NEWS
The International Moving Environmental Conference
finished in Helsinki on 15 July 2005. This bicycle campaign was organised by environmental NGOs from Russia - Centre for
Environmental Initiatives and Friends of the Baltic, Finland - Dodo-the Living Nature for the Future, and Estonia - Estonian Green Movement.
The main goal of the campaign was promotion of sustainable transport solutions and public participation in municipal planning. Environmental
activists started on 25 June in Helsinki, and along the entire route - in Helsinki, Isnas, Kotka, Hamina, Vyborg, Primorsk, St.Petersburg,
Petrodvorets, Lomonosov, Koporye, Narva, Sillamae, Vihasoe, Kolga, Tallinn, and again in Helsinki - the met local activists, representatives
of mass media, and local residents. The meetings participants shared their experience in solving transport-related environmental problems and
experience in public participation in decision-making.
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Environmentalists in Belarus Call for Joined Efforts to Solve Pesticides Disposal Problems and
Address Belarusian and Latvian Ministers of Environment Directly
At the press-conference in Vitebsk, Belarus, on 4 August, the organizers of the camp "Clean Dvina - Clean Baltic-2005"
camp released the appeal to ministers of environment of Belarus and Latvia. The authors of the appeal call for creation of the working group on
national level to solve problems of the pesticides' disposal site near Verhnedvinsk town on the river Western Dvina. Work of the group should result
in action plan for urgent reequipment of the disposal site.
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BREAD AND FISH Summer University in Ratzeburg
took place on 1-7 August. This year the theme of the Summer University was sustainable fisheries. Over 20 speakers from almost all the Baltic Sea
countries gave a broad overview of connections and problems of Baltic Sea fishery. Basic ethical questions were discussed from different perspectives,
including theological ones. Coalition Clean Baltic was represented by Antonia Wanner and Wolfgang Gunter from BUND fur Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland,
Olga Senova and Vera Ovcharenko from Friends of the Baltic, and Alexander Fedorov from the Centre for Environmental Initiatives. Alexander Fedorov made a
presentation on vision of sustainable fishery in Russia and the CCB position on sustainable fishery in the Baltic Sea.
Read more
2005 World Water Week in Stockholm
A well-attended 2005 World Water Week in Stockholm took place from August 21 to 27 in the Swedish capital.
Visit the World Water Week home page at www.worldwaterweek.org to read the daily summaries, abstracts and press releases.
The next World Water Week will take place in Stockholm from August 20 to 26, 2006 - check
www.siwi.org for the first programme announcement in
December this year.
Nuclear Taj Mahal
a simulator centre for Indian nuclear submariners will start operation in September 2005 on the South coast of the Gulf of Finland
in t. Sosnovy Bor (80 km West of St. Petersburg).
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European Protocol on water and health entered into force
The Protocol on Water and Health (to the 1992 Convention on Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International
Lakes) entered into force on 4 August 2005, following ratification by the minimum 16 WHO-Europe countries. The Protocol will improve health by contributing
to the prevention, control and reduction of water-related diseases. It covers both the provision of safe drinking-water and adequate sanitation and the basin-wide
protection of water resources. The Protocol calls on the ratifying countries to strengthen their health systems; to improve planning for and management of water
resources; to improve the quality of water supply and sanitation services; to address future health risks; and to ensure safe recreational water environments.
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WWF awards Finnish conductor for commitment to Baltic Sea conservation
Helsinki, Finland - WWF-Finland presented an award to Finnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen who, through his work, has brought to the public's attention the condition and conservation needs of the Baltic Sea.
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Sweden unveils first biogas train
A Swedish company has produced the world's first biogas train and hope to market it in the Baltic and especially in developing countries, where stretches
of rail tracks use diesel engines in the absence of electricity. The biogas train "Amanda" has been jointly developed by Tekniska Verk, a Swedish biogas company,
and Swedish railways subsidiary EuroMaint.
Read more
North Sea litter campaign wins UN award
An initiative to reduce the pollution in the North Sea by encouraging Scottish fishermen to use their trawlers to fish litter and waste out of the water has won the coveted UN Grand Award for Public Relations.
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HELCOM deletes another Lithuanian Hot Spot from the Baltic Sea major polluters list
The Helsinki Commission today officially announced the deletion of the Lithuanian municipality of Marijampole from the list of the Baltic Sea most significant
pollution sources. The decision, which has now been approved by all the Baltic Sea coastal countries, followed the deletion of two other Lithuanian Hot Spots - the
capital Vilnius and the municipality of Alytus by the Heads of Delegations of the HELCOM Member States at their regular 17th Meeting on 14-15 June in Helsinki,
Finland. In recent years, all those cities have carried out vast modernisations of their wastewater treatment plants.
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Blue-green algal blooms interfere with the growth of young fish and cause fishermen financial losses
The FIMR research vessel Aranda and the environment authority research vessel Muikku cooperated to study the plankton and fish ecology of the Gulf of Finland in
the period 19-29.7. The effects of blue-green algae and the variation in salinity and temperature on the plankton community and on fish were studied during the Trofia
expedition. It was noted that there are very small amounts of sprat and especially Baltic herring in the Gulf of Finland. This is thought to be caused by the
deteriorating quality of fish food, caused by the lower salinity of seawater, among other factors. Laboratory research undertaken during the three-year research
project also showed that blue-green algae may interfere with the growth of young fish. In addition, a survey taken among professional fishermen on the Finnish
coast showed that blue-green algal blooms forming mats on the surface cause financial losses to fishermen.
Read more
GWP CEE launches new IWRM web site
GWP CEE has launched a new website that represents an important step in GWP CEE efforts to promote IWRM principles in CEE (Central and Eastern Europe)
countries. The site is designed as a resource for governments, civil society, the media and the public, who wish to gain knowledge about sustainable management
of water resources in CEE. The website provides links to other important global and regional information resources and holds an extensive collection of GWP
regional and global publications. The website can be accessed at www.gwpceeforum.org
COMING EVENTS
3rd Harmoni-CA Forum & Conference, 5-7 April 2006
The 3rd Harmoni-CA Conference will take place from 5 to 7 April 2006 in Osnabrueck, Germany. Focus of the conference is set by the priorities within the
WFD framework activities for 2006. The organisers of the conference invite operational water managers, water policy makers, researchers and technology providers
to exchange their experiences on their current work related to river basin management and the implementation of the WFD. In addition to those external contributions,
Harmoni-CA will present synthesises on specific issues linked to the WFD and modelling on the outcomes of European research projects. If you are interested in
presenting a poster or a presentation at the conference, please check
www.harmoni-ca.info for more information or submit an extended abstract (max. 2 pages length)
to HARMONI-CA.WP1@riza.rws.minvenw.nl
3rd International Symposium on Integrated Water Resources Management, 26-28 September 2006
The 3rd International Symposium on IWRM will take place from 26 to 28 September 2006 at the Ruhr-University in Bochum, Germany. Main goal of the symposium is to
determine necessary research developments and to identify gaps between current knowledge on IWRM and future demand. To achieve this, the organisation provides a
multi-disciplinary platform for scientists and professionals to exchange their views and research results on a wide range of IWRM-related topics. In preparation
for this symposium, scientists and professionals are highly invited to submit their views and research results on IWRM-topics. Abstract submission will be ongoing
until 30 November 2005.
Read more
Please find other CCB Newsletter issues here.
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