День Балтийского моря/Baltic Sea Day

XX Anniversary International Environmental Forum

Baltic Sea Day

21-22 March 2019 Saint-Petersburg (Russia)

The Forum was held on the 21-22 of March 2019 traditionally in Saint-Petersburg (Russia) with support of the Government of St. Petersburg and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of Russian Federation. The Agenda was developed jointly with the HELCOM Secretariat (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission - Helsinki Commission) and reflected the main directions of HELCOM work and issues relevant for Russia in terms of fulfilling the obligations under the Helsinki Convention.

March 21 - “Expert Day” - was devoted to the issues of updating the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. Within the framework of the Expert Day, 14 events including round table sessions, panel discussions and expert seminars were held and focused on improving the nutrients recycling in wastewater management sector, nature conservation in the Baltic Sea region, environmental effects of physical impact on the bottom of water bodies, shore and bank protection etc.

Special attention was paid to the round table on reduction of marine litter in the Baltic Sea, including issues devoted to microplastics, handling of lost gear and regional actions were discussed, which contribute to the implementation of the HELCOM Regional Action Plan for Marine Litter in the Baltic Sea. The summary of the “Expert Day” work in the format of the consolidated presentation was presented at the solemn plenary meeting of the Forum on March 22, 2019.

March 22 - "Solemn Day" - consisted of plenary session and awarding ceremonies. At the Plenary session with the official greetings to the participants of the 20th Anniversary International Environmental Forum "Baltic Sea Day" addressed:

• Andrey Burlakov, Assistant Plenipotentiary on Environmental Security, Office of the Presidential Plenipotentiary in the North-West Federal District,

• Vladimir Kirillov Vice - Governor of St. Petersburg

• Nuritdin Inamov, Director of the Department of International Cooperation, on behalf of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation Mr. Dmitry Kobylkin

• Igor Kapyrin, Deputy Director of the Department of Pan-European Cooperation on behalf of Foreign Minister Mr. Sergey Lavrov,

• Dmitry Kirillov, Head of the Federal Agency for Water Resources,

• Yurij Kostin, Director of the Department of State Policy in the Field of Maritime and River Transport, Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation

• Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment of Finland, the HELCOM Secretariat, the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, the Council of the Baltic Sea States and others

 In the framework of Plenary Session, the panel discussion was held on the development of the HELCOM nutrients recycling strategy, among participants of which were Contracting Countries (Finland), Chair of the HELCOM Pressure Working Group and Russian experts in the field of wastewater management and agriculture. At the end of the plenary session, an award ceremony was held from the HELCOM Secretariat, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of Russian Federation, and the Non-Governmental Environmental Fund n.a. V.A. Vernadsky for contribution to the development of international cooperation in the Baltic Sea region and input in fulfillment of obligations under the Helsinki Convention.

More than 700 participants took part in the Forum, among them about 100 foreign participants from all countries of the Baltic Sea region, as well as Norway, Switzerland, Belarus. Among the participants of the Forum were representatives of authorities, scientific institutions, non-governmental organizations and enterprises. As part of the round tables sessions on-line presentations were organized with Canadian, Estonian, Polish and Finnish colleagues.

Expert day was ended with the Concert of the Baltic Sea Philharmonic in the frame of the Anniversary Baltic Sea Day Forum at the beautiful throne room of the Catherine Palace with support of Nord Stream 2 AG as main sponsor of the concert. Guests of the Forum visited one of the most magnificent concert of the spring which goes beyond limits and conventions!

21 of March 2019 - Expert Day*

22 of March 2019 - Solemn Day - Plenary Session*

*please, indicate helcom.ru as sources of photoes

Programmes and presentations of the round tables and work seminars

Please, send your questions and proposals to contact persons of the BSD Forum Organising Committee: Ms. Natalia Bobyleva – bobyleva@helcom.ru, Ms. Svetlana Tochanskaya – svetlana@helcom.ru