Why the Gulf of Finland Year 2014? Develop the three-lateral environmental cooperation To strengthen and promote the protection and sustainable use of the Gulf of Finland Joint monitoring for analysing the ecological status of the gulf Produces up-to-date research information to support ecosystem- based decisionmaking Active collaboration among scientists, decision-makers and the society
Organisation structure International Steering Group Steering group Steering group Steering group Public Council RUS EST FIN Network Research Environmental Education Coastal cities
How we did it together in 2014? Scientists, decision-makers and citizens worked effectively together: Scientific co-operation according to the common research plan Comprehensive joint monitoring of the state of the gulf Extensive joint assessment report of the state of the gulf for the first time 4
How we did it togeher in 2014? Networking through coastal cities Common environmental education programme Active stakeholder participation in various events The usage of existing structures for co-operation like CBSS and HELCOM, EU Baltic Sea Strategy, draft version of the Finnish Marine Strategy s Programme of Measures. 5
What was done? Cooperation at various levels in all three countries Openings Beach cleaning campaigns Baltic Sea Days and scientific forums in Helsinki and Tallinn Joint forums with decison-makers
Over 250 public events in cities and coastal areas with the Gulf of Finland as a topic 7
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Public Councils Networking of NGO s with scientists Several meetings of the Finnish and Russian Public Councils Organised different events with research institutes, churches, companies, artists etc. The ceremonial meeting, a festival concert and a reception of the Public Councils of the three countries in Tauries palace by City of St. Petersburg
Healthier Gulf for the Next Generations Common environmental education programme Environmental camps Youth Declaration Competitions, games, art shows and happenings Teacher education seminars New materials Seashore field guide Teachers material GOF Exhibition 11
Research as the basis of decision-making: Fish and fishery Maritime Spatial Planning Pollution and Ecosystem Health Marine traffic safety Climate change & Eutrophication Bio- and geodiversity
Monitoring programme and data exchange: Joint results Spatially and temporally well-covered database for scientific use for 1996-2014 Common monitoring in 2014 Inter-calibration of methods Joint assessment Special Issue in Journal of Marine Systems
Gulf of Finland needs sub-regional activities Effective protection of the Gulf of Finland needs: To cooperate sub-regionally between Finland, Russia and Estonia take study the special features of the Gulf having the best scientific expertise available the role of personal relations important To solve administrative and environmental problems & make common Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) at regional scale Effective interaction between stakeholders, citizens and scientists leading to comprehensive flow of information in between the actors 14
Three-lateral co-operation in the future What are the necessary instruments? Network including co-operation with other bodies International Co-ordination Committee Scientific work coordinated by a three-lateral expert group Monitoring program Road Map Next Gulf of Finland Year? 15
Kiitos! Спасибо! Aitäh! SYKE Ministries of Environment of Finland, Estonia and Russia Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland Ministry of Education and Culture Parliament of Finland 16