From June 4 to 6, the 14th Baltic Sea Subregional Meeting on Environmental Impact Assessments in a Transboundary Context took place, bringing together 70 experts and representatives from the Baltic countries, the European Commission, the Secretariat of the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), scientific institutions, and international organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)/Barcelona Convention.
The meeting was organized by the General Directorate for Environmental Protection of Poland under the workplan of the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention) and its Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA Protocol) for the period 2024–2026.
The event provided an opportunity for the countries bordering the Baltic Sea to exchange experiences and strengthen cooperation on transboundary environmental assessments for projects and plans affecting the marine environment.
The discussions focused on:
- Balancing energy security with marine biodiversity,
- Improving maritime spatial planning,
- Assessing cumulative environmental impacts, and
- Strengthening cross-border cooperation on environmental assessments.
The meeting also addressed the main challenges related to the development of offshore renewable energy and the protection of the Baltic Sea ecosystem. The discussions facilitated the exchange of experiences on maritime spatial planning, environmental impact assessments, and transboundary cooperation.
INFO/RAC participated in the event with a presentation titled “Collection, Harmonisation and Sharing of Mediterranean Environmental Data to Support Decision-Making within the Framework of the Barcelona Convention.” On this occasion, it presented the KMaP platform developed under the Barcelona Convention to support its objectives.