Project: Improving Societal Conditions for the the Baltic Sea Protection

The PROBALT project suggests that the relative failure to protect the Baltic Sea cannot be explained by the lack of knowledge on ecological restrictions and requirements for the protection, but rather by the failure of transforming scientific knowledge into effective and socially acceptable protective practices. Designing policies is ultimately a social activity that depends on many conditioning socio-economic, political and cultural factors. Research on the role of such societal factors in the environmental protection of the Baltic Sea is almost nonexistent. The PROBALT project aims to make the prevention of the eutrophication of the Baltic Sea more effective in three ways. First, it analyzes the societal conditions for the effective protection of the Baltic Sea at three levels: national level, regional level and the European Union level, using an interdisciplinary framework. Second, it provides tools to more effectively combat eutrophication. Third, PROBALT aims at increasing national concern about the state of the Baltic Sea in individual countries. This part of the project is done by engaging the media and training journalists on the politics of the protection of the Baltic Sea. Also, policy-makers in each country and in Brussels are kept informed about the research results of PROBALT as the project progresses. The goal is form an advocacy coalition that takes a leading role in promoting the protection of the Baltic Sea.

Acronym PROBALT (Reference Number: 155)
Duration 01/01/2009 - 31/12/2011
Project Topic environmental research / integrating ecosystem and society
Project Results
(after finalisation)
http://www.bonusportal.org/files/1334/BONUS_Briefing_15_PROBALT.pdf
Website visit project website
Network BONUS+
Call BONUS+ Call in 2007

Project partner

Number Name Role Country
1 Finnish Institute of International Affairs Coordinator Finland
2 European University at St Petersburg Observer Russia
3 Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel Partner Germany
4 University of Helsinki Partner Finland