PECH

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY

Submitted by: Melina Bekiai (CY), Alexia Demetriou (CY), Nikolas Hadjipaschalis (CY) Alexandra Ioannidou (CY), Daniella Kantor (CY), Irene Leonidou (CY), Charilaos Lourandos (CY), Joseph Nasr (Chairperson, CY)

A. Noting with deep concern that eutrophication 33 animal and plant mortality, leads to algal blooms 34 and marine

B. Conscious that 46% of Europe’s coastal waters are still being subject to intense eutrophication,

C. Noting with regret that the toxins 35 produced by harmful algal blooms, commercial fish and shellfish become unsuitable for consumption,

D. Alarmed by the fact that 96% of the surface area in the Baltic Sea is below ‘good’ status 36 , in regards to eutrophication, and has a dead zone of approximately 70,000 km 2 ,

E. Gravely concerned that in 2014, the countries with the highest Gross Nitrogen Balance 37 (GNB) per hectare in Europe were Cyprus, Malta, and the Netherlands with 194 kg N/ha, 147 kg N/ha, and 140 kg N/ha respectively,

33 Eutrophication refers to the increase of nitrogen, phosphorus and other plant nutrient concentrations in a still body of water. 34 Algal blooms are dense layers of green plants on the surface of lakes and other bodies of water due to eutrophication. 35 Toxins such as microcystins which is a neurotoxin which destroys nerve tissue of mammals. 36 Good Status according to the ‘Good’ Environmental Status(GES) is an adequate level of eutrophication according to the Descriptor 5 of the Marine Strategy Framework. 37 Gross Nitrogen Balance estimates the potential surplus of nitrogen on agricultural land.

F.

Anxious that if eutrophication worsens and commercial fisheries collapse, the fish 1.

processing industry would forfeit 4.5 billion euros, losing 50,000 jobs ,

G. Profoundly concerned that eutrophication affects coastal economic activities in the Baltic sea, resulting in a loss of 3.7- 4.3 billion euros annually,

H. Emphasising that small coastal fleets represent 82% of the total EU active vessels and are affected by eutrophication the most, as most of their fishing happens close to shore,

I. Referring to the 2019 protest in the Netherlands caused by the stringent limitations on fertilizer aimed to decrease nitrogen emissions,

J. Alarmed by the fact that 50% of nitrogen emissions come from agriculture as a result of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 38 subsidies,

K. Keeping in mind the European Commission’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive where Descriptor 5 39 is targeted at resolving human-induced eutrophication,

L. Appreciating organisations such as the Helsinki Committee (HELCOM) 40 and the European Environmental Agency (EEA) 41 that continuously monitor and research the issue and act as recommenders of action plans for Member States to review and

ultimately implement; Highly recommends Member States to utilise nutrient removal in water-treatment plants according to the Urban Waste Water Directive (UWWD) with methods such as the use of relevant bacteria and chemical precipitation in sewage cleaning to remove organic waste and phosphorus before it reaches natural bodies of water;

38 The CAP is a system of subsidies paid to EU farmers. Its main purposes are to guarantee minimum levels of production, so that Europeans have enough food to eat, and to ensure a fair standard of living for those dependent on agriculture. 39 Descriptor 5 of the Marine Strategy Framework is targeted at resolving human-induced eutrophication by aiming for all European waters to have a ‘Good’ Environmental Status(GES) in 2020. 40 HELCOM is an intergovernmental organization (IGO) and a regional sea convention in the Baltic Sea area. 41 The EEA is a European agency that provides objective information on the state of the environment.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Recommends that Member States reinforce the implementation of ‘Pollution Permits’ under the guidelines and supervision of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) regarding excess nitrogen oxide emissions that leach into bodies of water from fossil fuel

combustion in industry; Further recommends the European Commission to provide subsidies to Member States through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), to employ ecofriendly agricultural techniques such as a year round cover of cropland, and the use of slow

release and organic fertilisers; Suggests the Ministries of Agriculture with operational and technical assistance from the EMSA to: a. perform spot checks on farms and water treatment plants, b. impose scaled fines to any party that is found disposing of unclean water or

waste material into water bodies; Endorses the creation of an interdisciplinary, EU sub-committee under the EEA, called the Eutrophication Relief Committee (ERC), funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), responsible for: a. controlling the mechanical removal of algal blooms, b. providing financial aid, as well as educational and academic, opportunities for fishermen and workers from industries directly affected by eutrophication, c. ensuring that riparian vegetation is planted in the Riparian Zones to prevent

excess nutrients from reaching the waterline; Asks the newly created sub-committee to organise a triennial conference compulsory for representatives from all Member States with the aim of: a. presenting a report submitted by the EEA comprising of all updated statistics, b. monitoring progress and discussing sustainable goals for the future, c. allowing researchers to exchange knowledge and introduce new and innovative

ideas to tackle the issue; Encourages the EEA to compile research from all relevant experts as well as independent research into a report to be submitted every 3 years and presented at the mandatory ERC

Convention; Hopes that the compiled research is used to create a database to: a. quantify marine biodiversity decline,

b.

identify the causation of the drastic decrease in the frequency of marine organisms.