, they become an inseparable part of the seas and oceans. They are made of materials that are not subject to natural decomposition, not only contributing to littering the marine ecosystem, but also threatening the lives of the inhabitants of the Baltic Sea, because their victims are not only fish, birds, porpoises and seals.

Sea creatures in danger

Despite the lack of human surveillance, ghost nets still do the job for which they were created. As a result, fish and other marine organisms are caught in lost nets, often dying in agony. At the same time, the nets are practically invisible, which in the case of human control is a benefit – it allows the capture of specific marine organisms. As they drift in the depths of the sea as abandoned ghost nets, they become a death trap for its inhabitants. Moreover, in the case of porpoises that use echolocation during their journey, their sense fails them because the sound has nothing to reflect on and the web is invisible from the porpoise’s perspective. Trapped animals have no chance of getting out, and as a result, not only do they die, but also injure themselves by becoming entangled in the net, sustaining serious bodily injuries.

Fishing nets are made of nylon or other plastics. This means that they do not break down naturally. They still pose a real danger when broken into smaller pieces when they no longer pose a risk of trapping the animals. The nets can decompose into microplastics that are involuntarily recognized by animals, including fish for food, which leads not only to poisoning their body, but also poses a risk to people eating them.

The life cycle of a ghost network

There are voices saying that the ghost net problem is exaggerated. It is estimated that the efficiency of the spectrum nets, compared to the fishing nets, is about 20%, and after a few months it is only 6%. What’s more, some of them sink to the bottom and no longer pose a threat to animals, but only seemingly. However, it should be borne in mind that if the net sinks to the bottom under the load of entangled animals, which, after death, decompose or are eaten by other sea creatures on the bottom, eventually it begins to float again, where it becomes a threat again. . Such a cycle can be repeated many times until it is interrupted by a human being.

Clearing the seas and oceans is not only catching drifting ghost nets, but also cleansing shipwrecks to which the nets stick to the bottom, thus creating a death trap for many organisms. The Baltic Sea, including the Polish coast, is full of wrecks, especially those left after World War II. It is estimated that only in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea there are about 800 tons of abandoned nets. It’s decades of neglect. Every year between 5 and 10,000 nets are lost, which, in the absence of regular fishing, generates a huge load of waste in the depths and on the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

What can we do to reduce the number of lost nets in the Baltic Sea?

Getting rid of the ghost net from the Baltic Sea is not an easy task. These networks are not only cases of uncontrolled breaks. Still some of them, if damaged, are unknowingly thrown into the sea. Publicizing the problem and education are only part of the success. It is necessary to implement specific practices and institutional cooperation that will contribute to changing this situation. An example of good operation was the international project “MARELITT Baltic” implemented in 2016-2019, the purpose of which was to reduce the impact of the spectrum network on the environment. The project dealt with many aspects of the problem, such as mapping areas at risk of catching nets, recycling and preventing them from reaching the waters of the Baltic Sea. Poland also took part in this project, catching 7.5 tons of nets since 2016.

The aPOWM program, also focusing on marine environmental waste, responds to this threat. Activities initiated under the first Sea Water Protection Program will be continued, i.e.

• Marking of fishing nets – preventing ghost nets
• Fishing for litter – cleaning the sea.

Protect the sea!

The program for the protection of marine waters contains a set of measures aimed primarily at improving the state of the environment of marine waters and achieving good status (GES), as well as increasing access to knowledge about individual elements of the environment. The assessment of the condition consists of 11 features of the condition and pressures, including waste in the marine environment. One of the very harmful phenomena to the natural environment are ghost nets. Marine litter poses a significant threat to both humans and marine organisms.

The activities included in the program and its updates are carried out by various entities and ministries, but each of us can contribute to the achievement of the goal of a good condition of the Baltic Sea. We should remember that only effective cooperation of many units and organizations, as well as increasing the awareness of all inhabitants of our country about the importance of caring for the condition of our sea, will allow to improve the condition of the Baltic Sea and protect it properly, ensuring access to clean, biodiverse and safe sea waters. for future generations. Until October 5, 2021, 3-month public consultations on the draft update of the marine water protection program – aPOWM, last. Take part in project consultations and protect the sea with us! 

On July 9 in Gdańsk, during the “Protect the Sea” conference, public consultations on the marine water protection program (aPOWM), organized by the Ministry of Infrastructure and PGW Polish Waters, began.

During the meeting attended by Przemysław Daca, President of PGW Waters, nearly 60 actions to improve the condition of the Baltic Sea were discussed. The program is one of the most important programs aimed at rationalizing water management in Poland.

On July 5, a 3-month public consultation on the update of the draft marine water protection program (aPOWM) began. Preventing the degradation of the marine environment, reducing pollution and restoring ecosystems are part of the activities indicated in aPOWM, developed by PGW Waters. The solutions proposed in the program will have a positive impact on water management, maritime transport, fisheries, tourism, but also on the lives of each of us, as caring for the Baltic Sea is our common goal.

During the public consultation on the update of the marine water protection program, everyone may submit comments on the draft document, inter alia, via the on-line LINK form. Details on how to submit comments can be found in the Consultations tab

Activities under the aPOWM project are carried out by governmental units, local governments and various entities whose aim is to improve the condition of the Baltic Sea. It is also activities in which each of us can get involved. Take part in public consultations and Protect the sea with us! The consultations will last until October 5, 2021.

The Baltic Sea is one of the shallowest seas in the world. Its depth, combined with a large inflow of fresh waters, carrying numerous loads of nutrients, leads to the bloom of cyanobacteria. This more and more frequent phenomenon in the Baltic Sea makes it difficult for all tourists who come to the seaside to relax. All this is due to eutrophication – excessive water nutrition.

The aim of the marine waters protection program – aPOWM, is to stop the pollution of the Baltic Sea, and eutrophication is one of the 11 features that contribute to maintaining or improving the good environmental status of marine waters. One of the basic elements negatively affecting the condition of the Baltic Sea are nutririents – nitrogen and phosphorus compounds that are carried by rivers that supply the Baltic Sea in large numbers. Both of these elements occur in nature in different forms. In the natural environment, nitrogen is most commonly present in the gas form – N₂, which is the main component of air. The present form of nitrogen is ammonia – NH₃, which is produced by the decomposition of organic matter. The oxygen form of nitrogen compounds are nitrates (the formula of the nitrate ion -NO₃) and nitrites (the formula of the nitrite ion -NO₂). Both nitrite and nitrate ions are soluble in water and therefore they are displaced with it. Changes in nitrogen between its various forms are called the nitrogen cycle in nature. In the case of phosphorus, the most common form is phosphate (-PO₄). Limiting the inflow of these nutrients to rivers is one of the key challenges in the protection of the Baltic Sea.

Source: Copernicus Sentinel Data [2021],processed at the Satellite Teledetection Department, IMWM-PIB

Sources of eutrophication

According to the BALANCE OF LOADS OF POLLUTANTS DISCHARGED BY RIVERS TO THE BALTIC SEA – PLC 7 prepared by Poland in 2020, reported to HELCOM, the general structure of loads “at source”, according to the categories included in the balance, is presented in the table below. As shown in it, agriculture is the absolute largest source responsible for two-thirds of both nitrogen (67%) and phosphorus (66%) reaching Polish surface waters. The second largest source, i.e. municipal sewage treatment plants, accounts for only 9% of nitrogen and 14% of phosphorus. The third place, with a share of 7% in the nitrogen balance and 5% in the phosphorus balance, is occupied by the transboundary loads, followed closely by the natural background of 5% in relation to the nitrogen and phosphorus balance. It is worth noting that we have virtually no influence on the amount of loads from the last two categories mentioned. The remaining 9 categories account for only 12% nitrogen and 9% phosphorus. Sanitary wastewater from non-sewage areas accounts for only 4% of nitrogen and 3% of phosphorus.

Preventing degradation of the marine environment, restoring ecosystems or reducing pollution of the Baltic waters are some of the activities indicated in the program for the protection of marine waters, developed and updated by Polish Waters. Przemysław Gruszecki, Director of the Water Environment Management Department at PGW Polish Waters, talks about the benefits for the sectors dependent on the Baltic Sea and for each of us.

Under the slogan Save the Sea! Polish Waters update the Marine Waters Protection Program. What is its purpose?

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive is an EU legislation that aims to protect our seas and oceans and their resources. The aim of the directive is to restore marine waters to good condition. It is not about literal water and the improvement of their quality, but about the condition of ecosystems functioning in these reservoirs. Poland is committed to improving the condition of the Baltic Sea waters, and the Marine Waters Protection Program is part of this strategy. It is understood as a 6-year process of managing sea waters in a way that will allow us to maintain or improve the good condition of the Baltic Sea.

At what planning stage of the project are we currently?

We are in the process of updating the document, which is a summary of environmental and economic analyzes, presenting a package of measures aimed at meeting the directive objective, i.e. achieving good condition of the Baltic Sea waters.

What are these activities?

In the draft update of the Marine Waters Protection Program (aPOWM) we are talking about two types of measures: on the one hand, measures resulting directly from other programs and directives, and on the other hand, about new tasks that we propose for implementation if the former seem insufficient. In addition to these two groups, which make up the basic actions, we also have the possibility of implementing ad hoc actions, implemented in the event of emergency situations requiring intervention.

Are these activities only carried out at sea?

Some of them are taken on land, some are directly related to sea waters. As examples, I can mention the development of port infrastructure in the part serving to supply electricity to ships, the promotion of the use of natural gas as fuel by ships, and even plans to save animals suffering from oil spills. On land, we will focus, for example, on the conditions of fertilizer storage, agriculture or municipal wastewater treatment, which will contribute to reducing the amount of nutrients flowing into the Baltic Sea, and thus improving the quality of water in our sea.

Who will perform these tasks?

Activities in the Marine Waters Protection Program are divided between various institutions. Polish waters have their share for which they are responsible. Only by acting together can we achieve our goal of a clean, rich in biodiversity Baltic Sea in the long term.

As users of the Baltic sea waters, whether it’s every day or just on holiday, will we feel the impact of the program on our daily life? Can we have a say in the program?

First of all, we must realize that the Baltic Sea is a very specific sea. It is shallow – the average depth is about 53 m, which corresponds to the height of a 20-story building. Compared to, for example, the North Sea, which is several times deeper, it is not much. The deepest point in the Baltic Sea is about 450 m. In the case of the Black Sea, the deepest point is over 2 km. These natural conditions obviously affect the effectiveness of the actions taken and how quickly their effects can be seen. And while we do not have a direct influence on the implementation of the program, we can contribute to the improvement of the condition of the Baltic Sea through our everyday behavior, especially during a holiday by the sea.

And how is the Baltic Sea in terms of salinity compared to other seas?

When we speak of the Baltic Sea, we mean a shallow body of water with a positive water balance. More water flows into it through rivers and drainage basins than it evaporates. Moreover, these are fresh waters. The salinity of the Baltic Sea is relatively low, and here we are also talking about multiple differences compared to other reservoirs.

Certainly, many of Poles who travel around Europe and spent their holidays at a different sea, the first thing they notice is the difference in the salinity of their waters compared to the Baltic Sea; Adriatic, Mediterranean and Black Sea are much saltier. In the Baltic Sea, the average salinity ranges from 7-8 per mille in the vicinity of Denmark, to 3 in the north, between Finland and Sweden. The Mediterranean Sea is salinity 39 per mille. As we can see, the Baltic Sea is not very salty and depends on infusions of definitely saltier waters from the North Sea.

We already know that the Baltic Sea is relatively shallow and not salty. What are the consequences?

The Baltic Sea is much smaller than we might think. In addition, it is intensively ‘supplied’ by fresh waters, rich in nutrients from human activities, including agriculture. This causes algae blooms. The inhabitants of Pomerania and the coast regularly observe algae blooms, which translates into closing beaches and limiting swimming in the sea.

Can you describe the problem of eutrophication of the Baltic Sea in more detail?

As a result of algae bloom, the transmission of sunlight to deeper layers is limited, which in turn causes the loss of other species of sea grasses. Rotting algae, disintegrating, deplete the oxygen from the bottom layers and the parts of the Baltic are formed that are deprived of oxygen in the deeper layers – the dead zones. The infusions from the North Sea can improve the oxygen situation, because these waters are heavier, more salty. As a result of natural processes, they push out the deoxygenated waters of the Baltic Sea. The bad luck of the Baltic Sea is that there are fewer and fewer infusions. In the 1970s and 1980s, this was approximately 5-7 infusions over 10 years. Meanwhile, from 2000 to the present, there were only 2.

What is the cause of this?

Climate change. The occurrence of this North Sea infusion process is conditioned by the specific circumstances that must occur; wind directions, layering, Baltic waters inclination, pressure, temperature difference. If not for the Danish straits, the Baltic Sea would be a lake, as it would quickly turn into a reservoir of fresh water.

The Baltic Sea is also specific due to its geopolitical location, right?

Yes, we can say that the Baltic Sea is almost an internal sea of the European Union. Almost, but it’s not a EU country. Here it is worth emphasizing the role of cooperation between the EU countries and the Russian Federation on the basis of the Helsinki Convention on the protection of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea. The EU countries are additionally connected with the so-called the maritime directive, pursuant to which they are developing a joint project for the Baltic Sea – the already mentioned Marine Waters Protection Program.

What would fulfill the assumptions of the Protect the Sea! in 100%?

If the Marine Waters Protection Program and its update could be fully implemented, meeting the directive’s objective of achieving good status for marine waters in 2027, then we would have a sea that would be a healthy ecosystem.

A healthy ecosystem means full of fish and other marine life. How is it now?

We have problems with the overfishing of the Baltic Sea, i.e. the availability of fish. Each of us loves to eat fish during the holidays, but there are less and less of these fish. Here we are dealing with both the tourist aspect and the economy, because we are talking about our fishermen and the economy sector, therefore ensuring the biological balance and good condition of the Baltic waters is also an action that is going to help restore the resources of species that have been overfished.

Is there a chance that the Baltic Sea will regain its ecological balance?

Yes. We want our sea to be rich in biodiversity and safe for tourists to swim. A sea that we can use in a sustainable way, which does not become a reservoir in need of rescue. As a result of this: cleaner water in the Baltic Sea, better functioning aquatic ecosystems, and the restoration of biological life. For us, it means the safety of using its benefits during the holidays, including the lack of restrictions related to, for example, algae and closing beaches. For fishermen – greater job opportunities and thus everyone enjoys eating good, healthy fish. These are both social and economic benefits of the program implementation, the draft of which we are preparing. It must be an action taken by all the Baltic states. The actions of one country, be it Poland, Lithuania or Sweden, will not be enough.

Are pollution the main threats to the Baltic Sea?

Not completely. By pollution, we most often mean water quality, i.e. a set of chemical indicators, temperature, color, salinity, chemicals, nutrients. We have a fairly traditional approach. On the other hand, the condition assessment is much more extensive. It concerns not only the quality, such as nutrient concentration, but also the functioning of the ecosystem. We are talking about underwater noise, seabed integrity, eutrophication. We distinguish as many as 11 phenomena described by these features.

Is it true that Polish waters are the dirtiest?

No. Poland is the most populous country in the Baltic Sea, apart from Russia, of course, which is a downfall. 38 million inhabitants is the dominant number on the Baltic scale. In addition, we have two largest rivers in the catchment area of this sea: the Vistula and the Oder, and the area from which waters flow into them also includes part of Germany, Ukraine and Belarus. Therefore, the load of pollutants that we introduce into the Baltic Sea is necessarily the greatest. On the one hand, this makes it easier to show that Poland is the biggest polluter of the Baltic Sea, but it is not a fair statement. It is enough to convert it into the number of inhabitants or the catchment area and then our role is drawn in a slightly different light. However, it is difficult to overestimate the scale of Poland.

Will it be possible for the public to refer to the propositions of the project by the society as part of the update of the Marine Waters Protection Program?

Yes, at the beginning of July, we plan to submit the draft update of the document to public consultations, which will last 3 months. As part of consultations in Baltic cities, we will organize 3 regional conferences. At the same time, a 21-day consultation on the environmental impact assessment of this document will be conducted.

Will the consultation and legislative path be straightforward after the consultations are over?

The very procedure of creating and approving aPOWM update is quite complicated. We are talking about sectors of the economy, departments of government administration, which is why as many as 10 ministers who agree on this document and to whom these activities in some way relate, or the sectors of administration they control, play their role in the process. After being approved by the Council of Ministers, the draft is sent to the European Commission for an opinion, which is why the process is quite complicated.

Nevertheless, its essential element is actually social consultations. Anyone who is interested, regardless of whether they live by the Baltic Sea or not, but is characterized by concern for the Baltic Sea, can comment and suggest something, pay attention to certain aspects that may have been omitted, or, in the opinion of the person submitting the comment, are not properly treated or nor is the problem given the proper weight. We are waiting for all the voices and we hope that the response will be significant and that not only offices and authorities, or environmental organizations, which we can certainly count on, will express their opinion. Let us remember that the Baltic Sea is our common business!

Thank you for the conversation.

Interview was conducted by Joanna Sasal

PGW Polish Waters

As part of the “Protect the Sea” project, we have prepared a special competition for entrepreneurs!

Do you run a small or medium-sized business in the coastal area? PGW Polish Waters invite you to take part in the competition “Protect the sea. Don’t litter”, which aims to draw attention to the protection of the waters of the Baltic Sea by showing pro-environmental activities as part of business activities conducted by small entrepreneurs in the coastal zone, in terms of waste management for the sake of the Baltic Sea. Record a video showing how you reduce waste production in your business and win PLN 2,000 gross! We are waiting for applications until August 31, 2021 at the following address: kontakt@chronmorze.eu.
We are waiting for your films!

Regulations and details in the CONTEST tab.