The IWAMA project builds up a strong knowledge based transnational network of water experts in the Baltic Sea Region and challenge them to make concrete commitments for a better state of the Baltic Sea. The involvement process is realized through a wide range of communication and dissemination activities run with the support of Union of the Baltic Cities and The Baltic Sea Challenge network (BSC).
BSC is a network initiative aiming to achieve a better state of the Baltic Sea by approaching it as a clean, productive and shared resource. In this framework, the network inspires its member organizations to join the challenge of ensuring the good state of the sea. The actions are performed through a series of commitments that the Baltic Sea Challenge members decide to implement.
The Baltic Sea Challenge introduces five shared objectives on the way to improving the status of the Baltic Sea:
- Clear coastal waters
Reducing the nutrient load, consisting of phosphorus and nitrogen, which enters the waters and the Baltic Sea and causes eutrophication. - Healthy marine habitat
Reducing the concentrations of harmful substances, the amount of litter and noise in the marine environment, and ensuring that marine resources can be utilised in a sustainable way. - Clean and safe water traffic
Reducing and preventing emissions produced by vessels of various sizes from entering the air and water, and ensuring the sufficient prevention of oil and chemical spills. - Systematic water area management
In systematic water area management, taking into account any changes in environmental and human pressures, combining and progressing the synergies of different forms of use, and preparing for possible future conflicts. - Active Baltic Sea citizenship
Promoting awareness of the state of the Baltic Sea, opportunities to influence this matter and how these opportunities are connected to the economic use of the sea and competitiveness. Strengthening the participation of various interest groups, and expanding their thoughts about the Baltic Sea.
The partners of IWAMA join the Baltic Sea Challenge initiative formulating commitments in the context of the project. Thus, producing the major project outputs, such as project investments, audits, as well as organizing the workshops in the IWAMA lifetime will be widely promoted in the region. The Baltic Sea Challenge offers wider visibility to the activities organized in IWAMA, which allows other organizations to use the experience of the already conducted researches and pilots. The source of the communicated information about the IWAMA actions is also an inspiration to join the initiative of improving the state of the Baltic Sea. Make your commitment and improve the state of the Baltic Sea with us!
The Baltic Sea Challenge activities in the project are supported by the Baltic Sea Challenge Coordinator in Helsinki Lotta Ruokanen and Coordinator in Turku Tove Holm.