Policy Area Nutri Actions in the EUSBSR Action Plan of 2021

 

Action 1: Reduce nutrient emissions from agriculture and other diffuse sources

Objective: Action 1 aims to limit nutrient emissions from diffuse sources and reduce their pressure on the ecosystem. The action also strengthens European action to fight against climate change. Several measures are envisaged.

Description: Actively encourage the sectors (from agriculture, aquaculture and forestry) generating nutrient leakage from diffuse sources to mitigate their influence on eutrophication by showing economically and/or timely attractive measures and/or practices reducing nutrient pressure. Promote cost-efficient and innovative measures to prevent and reduce nutrient leakage from agriculture and forestry e.g. agrotechnic methods to prevent over fertilization, application of gypsum or structural lime, establishing wetlands, buffer zones or other nutrient trapping structures/methods. Improve monitoring and the knowledge base of nutrient flows and loads, taking climate change into account. Raise awareness of best practices to prevent and reduce nutrient discharges and increase knowledge of linkages between climate change and eutrophication. Best practices will inter alia come from the flagships promoted by the PA.

Action 2: Reduce nutrient emissions from urban areas and other point sources

Objective: Action 2 aims to reduce nutrient emissions from urban areas and other point sources. A number of measures are envisaged.

Description: Support to cross-sectoral activities and measures that reduce discharges to the Sea from point sources, taking climate change into account. Develop innovative and nature based solutions to urban water management and scattered sources to reduce nutrient discharges. Improve monitoring and the knowledge base of nutrient flows and loads. Raise awareness and influence consumer behaviour. Since a key player in this action are local administrations, the established partnerships of the projects/processes/platforms must include relevant type of partners. Results to be shared i.a. in a platform

Action 3: Develop and promote safe and sustainable nutrient recycling

Objective: Action 3 aims to propose measures to strengthen and promote safe and sustainable use of nutrients in a circular economy.

Description: Action 3, in relation to the New Circular Economy action plan of the Green Deal, proposes measures to strengthen and promote safe and sustainable nutrient recycling as part of the HELCOM Regional Nutrient Recycling strategy. Promote and develop environmentally safe and economically viable solutions to recover and reuse nutrients from agriculture, aquaculture, forestry and municipalities. Encourage new business models and symbioses with cross-sectoral cooperation. Promote knowledge exchange, influence consumption patterns, raise awareness and carry on policy dialogue.

Action 4: Address nutrients already accumulated in the Baltic Sea

Objective: Action 4 aims to address the consequences of nutrients already accumulated in the Baltic Sea, in particular with a sectoral focus to reduce the environmental and climatic impact of nutrients on ecosystems.

Description: Develop ecologically and economically sustainable ways and partnerships to reduce nutrients from the sea e.g. management of fishing, mussel farming or collecting algae/nutrient rich biomass from the sea. Improve the knowledge base and undertake pilot actions of sea-based measures, addressing internal nutrient reserves, considering and evaluating their risks to ecosystem and human health, as well as the long-term sustainability of their effects in line with the HELCOM work on the regional principles and risk assessment framework for internal nutrient reserves management.

 

Image: DCE - National Center for Environment and Energy, Aarhus University