Baltic Sea City Accelerator magazine

THE BALTIC SEA CITY ACCELERATOR

Pilot Program me Edition 2017

K E E P I N G YO U U P -TO - DAT E O N E F F O R T S TO T R A N S F O R M A N D C L E A N U P T H E B A LT I C S E A

Accelerating action and creating a prosperous region

Meet Our Pioneers Kalmar Region, Mariehamn, Panevėžys, Słupsk, Vaxholm, Värmdö and Västervik

Stronger Together Partners bring new perspectives and boost innovation

I N T E RV I E W S WITH

Niklas Zennström & Barbara Jackson Entrepreneurs drive social and environmental impact

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IN T ERVI EW

MOVING TO A SEA OF OPPORTUNITY A

s the founder of a number of businesses operating and investing in the Baltic Sea region – and as an informed and concerned Baltic Sea citizen – I believe in the value of a positive outlook to achieve a clean, healthy Baltic Sea that ensures sustainable local development.

I grew up in Sweden and learned to swim, sail and fish in the Baltic Sea – which makes it hard to believe that now it actually is one of the most polluted seas in the world. However, I feel confident that together we can change this trajectory through partnership. For this reason, I founded Race For The Baltic, an organisation that connects business, science, government and civil society in joint action for a clean Baltic Sea. It is through Race For The Baltic that the Baltic Sea City Accelerator programme was established in 2015. I am extremely proud of the work being done by all the participants in this programme, especially the pioneer cities involved in this pilot. For the past eighteen months, they have joined forces and tapped into international expertise to create strategic plans for investment in local water challenges.

Our vision is to create an innovation platform where municipalities, solution providers and science can meet with the mission to identify, incubate, share

STATE OF THE BALTIC SEA In the Baltic Sea, eutrophication is one of the main environmental problems – 90% of the coastal areas are affected.

Freshwater runoff from surrounding land areas creates sea basins with a salinity much lower than that of ocean water.

Long residence time (30-50 years) of the water in the Baltic Sea makes it susceptible to pollution.

The area of the hypoxic zone in the Baltic Proper sea basin has grown to one and a half times the size of Denmark.

and scale solutions that will clean up the Baltic Sea. Through a series of workshops, meetings, webinars, and peer-to-peer networking, the programme has helped the participating communities outline areas for improvement, raise public awareness, define and implement innovative solutions and spread knowledge across the region about successful measures. It is through strategic partnerships across the Baltic Sea region and across sectors that we can pool resources and knowledge – and move from a ‘sea of problems’ to a ‘sea of opportunity’.

The Baltic Sea City Accelerator is built around the conviction that municipalities are key instruments of change. We can already see how effective and critical leadership on the municipal level is to driving solutions and initiatives forward. The engagement of these pioneers inspires and fuels our vision to have 100 municipalities engaged in the Baltic Sea City Accelerator by 2020.

I am very proud of our pioneers and grateful to all our partners in this endeavour. It is my sincere hope that more and more municipalities will join us in collaborating across borders to put the Baltic Sea region firmly on the map as a leading example of innovative water management.

Congratulations on your success this far – together, let’s keep up the momentum!

Niklas Zennström Co-Founder Zennström Philanthropies Co-Founder Skype, CEO and Founding Partner Atomico

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“Our vision is to create an innovation platform where municipalities, solution providers and science can meet with the mission to identify, incubate, share and scale solutions that will clean up the Baltic Sea.” Niklas Zennström

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IN T ERVI EW

Barbara Jackson, CEO of Race For The Baltic, guides us through the Baltic Sea City Accelerator

A YEAR OF PROGRESS AND MANY MORE TO COME

W

here did the idea for the Baltic Sea City Accelerator stem from?

During a fact-finding and awareness-raising bicycle race around the Baltic in 2013, we learned that while local governments often want to do their best to improve the Baltic Sea, they lack the necessary resources. Yet we saw that once they understand the potential benefits from making the investments required, they want to act immediately.

After working closely with The Boston Consulting Group to understand these benefits

JOBS AND ECONOMIC POTENTIAL For an average municipality, the difference between two scenarios, clear waters and shipwrecked state, could amount to almost 3,000 full-time jobs and €270 million in economic output aggregated over the course of 15 years.

For the entire region, this would imply a difference of 900,000 jobs in 2030 alone, corresponding to approximately 2% of the region’s total labor supply.

Boston Consulting Group Report: Restoring Waters in the Baltic Sea Region (2015).

more clearly, we then designed the Baltic Sea City Accelerator.

The pilot edition of this programme was launched in 2015 and has brought together local governments, businesses, and members of the science community to identify and implement measures that will restore local waters in the Baltic Sea, and capture local economic and social benefits.

Tell us more about the Baltic Sea City Accelerator – why is it unique?

In addition to introducing a corporate strategy and change management lens to tackling environmental issues, our programme focuses on municipalities and fosters an exciting new way of collaboration among various stakeholders in the Baltic region.

Further, we encourage the municipalities to envision the “clear waters” scenario they want to experience and then we work our way back to see what needs to be done now to achieve this scenario in the near future. Often, there are complex challenges that need to be overcome, and here we see the benefits of breaking down barriers and bringing together unlikely actors. And when we bring government officials together with the tech and business communities, it is amazing to see the solutions they come up with. In short, we seek to change the mindset of key actors involved in Baltic Sea issues!

Were you ever concerned about launching this programme?

I’m happy to say that once we launched the first “Idea Lab” in December 2015, any concerns I might have had were quickly laid to rest. Over 80 “pioneers” from cities, companies, universities, financial institutions, and other NGOs attended. I was completely blown away by their enthusiasm and willingness to invest in the potential of a cleaner, more prosperous Baltic Sea. What is the goal of the Baltic Sea City Accelerator?

We want to change the mindset of key stakeholders and provide them with the tools to make an impact in their community. Actions to improve the environment should not be seen as costs, but as necessary and profitable investments for the future.

We want to create a marketplace for blue-green solutions and showcase examples of how innovation at the local level has contributed to improving the state of the Baltic Sea, as well as how investing in water quality can lead to sustainable economic development and improved citizen well-being.

In the long-term, we want to establish a cross-national, multi-stakeholder coalition with a data-driven and resultsoriented common vision.

Who is part of the programme now?

The pioneers in the “pilot” cohort are Kalmar Region,

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Vaxholm, Västervik and Värmdö from Sweden, Mariehamn from Finland, Panevėžys from Lithuania, and Słupsk from Poland. These pioneers, together with our 20 partners, are committed to working on innovative solutions to clean up the Baltic Sea. How do you see this programme making an impact?

We are pleased with the initial results of the Baltic Sea City Accelerator pilot programme, but in order to make the real transformation, everyone needs to be on board and address the issues at the scale of the entire system. That means all of the 1,500 municipalities around the Baltic Sea need to be at the table with us and the innovation community.

Together, we can make a real difference!

So during the next year what will you be focusing on?

Refining the programme using experience gained from the pilot and then scaling up. Our vision is to have 100 cities onboard and involved with the programme by 2020!

What would you like to say to all the pioneers that are part of the programme now?

I would like to thank everyone who already has been a part of this journey and express a very warm welcome to everyone who is just joining us. Together, we can restore waters in the Baltic Sea region, ensuring prosperity both today and for generations to come.

How is the Baltic Sea City Accelerator supporting cities’ work on the UN Sustainable Development Goals?

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted in September 2015, just as the Baltic Sea City Accelerator pilot programme was launched. However, in just a few months, the SDGs were already rising to the top of the pioneers’ agenda as they provide a helpful framework, especially for local governments, to work on sustainability.

In the Baltic Sea City Accelerator programme, our work with the cities and solution providers focuses primarily on Goals 6, 14 and 17. It is imperative that we understand the relationship between land and sea, and also the importance of collaboration. These goals offer targets in those areas.

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ST EP S

ACCELERATOR STEPS

A C C E L E R A T I N G A C T I O N T O C L E A N U P T H E B A LT I C S E A A N D B U I L D

The Baltic Sea City Accelerator is an innovation journey and network platform for municipalities.

We’re working together to transform our cities into sustainable communities and prepare for the future. The pilot programme was divided into seven phases over an 18-month period.

DECEMB ER 2015

MAR CH 2016

AP R IL 2016

IDEA LAB

CITY INTERVIEWS

INNOVATION LAB

On December 9th and 10th, 2015, 80 participants, including 19 Baltic Sea region municipality representatives from Sweden, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, and Finland, gathered in Stockholm for the Baltic Sea City Accelerator’s first Idea Lab, laying the foundation for the 18-month pilot programme. The group also included solution providers, academia, research institutions, government agencies, and funders from both the Baltic Sea countries and abroad.

Over the course of one and a half days, participants engaged in facilitated discussions that focused on identifying local economic and social benefits that could be gained through addressing Baltic Sea environmental challenges.

To kick-off the programme in March 2016, the selected pioneers, Kalmar Region, Mariehamn, Panevėžys, Słupsk, Vaxholm, Värmdö and Västervik, were interviewed to help identify their starting point. These interviews were conducted by the experienced partner group working with the Baltic Sea City Accelerator and led by The Boston Consulting Group.

On April 19th and 20th, 2016, the pioneer cities joined 40 representatives from the Race For The Baltic innovation community in Stockholm. The overall objective of the Innovation Lab was to refine, identify, and innovate around the actions needed in each city to secure the local economic and social benefits of managing Baltic Sea environmental challenges.

Over the course of two days, participants engaged in facilitated discussions that focused on deepening participants’ commitments and strategies according to the accelerator process. The Lab consisted of supporting cities in vision setting, nutrient source mapping, identifying strategic objectives, and identifying relevant measures and initiatives needed to achieve nutrient reduction targets.

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PROSPEROUS LOCAL COMMUNITIES. HERE ARE THE STEPS WE TOOK IN THE PROGRAMME.

OC TOBE R 2 0 1 6

N OV EMB ER 2016

FEBR UARY 2017

JU NE 2017

PEER-TO-PEER WORKSHOP

INNOVATION LAB 2

PEER-TO-PEER WORKSHOP 2

FINAL EVENT

The goal of the peer-to-peer workshop was to identify a common template for a Baltic Sea Action Plan that cities could use as a guidebook to do their share of the overarching HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. For some, the action plans were already well underway. For others, the workshop was an important first step.

During the workshop, cities drafted their visions, missions, and objectives which would be used in their local Baltic Sea Action Plans and serve as the groundwork for becoming transformative leaders in the Baltic Sea region.

The second Innovation Lab was a two-day event held in parallel with the EUSBSR Annual Forum. The overall objective of the Lab was to continue to identify, refine, and innovate around specific actions and projects needed in each city to clean up local waters and capture local economic and social benefits.

By discussing specific challenges and sharing knowledge, cities and partners learned from one another and identified potential opportunities moving forward.

On February 8th, 2017, a peer-to-peer workshop was held to coach cities as they developed their Blue Strategy, which showcases the potential business case for investing in clean water in their community.

A celebration of accomplishments for the first cohort of cities who participated in the Baltic Sea City Accelerator. These cities are indeed pioneers – they have developed local Baltic Sea Action Plans and are committed to implementing sustainable and innovative solutions for local water management in their communities.

As part of the ceremony, mayors and officials representing cities and municipalities from Finland, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden shared their "blue journey" and the visions, strategies, initiatives, and commitments of their cities.

Themes discussed between municipalities included: Cost-effective solutions for Individual Sewers Sludge to Resource Data and Cross-Regional City Cooperation How to Finance Initiatives

The Baltic Sea Challenge

As part of the Baltic Sea City Accelerator, the next step for our pioneer cities, is to become members of this great network to continue their work.

Balticseachallenge.net

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OU TC O M ES

Imagine impact w the 100 cities hen engaged are Baltic Seain the AcceleratoCity r!

PILOT PROGRAMME SUCCESS POINTS

All pilot municipalities aim to achieve their share of the HELCOM nutrient reduction targets.

Efforts by five of the pilot municipalities will reduce 12 tonnes of phosphorous and 284 tonnes of nitrogen annually by no later than 2025.

Over 150 initiatives identified in local Baltic Sea Action Plans.

Over €750 million in tourist revenues generated in the seven pilot municipalities, which are all dependent on a healthy environment, that the municipalities are commited to protecting.

Four of the pilot municipalities have identified a total of €15,7 million of clean water investments.

One municipality is planning to build a state-of-the-art €100 million wastewater treatment facility.

Each municipality developed a mission and vision statement for restoring local waters and capturing economic and social benefits.

Municipalities developed strategic objectives and action plans that have gained political approval.

Created an amazing coalition of partners and collaborating in pilot projects backed by over €5 million in financing.

VAXHOLM

Pilot programme 2016-2017 ¬ Four countries represented ¬ 400,000 Baltic Sea Citizens ¬ 18-month innovation journey

MARIEHAMN VÄRMDÖ VÄSTERVIK PANEVĖŽYS KALMAR REGION

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TRANSFORMING CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES

Nutrient pollution is one of the greatest threats to the health of the Baltic Sea, its coastal areas and inland waters. Excess nutrient runoff negatively affects the region’s water quality and biodiversity, and also threatens local industries such as tourism. Polluted waters affect human health and welfare through poor quality of

AGRICULTURE

¬ Conversion of sludge into biofertilizer for

agriculture/farming

¬ Winter crops, catch crops, grass cultivation

on arable land

¬ Liming to improve soil structure ¬ Mapping impact of horse/livestock

operations on local waters ¬ Nutrient management and precision mapping of agricultural land ¬ Installing nutrient recycling pumps ¬ Harvesting of reeds to remove nutrients ¬ Increasing nutrient retention via buffer zones, two-step ditches, and dams

STORMWATER

drinking water, bathing water and toxic algae blooms.

The pioneer cities and municipalities see the economic benefits of strategically addressing nutrient pollution. Below are some of the initiatives that they have identified to turn these challenges into opportunities.

CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT

¬ Improving ocean literacy through

development of visualization tools and public science centres ¬ Providing information to landowners about maintenance of beaches and surrounding areas ¬ Interactive games and resources for pedagogical use ¬ Using citizen science to improve engagement of local citizens ¬ Organising water roundtables for actionoriented solutions ¬ Developing collaborative partnerships with local NGOs working on water protection

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS

RESTORATION

¬ Environmental fishing of sticklebacks

and creating spawning grounds for pike

¬ Large scale mussel farming to improve

water quality and recycle nutrients

¬ Developing and implementing river

clean up and revitalization programmes

¬ Planting trees and using permeable

pavement in urban environment

¬ Sediment removal to eliminate

contamination

¬ Wetland construction and restoration

WASTEWATER

¬ Construction of sustainable stormwater

¬ Cooperation with municipalities with shared

¬ Inspection and upgrading of small

¬ Catchment area for stormwater to decrease

¬ Cost-effective solutions for individual sewers ¬ Innovation and piloting new wastewater

¬ Improved access and function of boat

systems and green infrastructure projects amount of pollution entering the sea

¬ Research into further solutions for

stormwater management

¬ Stormwater purification to improve

water quality

waterways and water

treatment ¬ Multilevel investments in eco-technologies ¬ Production of biogas from substrates from the sea ¬ Regional and local dialogue for reduced leakage from local agriculture ¬ Recirculation of water through fish farms

scale sewage systems

latrine pumping stations

¬ Improved wastewater treatment for

nutrient capture via biofilters

¬ Work for the best solution to expand

sewage treatment capacity

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KALMAR REGION, SWEDEN: WATER, FOOD PRODUCTION, AND THE BALTIC SEA

K Bregenz

Toulouse Montpellier

FACTS

Population: 67,000 Relation to Baltic Sea: 47 km of coastline Main industries: Tourism and food production Marseille

Ajaccio

A Mini Baltic Sea almar Region lies on the eastern coastline of Sweden on Kalmar Sound. With its narrow inlet and being surrounded by fertile agricultural lands, Kalmar Sound is a micro version of the Baltic Sea. An attractive coastline and a number of water-related recreational activities provide a strong platform for growing Kalmar’s tourism industry.

In 2014, tourism in Kalmar generated SEK 3.9 billion, a figure the region hopes to double by 2020. As one of Sweden’s leading regions for poultry farming and egg production, there is additional potential for economic growth.

44% of the 3,188 farms in Kalmar County have livestock, while 17% (193,602 hectares) of all land mass is used for food production, a figure that

is considerably higher than the national average of 7%.

Kalmar’s food industry has an annual turnover of SEK 14 billion, and job growth in these two industries is expected to be 20% by 2020.

To achieve the twin objectives of tourist sector growth that relies on clean water and agricultural enterprise growth that generates significant amounts of nutrients in the form of manure, is a challenge many Baltic Sea communities face.

Vision for 2021 As part of the Baltic Sea City Accelerator programme, Kalmar has developed a local Baltic Sea Action Plan, complete with strategic objectives and actions, to work for a cleaner Kalmar Sound and Baltic Sea whilst simultaneously pursuing growth in its tourism and food producing

KALMAR’S BLUE STRATEGY Our blue strategy shows what Kalmar Region needs to do to reach HELCOM and good water status, and many of these actions are linked to the food producing industry. You cannot solve the Baltic Sea without solving the nutrient loop!

With an increase in demand for food, it is paramount to get water and nutrients to stay on land. This and how to get phosphorous back from the sea are the strategy’s main focus.

industries. As of 2017, Kalmar has already reduced phosphorous by 0.6 tonnes per year and nitrogen by 42 tonnes per year.

By 2021, Kalmar Municipality, together with the other municipalities in the Kalmar Sound Commission, aim to collectively fulfill their part of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan.

For Kalmar Municipality, this means reducing their annual load of nutrients by 72.1 tonnes of nitrogen per year and 6.7 tonnes of phosphorous per year by 2021. According to the national Water Framework Directive, Kalmar Municipality also plans to achieve good status on all water bodies.

Kalmar plans to meet their reduction targets by undertaking, among other things, the following actions: Building Sweden’s most advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant and creating an arena for the development of modern cleaning and recycling of water and nutrients.

Supporting innovation that improves the re-use of nutrients in food production.

Involving the private sector in developing a business case for re-circulating nutrients from sea-to-land, such as using mussel farming as a source of fodder for the poultry industry.

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PHOTO: JAN MAGNUSSON

Y S CIT LIGHT H HIG

Commitment to Farmers and Landowners Kalmar is dedicated to finding sustainable solutions to support its agriculture and food producing industries, which comprise nearly 3,200 farms. From 2017-2021, Kalmar pledges to work on these areas: Ownership of land and maintenance Kalmar Municipality will investigate new ways to support landowners.

This could be through maintenance contracts or the municipality buying land.

Start a green and blue platform where academic research and the private and public sector get involved in food production and water issues.

By all appearances, one would think that addressing the issues of increasing food production, reducing environmental impact and handling water shortages would be incompatible with each other. On the contrary, I say.

Johan Persson, Chairman of the Executive Board, Kalmar Municipality

Involve the private sector To fuel innovation and to take actions to the next level, the private sector needs to be more involved. For Kalmar Municipality, this means a more proactive business department.

National changes In order to save the Baltic Sea, national regulations need to encourage actions that benefit the Baltic Sea. Kalmar Municipality will raise these issues and seek to collaborate or partner with regional, national, and international agencies to effect change.

Long term solutions Kalmar Municipality will secure long-term resources in the form of financing and personnel earmarked for Baltic Sea projects.

What has been the best experience of being part of the Baltic Sea City Accelerator pilot programme?

“This has forced us to do our homework. For example, to find out what our main sources of nitrogen and phosphorous are, calculate what exactly our part of HELCOM means, and what we need to do to reach that goal. It has also revealed other ways to look at the Baltic: that there is bigger business potential in the Baltic than we previously thought.

And to do this as a group, pushing and pulling each other, has been very helpful.”

Karin Löfström, Strategist Ecological Sustainability, Kalmar Municipality

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SŁUPSK, POLAND: BRIDGING THE BALTIC SEA WITH WATER DEMOCRACY

L

Toulouse Montpellier

FACTS

Population: 90,000 Relation to Baltic Sea: 20 km from the Baltic Sea Main industries: Tourism Bregenz

Marseille

Ajaccio

ocated in northwestern Poland, the city of Słupsk is about 20 km from the Baltic Sea and draws tourists on their way to and from the coastline. Słupsk is rich in natural water bodies; the river Słupia runs through the city and there are more than twenty ponds, mostly former meanders of the Słupia, within city limits. By engaging with its citizens to focus on sustainability and improving water quality, Słupsk aims to raise the overall well-being of the local population, create new jobs, and strengthen its profile as a “green city of the new generation”, a model for the region and an attractive destination for citizens, businesses and tourists.

Water Democracy is Core To work toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals and contribute to a healthy Baltic Sea, Słupsk has recognised that its citizens must be at the heart of their city’s actions and projects.

SŁUPSK’S BLUE STRATEGY Through participatory decisionmaking and water democracy, the citizens of Słupsk play an active role in developing their local water community and implementing their Blue Strategy.

Dariusz Szwed, advisor to Słupsk Mayor Robert Biedrón.

Through participatory decision-making, the citizens of Słupsk play an active role in developing their local water community and implementing their Blue Strategy, which Słupsk developed during their work within the Baltic Sea City Accelerator. The strategy is founded on the concept of “water democracy” and has been incorporated in the city’s newly adopted City Development Strategy 2017-2022.

By initiating and promoting different ways of engaging citizens in water action and decision making, Słupsk

aims to re-build citizens’ relationship to water – and by extension the Baltic Sea. Dariusz Szwed, advisor to Słupsk Mayor Robert Biedrón, has been the city’s representative in the Baltic Sea City Accelerator programme.

Dariusz connects water democracy to the building of a Baltic Sea citizenship.

“We can’t deal with environmental problems if we allow borders between our countries and our cities to keep us from cooperating. It is very important to create the sense of a Baltic society among cities and municipalities situated around the Baltic Sea. This will not only give us a common understanding of the Baltic Sea, but it will also inspire us to use the sea as a bridge, a bond to reconnect our citizens and our societies.”

In addition to encouraging participation in decision-making, Słupsk is developing a guidebook for water democracy with best practices and tools for communities all around Poland to increase “water participation” among its citizens.

Historical Water Roundtables Water is at the top of Słupsk’s political agenda, and at the city’s initiative, their water roundtables are the first to be carried out in Poland.

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Y S CIT LIGHT H HIG

Looking to Sweden as a model, the first roundtable, held in spring 2017 in Słupsk, brought together the Słupsk Water Company, the Mayor of Słupsk, and the Mayor’s advisors responsible for sustainable development and external relations. Some 30+ stakeholders from local water companies, nature protection institutions, town departments for environmental protection, regional water authorities, regional inspectors for environmental protection, and NGOs participated in this interdisciplinary water dialogue.

The topics discussed ranged from boosting civic engagement to capturing economic opportunities:

VAXHOLM, SWEDEN: TOURISM, BOATERS AND THE BALTIC SEA

L

Toulouse Montpellier

Marseille

Ajaccio

Providing high water quality versus price of service State of local streams in terms of re-naturalisation, wildlife corridors, reintroduction of salmon Revitalization of Słupia River Bathing lakes in cities Cooperation between various institutions and citizens The next water roundtable is planned for late 2017 to discuss stormwater management, renewable energy, and energy plants.

Everything starts around the water roundtables. People meet and discuss how to work together up the stream or down the stream, whichever way we go.

Dariusz Szwed, advisor to Słupsk Mayor Robert Biedrón.

FACTS

Population: 11,500 Relation to Baltic Sea: Consists of 70 islands and 214 km of coastline Main industries: Tourism Bregenz

The Capital of the Archipelago ocated in the inner Stockholm archipelago, Vaxholm is also referred to as the “Capital of the Archipelago.”

The municipality has a smaller population compared to neighboring or similar coastal municipalities in Sweden, with approximately 50% of the land area composed of a national reserve, Bogesundslandet, where outdoor recreational activities are possible throughout the year.

The extensive coastline and proximity to water makes Vaxholm an attractive municipality to live in and visit. Vaxholm aims to preserve, and in some cases restore, its beaches, wetlands, and natural environment, not only for ecological reasons but also because of the many recreational and outdoor activities which provide valuable economic stimuli for the municipality.

The Municipality of Vaxholm is faced with the challenges of expansion – as the region around Stockholm is rapidly growing – while also preserving the environment and cultural attractions of a historic island community. Given its location, Vaxholm also acts as both a gateway and a destination for a growing number of residents and tourists from Stockholm keen to enjoy the archipelago. This has led to an increase in private boats and public ferry traffic, which also impacts the archipelago environment and the Baltic Sea’s ecosystem, particularly during the summer months.

Vaxholm Dives into its Blue Plan Thanks to the Baltic Sea City Accelerator!

Vaxholm has for a long time recognised the importance of clean waters in and around the municipality and cooperates with neighboring municipalities on environmental protection efforts. As a pioneering participant in the Baltic Sea THE BALTIC SEA CITY ACCELERATOR | 13

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Investing in wetland restoration to capture nutrients and recreational value

Eriksömaren is a wetland restoration project on the main island of Vaxholm.

The wetland will function as a nutrient trap and stormwater filter, limiting water pollution that currently runs directly into an inland bay of the Baltic Sea. Today, Eriksömaren has a small “water mirror” which will be restored to create an area that not only serves to improve water quality, but also to increase cultural and aesthetic value. Further, it is located alongside a road and popular walking path to boating, camping and beach destinations and the efforts and results of this restoration project will be communicated to all who pass by.

The restoration is scheduled to be completed in 2018 using funding the municipality has received from LOVA and LONA (federal contributions from the Swedish government).

City Accelerator programme, Vaxholm has refined its strategies and action plans to work for a cleaner Baltic Sea. Through the programme, Vaxholm has researched more extensively into certain aspects of its blue plan in order to develop a local Baltic Sea Action Plan that focuses on the status of nutrient loads in their municipality, while identifying initiatives it can undertake. In order to reach good ecological status, Vaxholm must reduce their phosphorous output by 1.2 tonnes per year and their nitrogen by 49.8 tonnes per year.

The plan focuses on: Improved solution for wastewater treatment Sustainable solutions for individual sewers Restoration of wetlands, including water treatment Location and requirements for boat pumping stations

“It’s important to make people understand that they can make a difference.

Many environmental projects are successful thanks to engaged individuals.”

Mia Sklenar, former Municipal Ecologist.

VAXHOLM’S BLUE VISION The vision driving this plan is one of Vaxholm as a community where the full benefits of water, its qualities, and the surrounding habitat are realised. The plan supports their goal of sustainable growth as the population increases, while also supporting a continuously growing tourism industry.

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An Inland City Helping the Baltic Sea anevėžys is the fifth largest city in Lithuania and is 240 km from the Baltic Sea. The city is situated in northern Lithuania and has good connections to other Baltic capitals Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki.

Panevėžys, which means the ‘the city on the river Nevėžis’, lies on the banks of the river Nevėžis, the sixth longest river in Lithuania. The river stretches 17 km through the city and feeds into the Baltic Sea. Panevėžys is considered to be a clean, green city, and it is working towards combining “blue” water initiatives with green strategies.

“Strong involvement of local community and the business sector leads to sustainable water management and a cleaner Baltic Sea, which has been the most precious thing for Baltic people for centuries” states Dalia Gurskienė, Chief of Communications, City of Panevėžys.

Good water quality, especially that of the River Nevėžis is critical as the river bisects the city and a number of hotels and tourist attractions are located on the river’s banks, and popular events take place there as well.

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO

P Bregenz

Toulouse Montpellier

FACTS

Population: 100,000 Relation to Baltic Sea: 240 km from the coast Main industries: Mechanical engineering, food and beverage production, and manufacturing of electrical equipment

Marseille

Ajaccio

Business Opportunities with Clean Water The importance of a clean river and eco-system is invaluable to Panevėžys. Tourism and foreign investors, as well as local investors, are key groups in the municipality that are impacted by the quality of the water.

Foreign companies with operations in Panevėžys had a turnover of approximately €812 million in 2015. If the quality of the river were to decrease and/or the municipality was not seen as working on

Y S CIT LIGHT H HIG

PANEVĖŽYS, LITHUANIA: FROM RIVER TO SEA

Dalia Gurskienė, Chief of Communications, City of Panevėžys.

PANEVĖŽYS’ BLUE MISSION Panevėžys places a healthy environment and water at the centre of their sustainable urban development strategy. “sustainability” it is possible that the foreign companies would seek to establish themselves in other cities and reduce their investment, thus leading to a potential decline of investment by 10%. Such a scenario could also put the opportunity for job growth at risk. This is a critical issue for Panevėžys due to a combination of an ageing population and young people moving away for better opportunities.

Tourism could be one of the future key growth sectors for Panevėžys, generating an income of €15 million in 2015.

Moving Forward Towards 2025 By 2025, Panevėžys will focus on a healthy environment and a water-centric, sustainable urban development strategy.

To achieve this mission, Panevėžys is focusing on the key areas of stormwater, wastewater, and restoration of the main river.

These activities include: Stormwater: renovation and repair of 3,5 km of old stormwater networks and 14 km of stormwater networks developed by 2017-2019. This is a €4.1 million project to be carried out by the Joint Stock company Panevėžio gatvės with funding from the EU. Wastewater: Drinking water supply, wastewater management infrastructure, and sewage and water supply networks reconstruction in Panevėžys by 2017-2020. From this investment the amount of nutrients leaking into the River Nevėžis will decrease (total nitrogen 3.3 tonnes per year, total phosphorous 0.9 tonnes per year).

Cleaning of the Nevėžis River and developing recreational zones on and near river banks by 2019-2021.

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VÄSTERVIK, SWEDEN: SMALL STEPS FOR GREATER IMPACT Creating big impact through multiple small scale projects ästervik, with its large archipelago and extensive coastline, enjoys a close relationship with the Baltic Sea. As early as the 1980s, Västervik experienced extensive algae blooms and knew something had to be done. Since the 1990s, a number of projects have been implemented to improve conditions.

The municipality welcomes around 1.5 million tourist visitors annually, many of whom come for the region’s excellent camping and

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Toulouse Montpellier

FACTS

Population: 36,438 Relation to Baltic Sea: 498 km of coastline Main industries: Tourism, Agriculture, Healthcare Services

Marseille

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Naturum and the Trout Route increases Ocean Literacy

Naturum Västervik has developed an interactive game, Trout Route, together with the game studio Hello There, based in Gothenburg, Sweden. The game allows players to follow a school of sea trout upstream and encounter the obstacles they confront. The main mission of the game is to ensure that as many fish as possible survive in order to advance upstream. The game will be translated into other languages, and will be a valuable tool in raising awareness in a fun and educational way, while also increasing Ocean Literacy, an initiative under UN SDG 14.

fishing opportunities. Because Västervik is seeking to nearly double tourist revenue to SEK 900 million by 2020, the municipality is continuously working on a variety of projects to improve water quality in its inland bays and along its coastline.

Gamlebyviken – a long-term effort in short-term phases One major effort in Västervik focuses on Gamlebyviken’s catchment area, with a number of smaller activities undertaken to improve overall water quality in the area.

Phase 1 – Raising Awareness (1999-2004) The first part of the project focused on intense studies, inventories, and efforts to raise awareness. This also included improving small sewers with circulation of nutrients and improved sewage treatment plants.

Overall, it is estimated that these measures reduced 59% of the nitrogen and 53% of the phosphorous load on the local Baltic Sea area, when compared to the mid 1980s.

Phase 2 – Reduced Nutrient Leakage (2010-2013) The project’s second phase highlighted additional initiatives and proposals to reduce nutrient leakage.

These measures and actions resulted in a greater impact by further reducing the nutrient

levels of nitrogen and phosphorous and included, among others: Construction of wetlands in farmland areas, phosphorous dams, two-stage ditches, structure liming Fishing and biotope conservation measures Mussel farming Increased knowledge and information about the Baltic Sea Phase 3 – Nutrient Surplus as a Resource (2014-2017) The third stage of the project focused on how to use the nutrient surplus as a resource, as well as methods to scale up and share these methods with partners and actors within the region. Initial efforts have been completed and implemented, together with local landowners and farmers.

VÄSTERVIK’S BLUE VISION Phase 4 – Local Baltic Sea Action Plan (2017-2021) As part of its work on a Local Baltic Sea Action Plan, Västervik has identified nearly 20 actions to be undertaken. These actions aim to reduce the annual nutrient load from 2016 levels by 92 tonnes of nitrogen and 1.6 tonnes of phosphorous, and recycle 450kg of nitrogen and 50kg of phosphorous per year from the scale-up of a nutrient recycling pump in Dynestad bay.

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Y S CIT LIGHT H HIG

Hard work pays off: Västervik wins national “Sea Star” award in 2017 Eutrophication from agriculture in the Baltic Sea is a major environmental problem.

Västervik has demonstrated successful methods for reducing nutrient leakage while benefiting local farmers.

A combination of farmlevel analysis and innovative thinking has made it possible to implement measures such as two-stage ditches, structural liming, lime filter ditches, phosphorous dams, and wetlands in the Gamlebyviken and Loftaån catchment areas. The basic idea is that measures should improve water quality without reducing production for the individual farmer.

It is because of this great curiosity and commitment to better water that Västervik sees results not only in its work, but also that the local farmers are on board. This collaboration and cooperation is one of the key reasons Västervik won the national “Sea Star” award which is presented annually by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, The Federation of Swedish Farmers and The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions.

Västervik’s projects are showing good progress, and inspiring new ideas and other municipalities around the Baltic Sea.

VÄRMDÖ, SWEDEN: SUSTAINABILITY AS A MISSION

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Toulouse Montpellier

FACTS

Population: 43,000 (low season) Relation to Baltic Sea: Direct outlet to the Baltic Sea Main industries: Tourism, boating, sport fishing, building sector Marseille

Ajaccio

he municipality of Värmdö comprises more than 10,000 small islands with 3,000 km of coastline in the Stockholm archipelago. The proximity to Stockholm and an extensive ferry network makes this a much sought-after area for vacation homes, while several of the larger islands are part of the rapidly expanding suburban area of metropolitan Stockholm.

With a growing local community, an increasing number of summer residents and tourists, and an ambition to encourage small business development, Värmdö is investing in sustainable growth and is keen to take a leadership role to ensure the health of the Baltic Sea. Growth in tourists, permanent residents and SME’s Drawn by the beauty and numerous recreational opportunities in the archipelago, Värmdö’s population more than doubles during the summer months and tourist revenues, which are up 6% in 2016 to nearly SEK 1.5 billion, are growing. Seasonal residences are being winterized for year-round or permanent use to take advantage of the beautiful surroundings, and the general growth of metropolitan Stockholm is driving a local building boom. These developments have also led to growth in the number of SME’s (small and medium-sized enterprises) primarily in the building and tourism sectors and the creation of local jobs.

“We have a political commitment to actively work for a healthy Baltic Sea. We want sustainable growth around the Baltic Sea. We’ve realised that the best way to achieve results is through cooperation and by making people aware of the socioeconomic benefits from tackling environmental challenges.”

Deshira Flankör, Chairman of the Executive Board, Värmdö Municipality

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MARIEHAMN, ÅLAND: TOURISM, LOCAL INITIATIVES AND THE BALTIC SEA

VÄRMDÖ’S BLUE VISION Värmdö has sustainability as their mission. They envision Värmdö at the heart of the Swedish archipelago and a natural place to enjoy the sea. To achieve a sustainable ecosystem and environment, Värmdö is committed to implementing innovative approaches.

Local Responsibility for the Baltic Sea Värmdö has a number of initiatives to meet national and HELCOM nutrient reduction targets. Like many of the island-rich communities on the east coast of Sweden, one of Värmdö’s primary aims is to complete the inspection of all small-scale, private sewers in the municipality.

Not only does the municipality want to ensure that all are brought into compliance, it is also encouraging the development of entrepreneurial solutions that will provide ongoing inspection and maintenance services that guarantee long-term impact.

Approximately 8,000 of 15,000 sewers in the municipality have already been inspected and only 20% of these sewers are compliant with environmental regulations, illustrating the potential for making improvements, but also for entrepreneurial enterprises to build businesses that encompass helping homeowners to manage their wastewater responsibly and secure the long term value of their property.

Värmdö intends to reduce their phosphorous load by 4.6 tonnes per year and their nitrogen load by 172 tonnes per year from the 15,000 sewers in the municipality.

Among the initiatives Värmdö is pursuing to reduce its nutrient load during 2017-2021: Coordinating with neighboring municipalities who share water sources.

Reusing of nutrients from private sewers for local agriculture, Värmdö intends to reduce their phosphorous load by 0.2 tonnes per year.

Planning and Environment departments following up on private sewers that do not meet regulatory standards 18 months after the initial inspection.

Surveying how local horse stables and businesses affect the quality of water.

Improving services and availability regarding latrine tanks for private boats.

M Bregenz

Toulouse Montpellier

FACTS

Population: 11,500 (total Åland 29,000) Relation to Baltic Sea: 15 km of coastline, situated between two harbours Main industries: Service sectors related to maritime and tourism industries Marseille

Ajaccio

Growing as a “Big Small Town” ariehamn is the capital of the Åland Islands, an archipelago at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea belonging to Finland. The city is located on the main island of Åland, which makes up 70% of the region’s total land area, and is home to 90% of the island’s growing population.

Situated midway between Stockholm and southern Finland, Mariehamn is a regular stopping point on ferry routes (ca 5,500 dockings per year). Approximately two million visitors pass through this port city annually, either on business or as tourists seeking to enjoy Åland’s numerous recreational activities, which range from boating, swimming and angling to cycling, hiking and golf.

Mariehamn faces a number of challenges as both its local population and number of seasonal residents and visitors continues to grow. These include an increased impact on the environment, particularly local waters, and the city’s infrastructure, harbour, and community services in general. These are difficult challenges for any city, but it is especially acute for a city of this size, that also has the ambition to maintain a small island town atmosphere on the Baltic Sea.

MARIEHAMN’S BLUE STRATEGY We seek to jointly develop an overarching plan for Åland that addresses land use, water, wastewater treatment, sewage, tourism, stormwater and urban development in a comprehensive manner.

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Y S CIT LIGHT H HIG

Meet the Mayor of Mariehamn Barbara Heinonen has been the Mayor of Mariehamn since 2015 and she has five years remaining on her current term. As a city mayor, she understands the challenges of balancing competing public and private sector interests, but she is also keenly aware that there are economic benefits to be gained from clean sea waters around Mariehamn. She also has a personal interest in the state of the Baltic having lived near the sea since childhood and from competing in open water swimming competitions and triathlons today.

What is Mariehamn’s relation to the Baltic Sea? Mariehamn has a history of surviving by living in symbiosis with nature. It has a very important relation to the Baltic Sea, one that we must understand and cherish.

Furthermore, Mariehamn has

to have a prosperous future.

We have to invest in being a community that thrives, offers attractive employment opportunities, and uses our resources as wisely as possible.

What is Mariehamn planning to invest in?

At one of the Baltic Sea City Accelerator Innovation Labs, we had the opportunity to present our local challenge around sludge to innovators, solution providers, and research scientists.

Thanks to contacts and the responses we established at this lab, we now have come further and faster in considering solutions related to the development of a “sludge-toresource” (fertilizer) process to reduce the import of synthetic fertilizers. We plan to continue to work with the Baltic Sea City Accelerator in the coming year to develop

Investing in Sustainability Mariehamn has actively sought ways to change its trajectory in the Baltic Sea, knowing that it must also address the issue of carbon emissions. In 2011, the city adopted a policy to reduce emissions and climate change. In 2017, these emissions are 75% lower than they were in 2002.

Emission reductions have been achieved by updating district heating systems, which now use 85% biofuel. The city also recently installed solar energy panels on schools that are capable of producing 7,000 kWh per year. An environmentallycertified nursing home has been opened, and its school lunch programme has launched a “vegetarian only” day, reducing 1.8 tonnes of CO2 annually. Additionally, Mariehamn also is active in “Bärkraft”, an Åland-wide cooperation of public and private sectors, businesses, education, and volunteer organisations dedicated to a resilient and sustainable Åland.

Barbara Heinonen, Mayor of Mariehamn.

our investment case for this project.

What is needed for Mariehamn and Åland to have a bigger impact on Baltic Sea issues?

We need better coordination between the 16 municipalities that comprise Åland. As islanders, we are stubborn individuals. And you must be stubborn if you live this close to nature. But when we know we have to rally around a common cause, we work

together and this makes us even stronger, so I’m very optimistic!

What are you looking forward to in this work?

We are making changes.

Once again, I can see the jellyfish that I saw as a child, and even some fish species such as flounder have made a comeback. I want to be able to see my toes under the water all the time, not only when the sea is free from algae.

Restoring a wetland in Mariehamn’s urban environment adds value to the tourist industry

Through its own sampling and analyses, Mariehamn has been aware of the Baltic Sea's general deteriorated condition and the increasing signs of eutrophication around the city and the surrounding water areas. Slemmern, a sea bay, is located just along the eastern coastline of the city and is classified as a EU bathing beach. It is very sensitive to local loads of nutrients, sediments, and runoff that are common to areas in the inner archipelago that have limited water turnover. However, in 1996, the city decided to begin tackling the problem with a survey that resulted in a purification plant being installed in 1998. In 2008, a decision was taken to further improve the area and together with the neighboring municipality of Jomala, four delay basins were constructed to level out congestion of stormwater, and to increase the retention of nutrients and heavy metals. This project is presently ongoing and a study is being carried out in 2017. The study aims to identify the problems of contaminants, nutrients, microplastics, and pollution, as well as to investigate how the possible construction of wetlands can meet additional needs for the purification of traditional contaminants and the retention of nutrients and heavy metals.

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STRONGER TO G ET H E R

FR ED R IK LIND

Partner and Managing Director, The Boston Consulting Group, Stockholm

Guiding Municipalities to Water Leadership How has The Boston Consulting Group been engaged in Race For The Baltic?

In 2015, we were engaged to look into the multiple benefits a municipality can capture by addressing eutrophication and restoring the waters in the Baltic Sea region, as well as to provide guidance on how to navigate and prioritize among the many proven measures. The results of our research among 250 municipality respondents was a report, “Restoring Waters in the Baltic Sea Region:

A Strategy for Municipalities and Local Governments to Capture Economic and Environmental Benefits”.

What is your role in Baltic Sea City Accelerator?

After the report was published, we have continued our engagement in various ways, such as by supporting the programme and the municipalities with the development of their “Blue Strategies” on a pro bono basis and by hosting a business case competition focusing on the potential for large scale mussel farming in the Baltic Sea.

Why should municipalities care about addressing eutrophication?

The economic benefits of water restoration are manifold. By restoring local waters, a municipality can develop sustainable businesses and increase recreation, aesthetic value, flood control, biodiversity, and its population’s well-being.

Why should municipalities prioritize the many proven measures?

By applying a structured and holistic approach to finding the most

cost-effective local combination of measures, we estimate municipalities can reduce nutrients at up to a 40% lower cost.

How can municipalities accelerate change and begin to become leaders?

Best practice examples show four actions are crucial to becoming an attractive community for citizens and businesses: i) define objectives and set strategic direction, ii) engage local stakeholders, iii) cooperate across borders, and iv) secure resources and funding.

Saving the Baltic Sea with Digital Innovation To solve current water challenges faced by the Baltic Sea, digital innovation and technologies can provide the solutions we are looking for and need. Since 1997, the Bank of Åland has provided grants to projects working towards restoring the health of the Baltic Sea, through the Baltic Sea Project. In 2017, a Digital Innovation category was added to the project.

The new category focuses on projects that use digital solutions and innovations to improve the state of the Baltic Sea. A total of €400,000 can be

granted in 2017 among various categories, bringing the total amount donated

by Bank of Åland over the years to €2 million.

Niklas Zennström will join Ilkka Paananen, CEO of the mobile game development company Supercell, in evaluating applications in the Digital Innovation category.

“Today, we have tremendous opportunities to use technology to solve many of the problems that we have long known. This region has the capacity to be a world leader in responsible,

innovative solutions that address water quality challenges. For that to happen we need to join forces with others, and this award is a great platform to do that,” says Niklas Zennström.

“The Baltic Sea Project now has five different categories in which people can apply for funding. We encourage everyone to participate in efforts to ensure a healthy Baltic Sea,” says Anne-Maria Salonius, Director of Finland, Bank of Åland, and Jury Chairperson, Baltic Sea Project.

Read more at BalticSeaProject.org

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IN N O VAT I V E PR O J E CTS

TO MAS J O HAN SSO N

Partner, Mannheimer Swartling

Contributing to a more Sustainable Society Why is Mannheimer Swartling involved?

As an industry leader, Mannheimer Swartling has an opportunity and a responsibility to contribute to a more sustainable social development. One of the motives behind our engaging in pro bono projects is to stimulate employee commitment and also give employees knowledge and experience that can be used in our strategic sustainability initiatives, including advice to clients.

Race For The Baltic, and the Baltic Sea City Accelerator in particular, suits us well since it is focused on development, cooperation and technical innovation.

How does Mannheimer Swartling contribute to Race For The Baltic?

We have assisted with company law issues in connection with the formation of the foundation.

We have also assisted in discussions with municipalities that participate in the Baltic Sea City Accelerator pilot project to identify cost effective measures and the possibility of financing to implement the measures. We hope to be able to contribute

My personal commitment to the Baltic Sea issue is strengthened because of the uncertainty as to whether my children will be able to enjoy the Baltic Sea as much as I have.

Tomas Johansson Partner, Mannheimer Swartling

by connecting investors and environmental entrepreneurs to develop a new sector around the Baltic Sea, leading to positive effects for society as well as the environment and the local economy.

Why did you choose to be involved in the future of the Baltic Sea specifically?

I spend my summers on Gotland with my family and I am also a sailing enthusiast.

My personal commitment to the Baltic Sea issue is strengthened because of the uncertainty as to whether my children will be able to enjoy the Baltic Sea as much as I have.

A Growing Kalmar Requires Upgraded Technology

In parallel with a growing population in Kalmar, there have been stricter regulations for water quality discharge. How do you tackle the challenge of meeting the demands of a growing population while adhering to tougher regulations? Kalmar has high ambitions and aims to have the best Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Sweden.

GE Water is partnering with Kalmar Water to support preparations of the technological upgrade of the Kalmar WWTP. “Kalmar is very ambitious, it wants to build Sweden’s leading Wastewater Treatment Plant,” says Fredrik Åkesson from GE Water.

“Politicians play a big role in highlighting Kalmar’s water company as the best in Sweden, as well as how to think differently about water scarcity and water resources”, explains Regine Ullman, Technical Project Manager at Kalmar Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Kalmar Water is currently in the final stages of a pilot study to test membrane filtration technology hands-on and to simulate different scenarios for a full scale upgrade.

Setting ambitious goals for infrastructure investment stimulates knowledge-sharing and skills development among all parties, creating greater potential for job growth and security, as well as generating additional economic benefits for the municipality.

Improving Services for Boat Tourism

Ecoloop, a consulting company focused on sustainable community development, provides solutions for resource management and is a part of the Baltic Sea City Accelerator. Ecoloop initiated a project with a special focus on exploring investments and strategies to improve services for boat tourism that are connected to the quality and access to land toilets and latrine emptying stations for private boats. For the first time in Sweden, Ecoloop has measured the chemicals and nutrients from boat latrines, and samples from, among others, Värmdö and Vaxholm, were included. They have also reviewed the responsibilities and organisational structure within the municipalities for meeting the challenge with increased use of boat latrines and more emptying stations in the archipelago.

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Exploring Eco-Technologies and Economic Benefits

NutriTrade – nutrient offsetting for the Baltic Sea

SIWI – Nutrient Monitoring and Reporting

Technology and management measures designed to curb eutrophication and pollution flows to the Baltic Sea have often focused on how to reduce carbon and nutrients on land and in our waters and seas. “Reduce Emissions by Turning Nutrients and Carbon into Benefits” (RETURN), a new EU-funded project led by the Stockholm Environment Institute, aims to show how eco-technologies can potentially turn waste and pollution into profit. Słupsk is one of the partner cities in the project and Race For The Baltic is a supporting partner.

"As a research institute, we see great value in the Baltic Sea City Accelerator programme. The network of municipalities and partner organisations across the region represents an important network for The Stockholm Environment Institute to engage with key stakeholders and disseminate and communicate the findings from our projects in the region. In particular, the BONUS RETURN project, designed to explore the environmental and economic benefits linked to a variety of eco-technologies in the region, will be an important venue for SEI to continue to enrich our collaboration with Race For The Baltic…”

– Maria Osbeck, Research Fellow, Stockholm Environment Institute BONUS RETURN was launched in May 2017 with approximately €3 million in funding from BONUS, www.bonusportal.org

NutriTrade is developing a pilot platform for voluntary nutrient trading, nutrient offsets and joint implementation of nutrient reduction targets in the Baltic Sea area. The platform will connect nutrient abatement measures with financiers willing to acquire nutrient offsets and neutralize their nutrient footprint.

In the pilot scheme, several proven nutrient abatement measures will be implemented, resulting in phosphorous load reductions of up to 50 tonnes per year. Further, the project aims to develop nutrient offset verification and assessment mechanisms.

John Nurminen Foundation, the Natural Resources Institute, Finland (Luke), the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and the University of Helsinki, Finland, and Anthesis Enveco are partners in the project. A significant amount of the project’s funding is provided by the European Union (EU Interreg Central Baltic Programme).

Race For The Baltic welcomes this initiative and pioneer cities, solution providers and partners in the Baltic Sea City Accelerator programme have been part of the reference group participating in NutriTrade’s platform development.

SIWI Swedish Water House is co-operating with Race For The Baltic on a research project that was initiated as a result of the Baltic Sea City Accelerator pioneer municipalities’ work on local Baltic Sea Action Plans. This unique project, financed by the Swedish Institute, addresses the monitoring and reporting of nutrient data to regional and national authorities, and HELCOM.

Nutrient Recycling Pump in Dynestad Bay increases Agricultural Yield

The average nutrient concentration in Dynestad Bay (6-16 m in depth) is extremely high; 15 mg N/l and 2 mg P/l, and the seabed is anoxic. A solution developed in Västervik pumps bottom water up and uses it for irrigation on surrounding fields. This leads to increased oxygen levels in the bottom water and reduced nutrient content in the water overall. A pilot project has been conducted in collaboration with the Swedish University of Agricultural Science during three field seasons and the results were promising. In addition to the forage harvest providing a yield increase of 20%, the farmer’s need to purchase fertilizer decreased. This measure is also very cost efficient: 8kg N and 1kg P can be captured from the bay for €10. Västervik now plans to scale up the operation by investing SEK250 thousand – primarily on hoses and pumps – to recycle 450kg per year nitrogen and 50kg per year of phosphorous from Dynestad bay for irrigation on surrounding arable fields.

Primary objectives: Connect HELCOM with pioneer cities and other stakeholders to create a better understanding within HELCOM of the potential of municipalities to contribute to the Baltic Sea Action Plan targets.

Develop better awareness among Baltic Sea City Accelerator pioneers as to how their local Baltic Sea Action Plan contribute to HELCOM goals.

Develop insights and ideas about what can be achieved by sharing data on digital platforms.

The first workshop included representatives from the pioneer cities. Among the speakers were Dmitry FrankKamenetsky (Professional Secretary, HELCOM), Rich Batiuk (Associate Director for Science, Analysis and Implementation, Chesapeake Bay Program Office, U.S. EPA), and Ruchi Verma (Ericsson).

Partnering for Sludge Management

Ecofiltration Nordic is a solutions company developing a reactive filter media technology that can be used as a filter for phosphorous removal and recovery. As a partner in the Baltic Sea City Accelerator, Ecofiltration has been working with Panevėžys to explore innovative solutions to address excess sludge and odours generated from the Panevėžys Wastewater Treatment Plant. Currently, Panevėžys WWTP is testing Ecofiltration’s products on a small scale to address both the treatment of wastewater and excess sludge.

The local university has also been involved for research purposes. In spring 2017, Race For The Baltic conducted a field visit, together with Ecofiltration, to discuss these issues directly with Panevėžys and other stakeholders.

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JOIN US! Cities and Municipalities Participate in the next round of the Baltic Sea City Accelerator which kicks off in 2018.

Partners, Solution Providers, Programme Funders and other interested stakeholders Contact us directly to get involved.

To get in touch info@raceforthebaltic.com

Baltic S Accelerato ea City have 100 r Vision: To mu engaged nicipalities in Sea City A the Baltic ccelera by 2020. tor

ABOUT RACE FOR THE BALTIC

Race For The Baltic was founded by ZennstrĂśm Philanthropies in 2013.

The organisation works to convene forward-thinking politicians, industry professionals, NGOs, and local governments who are determined to improve the Baltic Sea environment and ensure the region’s long-term economic viability.

Race For The Baltic initiated a public awareness campaign in 2013 that brought together over 100 organisations to partner on a 3,700 km cycle ride around the Baltic Sea. The campaign collected 27,000 signatures in support of restoring the Baltic Sea. These signatures were presented to the Ministers of the Environment in advance of the HELCOM Ministerial meeting in October 2013.

A BIG THANK YOU TO THE 20+ EXPERT PARTNERS The Baltic Sea City Accelerator is an initiative of Race For The Baltic. The pilot programme has been developed and carried out with the support of these great partners.

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Working with Cities, Solution Providers and Science to clean up the Baltic Sea BalticSeaCityAccelerator.com @race4thebaltic facebook.com/raceforthebaltic

R A C E F O R T H E B A LT I C S U P P O R T S T H E S U S TA I N A B L E D E V E L O P M E N T G O A L S

THE BALTIC SE A C I T Y AC C E L E R ATO R I S F U N D E D BY

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