sou · GWB348EN · 2009-01-01 00:00:00 — This means that the qua- lity of the data on which decisions are based is not sufficiently good, which can lead to the wrong decisions being taken. It also restricts the scope of researchers and other experts, thus preven- ting the development of new knowledge. The Inquiry proposes that data produced by authorities and funded from the central government budget be freely available for non-commercial activities in authorities, regional bodies, munici- palities, universities and other higher education institutions. It is proposed to fund this by redistributing appropriations from autho- rities buying data to authorities selling data. Reduced revenue for authorities caused by regional bodies and municipalities having access to free data should be compensated for via increased appro- priations to the authorities concerned. Much of the information that authorities and other actors have collected in the context of environmental monitoring and different types of investigations and surveys is not easily accessible to other users. Even at the planning stage of new investigations and surveys, the question must be raised of where and how data is to be stored and made available. The Inquiry proposes that the Swedish Meteorological and be appointed as the authority competent for coordination of storage methods for data relevant to envi- ronmental work and of making it available. This responsibility should include coordination of the development of joint standards, quality labelling and other support for making data available via the Internet and issuing guidelines for its use. should be tasked with developing portals enabling the coordinated presenta- tion of data. Data is to be downloadable in the same format and presentation of data is to be supported by map services and inter- tools so that simple types of analysis can be made. To be able to conduct national environmental monitoring, research and survey activities in and offshore areas, are needed that are able to operate in these waters. also has international commitments that require access to larger . Both authorities and researchers at higher education insti- tutions therefore need that can operate in zones and offshore areas for shorter or longer periods. Authorities and uni- versities have resolved the need for in different ways. These solutions have in some cases been relatively long-term, but in others have only applied to one or a few years. The authorities and universities that have been able to acquire a of their own have been able to meet their needs for a relatively well, while those who have not had the same financial conditions have had to rely on other solutions. is in a problematic situation with regard to access to large for research and surveys as in principle all the are in a poor condition and are approaching an age where, in the relatively near future, they must be replaced unless expensive reno- vations and investments are made. are associated with enormous costs in terms of interest, depreciation, maintenance and staff, even when they are not in use. Today several of the research and survey are not fully used. is in dock rela- tively often, since its poor condition means that it has to be regu- larly repaired. Todays organisation with at several authori- ties and universities is not optimal from an economic perspective. The Inquiry proposes that used in environmental monitoring, surveying and research be coordinated under one organisation. As a first step, the used for environmental monitoring and research by , the , the Swedish Meteoro- logical and , universities and other higher education institutions, and smaller central government actors, should be coordinated. At a later stage, if considered appropriate, needed for the surveying activities of the Geological Survey of and the can be in- cluded. The Swedish Guard should be tasked with providing research and survey . Its tasks will also include short- and long-term planning of activities and procuring, delivering, main- taining and equipping these . This new assignment would strengthen the environmental profile of the Swedish Guard and in the long term, make this agency an important actor in environmental work. Communications are an important part of the environ- mental strategy. However, authorities and other actors must broaden their channels of communication. Better use must be made of the great interest of the general public in environmental issues, and their commitment to them. The Government should therefore take the initiative for a broad communication effort on the environment, based on dialogue and cooperation between the actors. It is proposed that financial support be available to authorities, municipalities, sector organisations and interest groups for a dialogue and cooperation projects of relevance to the environment. The has been governed by two sepa- rate terms of reference. The original terms of reference mainly concerned knowledge of environment work and were adopted by the previous government on 13 2006 (Dir. 2006:87). The inquirys supplementary terms of reference, adopted by the present Government on 16 2007, extended its assign- ment to include issues relating to management and spatial planning of the sea (Dir. 2007:67). The Government handed over a report by Swedish county administrative boards of a government assignment on regional and local coordination and cooperation in areas to the inquiry on 10 April 2008.1 The assignment can be summarised as follows: 1.Perform a review of environmental monitoring, investigative and surveying activities relating to the environment, examining in particular how to improve their effectiveness and coordination. 2.Put forward proposals for strategic research initiatives to find solutions to problems in the environment. 3.Analyse which measures will lead to better communication of environment issues and to more effective use of knowl- edge when implementing them. 4.Analyse which measures are needed to stimulate the develop- ment of selective fishing equipment and low-impact fishing 1 System för regional och lokal samordning och samverkan i kustnära områden [A system for regional and local coordination and cooperation in areas]. 's county administrative boards' response to government assignment 51 in the 2007 appropriation directions. Communication 28 Sept 2007 (Ref no 537-81056-2007). methods and to enhance the skills of fishermen and other actors involved in fish resource management. 5.Submit proposals for how to improve accessibility to environment-related data. 6.Submit proposals for how to coordinate research and survey . 7.Analyse the implications of making the Baltic Sea into a pilot project with a joint international management strategy and, using this as a starting-point, propose a Swedish organisation for management of the environment. 8.Put forward proposals for a model for the spatial planning of Swedish sea areas. The inquiry submitted its interim report A Swedish Institute to the Government on 20 December 2006.2 The interim report contained proposals for a scientific environ- ment institute with activities at several Swedish universities (, , and ). In , the Government took the decision to establish a environment institute and gave the task of coordinating activities. 1.2Implementation and working methods Detailed information about the implementation of that part of the assignment relating to a environment institute can be found in the inquirys interim report. 1.2.1Assignments to consultants and researchers The inquiry has hired consultants and researchers to produce back- ground material and in-depth information on several issues. 1.Mikael Olshammar and at IVL () have done a survey of Swedish environmental monitoring activities and similar investi- gations concerning the environment. 2 Ett svenskt havsmiljöinstitut [A ]. Interim report from the . 2.Jens Skei at () has written a report summarising how environment monitoring is organised in . 3.Gunni Ærtberg at the Danish Environmental Monitoring Insti- tute (DMU) has produced a similar report on how envi- ronment monitoring is organised in . 4.The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has commis- sioned an investigation into the scope for forcing operators to performing monitoring activities in accordance with the EU Water Framework Directive. 5.Jan at has drawn up proposals for legislative amendments relating to the responsibility of opera- tors to monitor the water environment. 6.Claes () has surveyed the views of different actors on environment communication. 7.Magnus at Sciences has produced background information on environ- mental communication. 8.Andrea Morf and () have analysed the costs to authorities for buying data from other authorities. 9.Bertil () has examined the needs of authorities for research and survey and the status of existing . 10.The National Board of Fisheries has performed a study of the requirements that must be placed on a replacement for Argos, the authorities existing research and survey . 11.Said Mahmoudi and at have performed a review of international law of the sea and EC legislation relevant to the Baltic and /. 12.Robert (the consultant firm rm2rm) has analysed initiatives on zone planning in the countries around the Baltic Sea. 13.Björn at has assisted the inquiry by reviewing certain texts. has produced several maps for the inquirys final report. Several other agencies have assisted the inquiry in diverse issues. 1.2.2Meetings with the expert group A chief expert and twelve other experts were appointed to the inquiry by the Government. A total of eleven meetings have been held with this expert group since the inquiry started in the autumn of 2006. The expert group has been able to read and comment on texts produced as part of the inquiry. During the second phase of the inquiry, after submission of the interim report, three hearings or similar meetings have been arranged: 1.Seminar on strategic research initiatives in the environ- ment field, 30 2007. 2.Hearing on environmental monitoring, surveys and inventories to support effective management of the environment, . 3.Hearing on spatial planning, . 1.2.4Visits to other countries The inquiry has been on a study visit to and the . In , the inquiry visited the and . In the United King- dom, a visit to DEFRA (, Food and Rural Affairs) was arranged. The inquiry has also met representatives from governments and/or agencies in , , , , and . Similar information has been received from Estonia in writing. The inquiry has also visited the HELCOM secretariat and () in . 1.2.5Other visits and meetings The inquiry has visited or been visited by several agencies, includ- ing (Swedish Meteorological and ), , the Swedish Guard, the (Swedish EPA), , and Planning and the Swedish water authorities. The inquiry has also met representatives of the county administrative boards environment informa- tion centres. 1.2.6Consultation with other government inquiries/commissions The inquiry has consulted the Commission on Climate and Vulnerability, the Commission on the Swedish EPA, the Commis- sion on Fishing Legislation, the Pilotage Inquiry, and the Commission on the Structure in the Food . Regarding the consequences for the Swedish business sector, the inquiry has also consulted for Better Regulation (NNR). 1.3Swedens surrounding sea areas The Baltic and /are the two sea areas surrounding . These can be divided into several smaller areas (Figure 1.1). Table 1.1 presents the relevant surface areas, volumes and depths. sea areas, including the economic zone, constitute about of the total area of the Baltic and /. has the longest coastline in the Baltic Sea. Nearly of the Swedish population lives within 100 kilometres of the coast. Figure 1.1 The sea areas of /and the Baltic Table 1.1 The relevant surface areas, volumes and depths. The figures have been taken from Change Beneath the Surface, Swedish Environ- mental , 2005 Area (km2) Volume (km3) Average depth (m) Maximum depth (m) aBothnian Bay, Bothnian Sea, Gulf of , Gulf of and Baltic Proper The land areas surrounding the Baltic and /and from which water and substances are transported into the sea areas constitute just under 2 million km2. The total surface area of both seas is about . Since the sea areas are relatively shallow, a relatively small water volume has to receive large quantities of substances transported from land to sea. About 85 million people live in the drainage areas of the Baltic and /. The southern parts of the drainage areas are more densely populated than the northern parts and more of the land is cultivated. The northern parts are relatively sparsely populated and are dominated by (Figure 1.2). The drainage areas of the Baltic and / The map is taken from Change Beneath the Surface, 2005. The salt levels vary from very low in the to a salt content close to that of the major oceans in . The average salt content in the Baltic is a fifth of that in the oceans. This is caused by a lot of freshwater from rivers flowing into it and by the limited water-exchange with other sea areas due to the only link to other seas being via The Sound and the Belt Sea. All this makes the Baltics environment very special. Because the salt level is too low for most species and too high for most freshwater species, the Baltic is a relatively species-poor sea. and , on the other hand, have a species richness that is relatively typically for the major oceans. A recently published study shows that of the worlds environments are seriously affected by human activity.3 Only of the seas are deemed intact. The latest assessment by the Swedish Environmental Objectives Council4 is that the environmental qual- ity objective A Balanced , Sustainable Areas and Archipelagos will be very difficult or impossible to achieve by 2020 even if further measures are implemented. The same assessment of two of the other environmental objectives of relevance to the environment, namely: A Non-Toxic Envi- ronment; and Zero Eutrophication. Several environmental problems have been highlighted in sea areas in recent years. Most of these are not new but have existed for decades. Warning reports on algal blooms and oxygen-deficient sea-beds occur almost every summer. This is the result of excessively high levels of nutrients in the water. Nutrients transported from land to the sea areas may have a natural source. The vast majority of them are however caused by human activities (Figures 1.3 and 1.4). Powerful measures to reduce emissions are required, but even if these are implemented, it will probably take a long time before they have a measurable impact on sea areas. 3A global map of human impact in ecosystems. Halpern, B.S., Walbridge, S., Selkoe K.A. Science Vol 319. p. 4Miljömålen – nu är det bråttom ['s environmental objectives - we're running out of time]. 's evaluation of 's environment objectives 2008. Figure 1.3 Waterborne nitrogen input to the Baltic and /. The word anthropogenic means caused by human activity The map is taken from Change Beneath the Surface, 2005. Figure 1.4 Waterborne phosphorus input to the Baltic and /The word anthropogenic means caused by human activity The map is taken from Change Beneath the Surface. Researchers have warned us about the overfishing of species such as cod and eel for many years. Cod quotas are regulated by inter- national agreements and for several years have been higher than the level recommended by tion of the Sea (ICES). This has resulted in drastic reductions in many fish populations. Levels of several well-known contaminants in fish and birds have decreased, but new ecotoxic substances are constantly being discovered. Examples of substances highlighted relatively recently include perfluorooctane sulfonates (PFOS), certain brominated flame retardants (HBCDD) and the endocrine disruptor, nonylphenol. Despite bans on using tributyltin (TBT)-based anti- fouling paints on smaller boats, the levels of TBT are very high in the environment, especially close to harbours and . There is extensive in the sea areas surrounding . Approximately of the worlds sea transport, calculated in number of , occurs in the Baltic Sea. Around 2 000 large (not counting fishing ) operate in the Baltic every day, and 300-500 of these are tankers. Oil is discharged from on a regular basis and many are warning us that it is just a matter of time before a accident occurs causing a massive oil spill. Another recently highlighted environmental problem is ecotoxic substances leaking from wrecks. New species are regularly discovered in the seas around . In recent years, these include the round goby in the Baltic Sea and the comb jelly in both the Baltic and /. Some foreign species migrate naturally to new areas and establish them- selves. In other cases, species are either deliberately or accidentally introduced by humans. Regardless of how these new species reach new areas, they can cause substantial damage to the ecosystem if they manage to establish themselves. The exploitation of zones causes another form of envi- ronmental impact. shoreline development and permanent housing in areas, as well as more boating, affect the environment in different ways. An increased population and more outdoor activities in areas need not be negative, but they often cause greater erosion, pollution, noise and other problems. Shoreline development almost always involves the construction of jetties and/or boathouses, which have a direct impact on the local environment. Furthermore, peoples for faster trans- port leads to the construction of more . in offshore areas is increasing in the form of wind power expan- sion. Climate change will affect the environment in many ways. The final report of the Swedish Commission on Climate and Vulnerability5 describes scenarios where the surface water tempera- ture of the Baltic Sea rises by between 2 and just over by the end of the 21st century. The oceans icecaps and ice period will diminish. Increased precipitation, as predicted by many, increases the transport of nutrients to the seas. This can also reduce salt levels in the Baltic Sea. New research findings also point to greater acidification of the seas as a result of increased carbon dioxide levels. These changes will have a significant impact on eco- systems. Single factors affecting the environment can have a major impact on individual species, biotopes or on the ecosystem as a whole. The dwindling populations of cod as a result of overfishing may, for example, cause a changed ecosystem (Figure 1.5). Sprats, which constitute an important source of food for cod, have increased in number as cod stocks decrease. At the same time, quantities of zooplankton, an important source of food for both the sprat and for pike and perch fry, have also diminished. Even if there isnt evidence for all these links, there is much to suggest that the increase in sprat will lead to reduced amounts of zooplankton, which in turn will make it difficult for pike and perch fry to sur- vive. These fish species have therefore drastically decreased in areas. Eutrophication can, among other things, cause algae bloom and alter the composition of species, i.e. Changes in the ecosystem can also have economic consequences. The comb jelly, discovered in both the Baltic and /, probably caused the drastic decrease in anchovy populations in the in the 1980s by outcompeting them for food. The reduction in anchovies hit the fishing industry hard and also had a major impact on the entire ecosystem. Today there are many forms of impact on the environment and no-one knows for certain what the aggregate of all these may do to the ecosystem. 5 facing climate change - threats and opportunities. Final report from the Commission on Climate and Vulnerability. Figure 1.5 Possible effects of cod-fishing on Baltic Sea ecosystems. Some of these links are hypothetical and there are also other factors that influence different parts of the ecosystem The diagram is taken from Change Beneath the Surface, 2005. 1.3.2The sea as a resource Fish are a natural resource utilised by man since time immemorial. Commercial fishing has however been increasingly brought into question due to the reduction in many fish stocks. Angling is a major pastime for many Swedes. Boating, bathing and other out- door activities in areas are other examples of how the sea constitutes an important resource for many people. Environmental destruction and a drastically altered ecosystem therefore have repercussions for ordinary people and also lead to major social costs, in the form of recreation and tourism being negatively affected by algae blooms and a limited supply of fish as a result of overfishing. The sea areas are key transport routes and will in future become increasingly important for energy production in the form of wind power and possibly even wave power. For the seas to continue to be a long-term sustainable resource, management of the environment must be based on a holis- tic approach. The ecosystem approach has in recent years been highlighted as an important way of ensuring long-term sustainable management of our natural environment. The ecosystem approach has its origin in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The starting-point is coordinated management of land, water and living resources. The approach aims at a fair balance between con- servation and the sustainable use of biological diversity and natural resources. 1.4.1International law of the sea The freedom of the sea is a principle that has applied for centuries. The most important freedom of all is that of . An interna- tional regulatory framework has been drawn up since the Second World War. Under the UN Convention on the of the Sea (UNCLOS), adopted in 1982 and entering into force in 1994, there are international rules that must be followed by those who use the sea and by states. () is a UN organisation whose main task is to draw up inter- national regulations and standards governing on all the worlds seas. Under international agreements, countries have been given ever- greater rights at sea by means of territorial borders being repeat- edly moved further out to sea and by the setting-up of exclusive economic zones. Most countries with a coastline have today extended their territorial waters to 12 nautical miles offshore (one nautical mile corresponds to 1 852 m) A state may not pre- vent international in its territorial waters, but may intro- duce rules to control it in different ways. Each state can establish an economic zone stretching a maximum of 200 nautical miles offshore. Within this zone, the state is entitled to look for, utilise and manage any natural assets and other economic resources such as wave and wind power..Other states have basically full freedoms of navigation and overflight and of laying submarine cables and pipelines within the zone. The state does have the right however to issue national legislation on e.g. environmental consideration and pro- tection of the environment. Under the UNCLOS Conven- tion, states have an overall obligation to implement measures to safeguard the survival of marine-living resources in the economic zone. The term shelf is also used in international laws of the sea. The shelf refers to the prolongation of the land mass under the sea. The shelf of many countries, including , stretches in legal terms as far from the coast as the economic zone, i.e. a maximum of 200 nautical miles. The states rights on the shelf are limited to the exploitation of natural resources. 1.4.2Special rules governing the sea areas near As a result of a decision within the IMO, the Baltic Sea has been given Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) status. The PSSA clas- sification, introduced in 2006, gives the Baltic Sea environment increased protection in the form of more stringent rules governing oil tanker transport.