The Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs congratulates the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development on bringing the subject of the socio-economic potential of the Baltic Sea region before the Parliamentary Assembly. The comprehensive report by Mr Kaikkonen tackles the most important issues concerning the Baltic Sea region – including the ones concerning the environment.
However, these issues should benefit from an increased attention. In fact, the future of the region and its inhabitants depends on decisions to be taken and on their impact on the environment and economy in general.
In the draft resolution, at the end of paragraph 2, add the following sentence:
“Organisations for environmental co-operation, planning and sustainable development in the Baltic Sea region, like HELCOM (Helsinki Commission – Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission), the intergovernmental network VASAB (Vision and Strategies around the Baltic Sea) and Baltic 21, have long-standing experience in the issues of environment and sustainable development in the region.”
In the draft resolution, in paragraph 6, after the second sentence, insert the following text:
“The building of the pipeline implies major environmental risks due to the fact that after the Second World War large quantities of chemical munitions were dumped on the bed of the Baltic Sea and significant quantities of various dangerous chemicals were used in agriculture and industry after the Second World War. The risks of disturbing the sediments thus include the release of hazardous substances such as chlorinated organics and heavy metals, which in turn could lead to an impact on top predators like seals and eagles due to the accumulation of these substances in the food chain.”
In the draft resolution, after paragraph 6, add the following paragraph:
“The fishery industry in the Baltic Sea is of utmost importance to local economies. Problems due to overfishing and pollution should therefore represent an issue of concern for political decision makers. Ignoring environmental concerns because of socio-economic considerations is an unsustainable approach and leads in effect to the undermining in the long term of these very socio-economic interests.”
In the draft resolution, after paragraph 6, add the following paragraph:
“Threats to the sea from eutrophication resulting from pollution by nitrogen and phosphorus coming from agricultural and municipal sources are also an issue of major concern for environmentalists. A reform of the European Union Common Agricultural Policy is needed, as well as further improvement of the treatment of waste water and a halt to the use of washing powders containing phosphate.”
In the draft resolution, after paragraph 10.6, insert the following sub-paragraph:
“take into consideration, before taking any decision, issues related to the environment in the Baltic Sea region and never allow economic considerations to dominate environmental ones.”
In the draft resolution, after paragraph 11.4, insert the following sub-paragraph:
“reform its Common Agricultural Policy in order to ensure a better protection of the environment, inter alia, by maximal decrease in the use of fertilisers and pesticides.”
In the draft resolution, after paragraph 11.4, insert the following sub-paragraph:
“promote integrated management and spatial planning of marine and coastal areas so as to avoid conflicts between various environmental and socio-economic interests, and inter alia find best possible sites for proposed wind-parks where these would not come into conflict with the need to protect nature.”