Sustainability in the Baltic Sea Region

Sustainability in the Baltic Sea Region: The Baltic Sea Ecosystem as the Nucleus of a Regionally Integrating Sustainability Transformation?

The transformation of the Baltic Sea Region to a sustainable region is the aim of the EU Baltic Sea Strategy and an approach of many regional initiatives and projects. In order to achieve this transformation, it is important to empower individuals to apply knowledge about sustainability. With regard to the protection of the world's oceans, this empowerment has been studied and promoted in the approach of an "Ocean Literacy". Taking up this approach, we are developing the concept of "Baltic Sea Literacy". Due to the widespread of mires and bogs in the Baltic Sea region, we furthermore analyse the sustainable use of peatlands in the region and it’s potentials for a sustainable bio economy. Intact, sustainably used peatlands can, among other things, significantly reduce nutrient inputs into the Baltic Sea. Our third work package is investigating another dimension of the problem of substance inputs into the Baltic Sea. Following an "One Health" approach, we are analysing antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant germs in the Baltic Sea ecosystem and developing approaches to reduce these inputs.