External meeting
Informal consultation session of the Agri Group (IC AGRI 1-2022)
April 06, 2022
External meeting
Informal consultation session of the Agri Group (IC AGRI 1-2022)
Start date: April 06, 2022
End date: April 07, 2022
Place: Online
Address:
Official meetings of all HELCOM Working and Experts Groups and other subsidiary bodies are postponed due to the HELCOM strategic pause until further notice, however, informal consultation sessions, without Russian participation, are organized and hosted by a Contracting Party.
The informal consultation sessions process and discuss documents and provide guidance and recommendations as to how to progress work.
The informal consultation sessions process and discuss documents and provide guidance and recommendations as to how to progress work.
Description
The informal consultation session of the HELCOM Agri Group (IC AGRI 1-2022) was hosted by Sweden and held online on 6-7 April 2022.
The Session was attended by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden, as well as by Observers from the Baltic Farmers’ Forum for Environment (BFFE), Baltic Sea Action Group(BSAG), Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB), and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Also invited guests from EMEP and Natural Resources Institute Finland took part in the session.
CCB participants in the session:
- Mikhail Durkin, CCB Executive Secretary
- Gunnar Norén, CCB Senior Advisor
Outcomes of the session:
- The Session took note of the information shared by CCB on the removal of the nitrogen fertilization tax in Sweden pointing out that when the tax was abolished the recommendation for nitrogen fertilization dose increased since the model calculates the economic optimum for fertilization and concluding
that taxation is an efficient tool in reducing overfertilization.
- The Session took note of the view by the CCB that the oxidised and reduced nitrogen are deposited in a form that is available for plants and consequently, they should be included in the nutrient balance calculations.
- The Session took note of the CCB views on development of the scope of the guidelines on nutrient accounting.
- The Session took note of the comment by CCB that in the current draft there are some expressions such as “standard nutrient recommendation” that are unclear when the aim is to reduce nutrient losses and that both planning in advance and calculating the balance after harvest, including comparing the
planned and actual crop yield, are important.
- The Session took note of the view by the CCB that follow-up of the CAP strategic plans with support in keeping nutrients in soil with rotation and retention and nutrient recycling would be needed.
- The Session took note of the view by CCB that there should be goals and targets for river basins including a set of necessary measures to reach the targets.
-The Session took note of the information by CCB on a LIFE-funded project where also climate change mitigation measures are included.
- The Session took note of the information on the Greener Agriculture for a Sustainable Sea (GRASS) Forum to be organized on 11-12 May 2022 in Warsaw, Poland with a possibility for online participation (document 9-2). The Session welcomed the event as a forum that supports the implementation
of the BSAP and invited CCB to share more information on the event as soon as it becomes available.
Participation supported by
CCB's participation in the event was supported by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor CINEA can be held responsible for them.
The Session was attended by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden, as well as by Observers from the Baltic Farmers’ Forum for Environment (BFFE), Baltic Sea Action Group(BSAG), Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB), and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Also invited guests from EMEP and Natural Resources Institute Finland took part in the session.
CCB participants in the session:
- Mikhail Durkin, CCB Executive Secretary
- Gunnar Norén, CCB Senior Advisor
Outcomes of the session:
- The Session took note of the information shared by CCB on the removal of the nitrogen fertilization tax in Sweden pointing out that when the tax was abolished the recommendation for nitrogen fertilization dose increased since the model calculates the economic optimum for fertilization and concluding
that taxation is an efficient tool in reducing overfertilization.
- The Session took note of the view by the CCB that the oxidised and reduced nitrogen are deposited in a form that is available for plants and consequently, they should be included in the nutrient balance calculations.
- The Session took note of the CCB views on development of the scope of the guidelines on nutrient accounting.
- The Session took note of the comment by CCB that in the current draft there are some expressions such as “standard nutrient recommendation” that are unclear when the aim is to reduce nutrient losses and that both planning in advance and calculating the balance after harvest, including comparing the
planned and actual crop yield, are important.
- The Session took note of the view by the CCB that follow-up of the CAP strategic plans with support in keeping nutrients in soil with rotation and retention and nutrient recycling would be needed.
- The Session took note of the view by CCB that there should be goals and targets for river basins including a set of necessary measures to reach the targets.
-The Session took note of the information by CCB on a LIFE-funded project where also climate change mitigation measures are included.
- The Session took note of the information on the Greener Agriculture for a Sustainable Sea (GRASS) Forum to be organized on 11-12 May 2022 in Warsaw, Poland with a possibility for online participation (document 9-2). The Session welcomed the event as a forum that supports the implementation
of the BSAP and invited CCB to share more information on the event as soon as it becomes available.
Participation supported by
CCB's participation in the event was supported by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor CINEA can be held responsible for them.