WWF - Conservation and environmental news & publications: Sweden

Earth Hour search is on for urban climate champion

2012-03-23

Copenhagen, Denmark – Cities in Canada, India, Italy, Sweden and the United States will be invited this year to participate in an Earth Hour City Challenge, urging them to take a leadership role in the global transition towards a low carbon economy.

"Cities currently account for over 70 per cent of global CO2 emissions – so their leadership in reducing emissions will be crucial if we are to avoid escalating levels of climate change" said Jim Leape, Director General of WWF International.

"But there are exciting opportunities for cities that approach this challenge with creativity and determination. Cities can be hotspots for innovations that help people lead more fulfilling lives with much lower carbon footprints. The Earth Hour City Challenge aims to highlight these examples, and the leading role cities around the world can and must play in transitioning towards a one-planet future."

Sweden's third largest city Malmö took top honours in the Earth Hour City Challenge pilot last year, identified as an inspiring example of how a city can demonstrate low-carbon urban development. Malmö has achieved this through consistent and long-term planning, a comprehensive approach to energy, construction, transportation and densification and by promoting enabling environments for innovation and sustainable lifestyles.

"In contrast to failed global climate negotiations, many cities can demonstrate concrete progress in transitioning towards a low-carbon future. Malmö is one of these cities, and aims to assume the role of a global green leader", says Ilmar Reepalu, Mayor of Malmö. "But our work is not quite finished yet. Our goal is for Malmö to be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy by the year 2030."

Malmö will now challenge cities in selected pilot countries for the title in 2013. Cities are invited to submit inspiring and credible plans for low-carbon development and for dramatically increasing the use of sustainable, efficient and renewable energy solutions for review by an international jury.

The jury will place particular emphasis on how the cities plan to meet people's everyday needs (for buildings, transport, energy) in a renewable future, rewarding solutions that can make cities greener and cleaner places to live while improving citizens' quality of life.

Cities will submit relevant data and plans via carbonn® Cities Climate Registry (cCCR), an internationally recognized carbon reporting platform for local authorities, managed by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability. ICLEI will also actively support the campaign by reaching out to candidate cities within their network.

Once reporting closes on November 19, the international jury will select five national champions and one Global Earth Hour Capital of the year to be announced to the world in March 2013.

For more information, please contact:

Carina Borgström-Hansson, PhD
Head, Earth Hour City Challenge, WWF
Tel: +46 708 855 185
Email: Carina.Borgstrom-Hansson@wwf.se

Barbara Evaeus,
Communications Manager Earth Hour City Challenge, WWF
Tel: +46 70 393 9030
Email: barbara.evaeus@wwf.se

About WWF

WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. www.panda.org/news for latest news and media resources

Volvo Group and WWF expand climate partnership

2012-02-17

Sanya, China - Volvo Construction Equipment and Volvo Buses have joined the Volvo Group's cooperation with WWF´s Climate Savers program, pledging to reduce CO2 emissions by 30 million tons from construction equipment, buses and trucks through 2014.

"By expanding the partnership with WWF to include our buses and construction equipment, the Volvo Group will demonstrate that it is serious about continuously raising our targets in terms of reducing carbon-dioxide emissions from our products, by complying with our vision for sustainable and carbon-neutral future transportation," said Volvo's CEO Olof Persson.

The Volvo Group became the world's first auto manufacturer to join WWF Climate Savers in November 2010 with a commitment to reduce the lifetime CO2 emissions of its trucks sold from 2009 to 2014 by 13 million tons compared to 2008 models.

Thanks to improved fuel efficiency, the goal has now been increased to 30 million tons, and will include the company's buses and construction equipment. Thirty million tons is the same amount of carbon dioxide emitted by Sweden in its entirety in seven months.

Volvo's joint-venture company, SDLG, will also become the first leading Chinese construction equipment company to be a member of Climate Savers family.

"Emissions in the transport sector have a major impact on the climate and must be met with vigorous initiatives. It is therefore very encouraging that the Volvo Group now wants to broaden their cooperation with WWF by expanding to new business areas" said Håkan Wirtén, Secretary General of WWF Sweden.

Climate Savers and the Volvo Group

WWF's Climate Savers program involves multinational companies in the battle to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions. The companies that are included in Climate Savers pledge to reduce their carbon-dioxide emissions pursuant to an agreement between the WWF and the company. Independent technical experts review the results, and agreed targets must be more ambitious than the company originally planned. Meanwhile, it Climate Savers are also required to play a leading role in its industry in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The agreement between Volvo and the WWF applies for AB Volvo and the Volvo Group's brands, Volvo Construction Equipment, Volvo Buses, Volvo Trucks, Mack Trucks, Renault Trucks, UD Trucks and SDLG. SDLG manufactures construction equipment in China, and will be the leading Chinese company in handling climate change towards low carbon economy.

Fast lane for innovation key to avoid rocky road of climate change

2011-06-16

While the United Nations climate talks in Bonn this week creep forward, a new WWF report says that fast and scaled up support for innovative approaches to developing a low-carbon economy is possible.

Enabling the Transition – Climate Innovation Systems for a Low Carbon Future, released today, calls for inclusive actions of equal speed and scale and states that "the speed, scale and complexity of climate change is having a multiplying effect on other environmental stresses".

"The International Energy Agency has just reported record high emissions in 2010. WWF's new report on innovation shows that governments can create the fast lane to global deployment of clean technologies," said Samantha Smith, leader of WWF's Global Climate and Energy Initiative.

"While industry is starting to get on board, governments are called upon to make clean technology markets grow at a fast pace. They need to introduce stronger national legislation as much as finalizing the international framework currently negotiated in Bonn."

The report assesses nine economies – China, India, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the European Union. It shows a range of common conditions for moving fast towards a low carbon economy: they include strengthening domestic and international technology collaboration, establishing new low carbon markets, stimulating demand, and attracting private capital.

Providing reliable, affordable and clean energy on the scale required will need large initial investment. But the benefits would be much greater in the long term, providing economic and development opportunities and massive cost savings.

"Every country and region has its own unique starting point and ability to create enabling environments for climate entrepreneurship," said Samantha Smith. "However, they also share a great deal of the challenges and the opportunities gained from strengthening climate innovation systems."

Increased collaboration and investments must be facilitated and reinforced with carefully designed policies, the report states. These policies should include re-directing the existing $ 200-500 billion global fossil fuel subsidies into sustainable energy solutions, as well as rewarding transformative solutions in public procurement and economic stimulus packages.

"The overwhelming majority of capital required for making the transition to low carbon will come from private sources, and that money will flow where it expects to achieve the highest return on investments. We need to discuss how to attract private capital to climate innovations, including targeted support from public funds" said Magnus Emfel, Manager Climate Innovations at WWF Sweden and editor of the report.

"The UNFCCC should send a clear signal to countries about the level of ambition for low carbon innovation," said Samantha Smith. "Unfortunately, progress in Bonn is sluggish at best – our report shows how governments could move into the fast lane."

The on-going United Nations meeting in Bonn is preparing for the climate conference in South Africa at the end of 2011 (UNFCCC COP 17, 28 Nov to 9 Dec 2011). WWF says that progress and agreements should be reached in Bonn on a number of critical stepping stones, including public climate finance, all of which can then be successfully finalized in Durban, South Africa.

Arctic Council shows what it is capable of

2011-05-13

Nuuk, Greenland: The Arctic Council yesterday showed off its potential, with eight countries and indigenous organisations signing off on Arctic-wide search and rescue provisions.

"This is not a step forward for the council – this a great leap forward", said Alexander Shestakov, Director of WWF's Global Arctic Programme.

"It proves that leaders around the circumpolar world are capable of working together to meet a common need. The Arctic states will need to make several more such leaps to meet the challenges of an Arctic environment that is facing wrenching physical change, compounded by swift social and economic change."

Progress was also recorded on other key areas, with ministers of the US, Canada, Norway, Finland and Russia, Denmark and Greenland, Iceland and Sweden together with leaders of indigenous organisations, agreed to look further at ecosystem based management in the Arctic. Once in place, this system allows for better management of resources such as fish stocks that flow across international boundaries.

Steps hold a lot of promise

The leaders also agreed to take steps to assess change and resilience in the Arctic, which would be able to build on WWF's work in identifying future areas important for conservation.

Lastly the leaders agreed to establish a task force aimed at developing a new international agreement on oil spill preparedness and response. WWF notes that oil spill prevention is not included in the mandate of the task force, which we believe is a glaring omission. While this will not stop new drilling for oil in the Arctic, it may go some way toward meeting WWF's argument for a halt to drilling until there are proven technologies capable of effectively preventing or responding to spills in Arctic conditions.

"These steps hold a lot of promise," says Shestakov. "The states must now deliver on that promise. The arctic is no longer a sleepy backwater, but a priority region for some of the richest and most powerful states in the world. If the Arctic states do not quickly and effectively regulate Arctic activities, they run the risk of allowing this unique place to be despoiled."

Shestakov said WWF would have like to see stronger climate change commitments from the Arctic countries, as this remains the most urgent underlying issue in the Artic.

"We need to set the world on the path to an equitable and low carbon future, with the long-term goal of 80% emissions reductions by 2050 to ensure the safety, sustainability and prosperity of people, places and species," Shestakov said.

"We urge the Arctic nations to set explicit and binding national emissions reduction targets towards 80% reduction, and to implement ambitious action plans for adaptation and low carbon development."

The next Arctic Council ministerial meeting will be held in two years. WWF will continue to monitor and report on the Council's progress on conservation issues, and will continue to offer its expertise and research.

Sweden unleashes 6747 hunters onto 20 wolves

2011-01-14

Stockholm, Sweden: Another storm of protest is set to engulf Sweden's second cull of endangered wolves tomorrow, which has seen 6,747 hunters register to kill 20 of the total Scandinavian wolf population of about 250.

WWF-Sweden was one of four Swedish nature conservation organisations to approach the European Union in March 2010, after a first cull of 27 wolves last year was justified on the basis that the hunt would create acceptance for the wolf in Sweden.

"It is doubtful that the hunt has created acceptance for the wolf's existence in Sweden" says Håkan Wirtén, CEO WWF-Sweden.

Opinion surveys have shown that a majority of the Swedish people are already positive to the wolves in rural areas with the main opposition coming from hunters themselves using loose dogs and sheep farmers.

In an exchange of letters which has intensified in the last month, the EU has put Sweden on notice that going ahead with tomorrow's hunt could see the country hauled before the European Court for violating the Habitat's Directive.

According to the correspondence between Janez Potočnik, the European Commissioner for Environment and Andreas Carlgren, the Swedish Minister of Environment, hunting of the wolf in the EU is strictly prohibited, with very narrowly defined exceptions not consistent with Sweden's arbitrary limit for its wolf population.

Potočnik also argues that the irregularities in Sweden setting up a semi-annual licenced hunt could set unfortunate precedents for protecting other endangered animals.

Scandinavia's wolf population is exceptionally vulnerable because of an extremely narrow genetic base, almost totally isolated from the wolves in Russian and Finland and founded on only three animals which migrated in to Sweden between 1983 and early 1990. Two more wolves with "fresh" blood established themselves in 2008, but the population is extremely inbred and needs new wolves from Finland and Russia rather than culling.

The Swedish parliament decided in 2009 that there should be only 200 to 210 individual wolves in Sweden, despite being a large country with very high densities of prey. The country is also relatively sparsely populated compared to other countries in Europe which have wolves.

Last year's cull of 27 animals (28 were shot, one more than the set quota) started an outrage in Sweden which awoke groups who earlier have kept silence in the wolf debate. A majority of the Swedish population (even in the most dense hunter areas) are positive to the wolves.

"As the hunt is going ahead tomorrow, WWF proposes that the European Commission move ahead with the infringement procedure against Sweden," said Andreas Baumuller, Senior Biodiversity Policy Officer at WWF's European Policy Office

Contact: Tom Arnbom, Senior Conservation Officer, WWF Sweden.
Tel: +46-70-5544066, e-mail:tom.arnbom@wwf.se

Volvo Group joins WWF Climate Savers in pledge to reduce emissions and lead transport sector towards a CO2 neutral future

2010-11-04

The Volvo Group announced today that it would join WWF Climate Savers Programme, making it the world's first vehicle manufacturer to take part in the initiative.

As a WWF partner, the Volvo Group's truck companies will undertake to reduce the CO2-emissions from vehicles manufactured between 2009 and 2014 by 13 million tons – equal to Sweden's annual CO2 emissions during a three month period.

"The transport sector has a very large impact on the climate. Voluntary initiatives from this sector are of utmost importance," says Håkan Wirtén, Secretary General, WWF Sweden. "Volvo Group aims to take leadership in the transport sector's efforts to combat climate change, and will act as an inspiring example of how climate action and business development can go hand in hand."

The independent technical experts from Ecofys will monitor this work on a yearly basis and oversee that the Volvo Group complies with its targets.

"The partnership with WWF means that we are raising our already ambitious goals in relation to cutting the CO2 emissions of our products. Our shared vision is that future transport will be CO2-neutral. It won't be easy, but if anyone can do it – Volvo can," says Volvo's CEO Leif Johansson.

More than 10 years ago, WWF created the Climate Savers Programme, a unique programme to mobilize leading multinational companies to cut their CO2 emissions in absolute terms and lead on the issue of climate change. Over the decade more than 20 world-known companies have shown that it's possible to reduce their carbon footprint while growing both their business and shareholder value.

To be included, companies in the Climate Savers Programme agree to reduce their CO2 emissions in accordance with an individual reduction target defined by WWF, the company and independent technical experts.

The agreed goal must be more ambitious than what the company has planned before, which should position the company to lead its own industry in the reduction of greenhouse gases.

According to Bruce Haase, Acting Head Climate and Business Engagement, WWF International" WWF works with best-in-class companies in order to effect change throughout the entire sector by pushing sector leaders to take on ever more ambitious CO2 reduction targets. The Climate Savers agreement with Volvo Group is an opportunity to demonstrate that low carbon solutions exist even within sectors that are generally considered difficult."

The agreement between Volvo Group and WWF will apply to Volvo Group's truck companies, including its Mack Trucks, Volvo Trucks, Renault Trucks, and UD Trucks companies.

The agreement states that:

· The total amount of CO2 emitted during their lifetime by trucks manufactured and sold between 2009 and 2014 will be cut by 13 million tons compared with 2008 models.

· Volvo Group will produce a truck prototype with 20-percent lower fuel consumption than the equivalent 2008 model.

· Volvo Group will be able to offer trucks in the commercial market that run on renewable gas before 2014.

Volvo Group will also reduce CO2 emissions from its production plants by 0.5 million tons (12 percent) before 2014, compared with 2008.

Volvo Group's environmental initiatives are driven by three integrated factors: legislation in the area, the Volvo Group's own initiative to create the best products possible without compromising customers or the environment, and external partnerships.

"As the first vehicle manufacturer to be selected to participate in the Climate Savers Programme, we have been presented with a real challenge, yet by focusing on lower CO2-emissions, we believe that we can create more value for our customers' business while contributing to sustainable development at the same time," says Volvo's CEO Leif Johansson.

Ship sewage banned in Baltic Sea

2010-10-01

Ship sewage will no longer be allowed to foul the Baltic Sea.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Friday agreed to ban the discharge of sewage from passenger ships and ferries in the Baltic Sea.

The decision comes after a three year WWF campaign to stop the dumping of waste water in the Baltic Sea.

WWF has since 2007 worked hard to convince governments and the shipping industry to ban the discharge of waste water straight into the Baltic Sea. The organization had already succeeded in receiving voluntary commitments from many passenger ferry lines and cruise companies that traffic the Baltic Sea.

Friday's decision will make the dumping of waste water illegal starting in 2013 for all new ships, and from 2018 for all ships, when sufficient port reception facilities are available. A special IMO working group will develop criteria for "adequate port reception facilities".

"This is an important milestone for the Baltic Sea", says Mattias Rust, WWF's representative at the IMO meeting. "The responsibility now lies heavy on the Baltic Sea countries and their ports to provide the necessary port facilities."

Last week, the worlds shipping nations met at the IMO in London to discuss environmental issues. In a joint submission from all the Baltic Sea states, the IMO was asked to "ban discharge of sewage from passenger ships and ferries in the Baltic Sea unless it has been sufficiently treated to remove nutrients or delivered to port reception facilities". The resolution was finally passed today.

In total, the Baltic Sea receives more than 350 cruise ship visits with over 2,100 port calls each year and the numbers are rapidly growing. The waste-water produced in these vessels is estimated to contain 113 tons of nitrogen and 38 tons of phosphorus, Most of this sewage is today discharged into the Baltic Sea, adding to the eutrophication of the sea. In addition to excess nutrients, the waste water also contains bacteria, viruses and other pathogens, as well as heavy metals.

Eutrophication is considered the main environmental problem of the Baltic Sea, causing both biological and economic damage to marine environment and coastal areas. It is caused by an overload of nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, into the ecosystem. Eutrophication causes many problems, including unusually strong and frequent summertime algae blooms, including blooms of toxic cyanobacteria.

Cruise ships continue to foul the Baltic Sea

2010-09-22

Despite promises to use port facilities to offload waste water, more than half of the cruise ships in the Baltic Sea still dump their toilet water straight into the sea, WWF revealed today.

To this end, WWF is demanding a ban on waste water dumping in the Baltic ahead of an international meeting next week.

In May 2009, ECC, an organization representing the major cruise companies operating in Europe, committed to stop dumping their waste water in the Baltic Sea "when certain conditions were met".

These conditions included "adequate port reception facilities which operate under a 'no special fee' agreement". Today, at least two major ports around the Baltic Sea, Stockholm and Helsinki, meet these conditions.

However, WWF revealed today that most cruise ships do not use these port facilities.

As the cruise season ended last week, Stockholm had in all 240 ship visits in 2010. Of these 240, only 115 used existing port facilities and even some of these 115 only offloaded small amounts, suggesting that most of the sewage, even from these, has been dumped at sea. At the same time, the ports of St Petersburn, Tallin, Riga, Klaipeda, Gdansk, Rostock and Copenhagen still lack port facilities that meet the demand of the cruise industry.

"The problem is that there are no laws regulating this", says Mattias Rust of WWF. "Anything like this would have been absolutely unthinkable on land, but just because it is out of sight for most of us, we still let it happen".

A proposal to ban the discharge of passenger ships was identified as a priority action in the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP), agreed by all Baltic Sea countries in 2007.

Next week, the worlds shipping nations meet at the International Maritime Organization in London to discuss environmental issues. In a joint submission from all the Baltic Sea states, the IMO will be asked to "ban discharge of sewage from passenger ships and ferries in the Baltic Sea unless it has been sufficiently treated to remove nutrients or delivered to port reception facilities".

The cruise industry is a rapidly growing industry. In the last ten years, the numbers of cruise passengers in the Baltic Sea region has tripled and now amounts to over 3 million. In Stockholm only, 415,000 cruise passengers spent on average 130 euro each, providing the city with an income of 54 million euro.

In total, the Baltic Sea receives more than 350 cruise ship visits with over 2,100 port calls each year. The waste-water produced in these vessels is estimated to contain 113 tons of nitrogen and 38 tons of phosphorus, substances that add to eutrophication of the sea. Most of this sewage is still discharged into the Baltic Sea. In addition to excess nutrients, the waste water also contains bacteria, viruses and other pathogens, as well as heavy metals.

"The cruise companies as well as the cities that receive the ships are making millions on this industry", says Mattias Rust. "They both share the responsibility to solve the waste water problem."

About IMO and MARPOL

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) holds its 61st meeting in London 27 September to 1 October.
The IMO sets international maritime vessel safety and marine pollution standards under the MARPOL 73/78 convention. The revised annex IV of MARPOL 73/78 concerning rules on sewage treatment for ships entered into force on 1 August 2005. The Annex IV is one of the four voluntary annexes of the MARPOL convention's six annexes. The annex sets out how sewage should be treated or held aboard ships and how the discharge into the sea may be allowed. It also requires the parties to the convention to provide adequate sewage reception facilities. The annex only applies to ships engaged in international voyages, of 400 gross tonnages and above and ships of less than 400 tonnages that are certified to carry more than 15 persons. The Member States are responsible for the vessel's compliance with MARPOL, when flagged under their respective nationalities.

The revised Annex IV requires ships to be equipped with either a sewage treatment plant, a sewage comminuting ("reducing to minute particles") and disinfecting system, or a sewage holding tank. Discharge of sewage is allowed when the ship is discharging comminuted and disinfected sewage, using an approved system, at a distance of more than three nautical miles from the nearest coast line, or sewage which is not disinfected at a distance of more than twelve nautical miles from the nearest land. Ships shall, when discharging sewage that has been stored in holding tanks or originating from spaces containing living animals, always do so at a moderate rate when the ship is en route and proceeding in not less than four knots. Furthermore, the effluent shall not produce visible floating solids nor cause discoloration of the surrounding water.

The discharge of sewage is always permitted if is for the purpose of securing the safety of the ship and those on board, saving life at sea or if the discharge is a result of damage to the ship or its equipment and if all reasonable precautions have been taken before and after to prevent or minimize the discharge.

The revised Annex IV requires the government of each party to the convention to ensure the provision of reception facilities for sewage at ports and terminals, adequate to meet the needs of the ships using them and without causing delay to the ships.

As mentioned above, Annex IV is only binding to the countries signing on to this specific annex, but all the countries around the Baltic Sea are parties both to the MARPOL 73/78 convention and to Annex IV.

In addition, the IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) has adopted recommendations and guidelines related to the MARPOL 73/78 and the revised Annex IV. These include standards for the rate of discharge of untreated sewage from ships and for onboard treatment facilities.

A Special Area is today defined as "a sea area where for recognised technical reasons in relation to its oceanographical and ecological conditions and to the particular character of its traffic, the adoption of special mandatory methods for the prevention of sea pollution by oil, noxious liquid substances or garbage, as applicable, is required." Under the Convention, these Special Areas are provided with a higher level of protection than other areas of the sea.

The Baltic Sea countries are now proposing to amend MARPOL Annex IV to include the possibility to establish "special areas" for the prevention of pollution from sewage of passenger ships and to designate the Baltic Sea as such a Special Area.

Historic high seas declaration at risk

2010-09-01

Hamburg, Germany: Last minute reservations from four countries may sink the historic announcement of a network of marine protected areas over key areas of the mid-Atlantic Ridge and basin which was scheduled for the North-East Atlantic environment summit later this month.

The declaration, foreshadowed by the OSPAR Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic since 2008, would have been the world's first declaration of a suite of protected sites in waters outside any national jurisdiction.

"The sixteen Contracting Parties have been working towards a milestone achievement for several years, setting a global example to protect ocean wildlife and vulnerable habitats in international waters which is considered an unprecedented pilot by other coastal states worldwide," said Stephan Lutter, International Marine Policy Officer with WWF-Germany and WWF's observer to OSPAR, the Oslo Paris convention on the north east Atlantic environment.

"Now, the reservation by four governments is putting the big break at risk."

Ministers representing parties to OSPAR were scheduled to consider detailed proposals at a meeting in Bergen, Norway on 20-24 September.

"However now that the draft Decisions and Recommendations are on the table for adoption, a group of countries sadly withdraw their support to what could become a global push for good High Seas and ocean governance," said Lutter. "Due to the reluctance of Denmark, Iceland, Norway and the United Kingdom, the ambitious plan to deliver a first network of High Seas marine protected areas is at stake."

The new found reluctance of these states to stick to their original commitments is thought to relate to them notifying extensions of their continental shelf beyond the 200 nautical miles Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) to the United Nations. These seabed claims now coincide with parts of the proposed marine protected areas.

OSPAR's 2008 agreement in principle designated large sections of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the so-called Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone as the first High Seas marine protected area. This underwater mountain range and canyon hosts a wealth of deep sea wildlife, from deep water sharks to cold-water coral reefs and sponge formations. In the upper water layer, there is the sub-polar water front rich in plankton and fish, attracting oceanic seabirds and migrating marine mammals such as big whales.

"Since the time of this political milestone agreement, OSPAR has made remarkable progress in terms of carving out specific conservation objectives and starting consultations about the future management of the protected area with the competent UN authorities for fisheries, seabed mining and shipping, another unique and innovative approach deserving global attention," Lutter said.

Moreover, five additional seamount and ridge sites have been selected and nominated as marine protected areas in the meantime, altogether covering about 450.000 square km or appr. 9% of the North-East Atlantic's international waters.

WWF disputes the basis of reservations of the four countries. Legal advice, including reports commissioned with Law of the Sea experts by WWF, notes the feasibility of establishing marine protected areas via shared responsibility of coastal states for protection of their seabed and international authorities for adjacent areas.

"We believe that states are even obliged to apply their marine conservation laws up to the offshore limit of their jurisdiction, " Lutter said, highlighting the example of Portugal which has nominated four of the sites concerned on its extended shelf and is proactively inviting OSPAR to afford protection to the remaining waters.

"We have not abandoned all hope that this example might catch on and not lost faith in the upcoming Ministerial summit keeping its momentum and international credibility."

Further information:
Stephan Lutter, International Marine Policy & Marine Protected Areas, WWF-Germany
Mobile: +49 151 18854925 E-mail: stephan.lutter@wwf.de

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Stressed Baltic faces uncontrolled growth

2010-08-24

Stockholm, Sweden: The Baltic, one of the world's most stressed seas, faces uncontrolled growth in demands for space and resources over the next 20 years, according to WWF projections released this week.

Future trends in the Baltic Sea details many sectors growing several hundred per cent, highlighting the inadequacies of sector by sector and country by country planning.

Taking shipping as an example, the number of ships plying the Baltic is expected to double in the next two decades, as will be the cargo carried. Cruise ship use of the Baltic will increase several fold. While the number of ports will remain constant, many will increase their size and capacity and more dredging is expected as a result.

The increased shipping will need to be more careful of wurling windmill blades, with the wind energy sector expected to increase today's capacity by more than 6,000%. Anchors will also be more likely to encounter electric cables and pipelines.

"The situation we have today is the result of many years of bad planning and lack of leadership," says Ottilia Thoreson, Manager of the Baltic Ecoregion Programme at WWF-Sweden. "If we continue in this way, it will lead to even more competition and conflicts between sectors, resulting in even more pressure on the marine resources the Baltic Sea provides us with."

One area that needs growth, Marine Protected Areas, is hardly assured of it. With only 12 percent currently protected, WWF estimates an additional 20 percent of the Baltic's area is required to help in restoring the sea to health.

Today, none of the open basins in the Baltic Sea have a "good ecosystem health status" according to a recent study by Helcom, the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission. Of 24 ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea, less than half were operating properly.

"As long as the use of the sea is managed sector by sector and country by country, it will be impossible to take the hard decisions that are necessary", says Ottilia Thoreson. "We believe that this is one of the reasons why it has been so difficult to save the Baltic Sea".

There is also a large economic benefit to improved sea use planning. A report that was recently released by the European Commission concludes that better maritime planning in European waters could generate as much as 1.3 billion euro in 2020 and up to 1.8 billion in 2030.

In the "Future Trends" report, WWF concludes that the only way to avoid chaos in the Baltic Sea is a more integrated approach to sea use management

The report was issued during this year's Baltic Sea Festival. n 2007, WWF instituted an award, the WWF Baltic Sea Leadership Award. WWF bestows this award when the organisation is inspired and moved by specific acts of true leadership – providing the rest of us with great examples to celebrate and demonstrate as examples for others. This year the Award was presented to Poul Degnbol, Head of the Advisory Programme at ICES (the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) and former Scientific Advisor at the European Commission, with the following motivation:

"WWF applauds Poul Degnbol for taking the initiative during his five years within the European Commission to champion the need for, and benefits of, sustainability and integrating the ecosystem based approach to fisheries management within the Common Fisheries Policy which has made a real difference for the Baltic Sea. WWF also recognizes his leadership to advocate for enhanced stakeholder engagement and a more transparent regional decision-making approach to fisheries management based on scientific advice."

For more information, please contact:
Ottilia Thoreson, Programme Manager, WWF Baltic Ecoregion Programme
Tel: +46 (0)8- 624 74 15
Email: ottilia.thoreson@wwf.se

Oil drilling suspension should top agenda at arctic emergencies meeting

2010-06-16

Vorkuta, Russia: As oil continues to spew into the Gulf of Mexico from a sunken BP drilling rig, a key meeting of arctic countries starting today needs to push for a suspension of all arctic drilling until the region can deal with the risks, WWF said.

Greg Bourne, a former BP executive now with the global environment organisation, said imagining nations could deal with a drilling accident in the Arctic with current technology and resources would be "a triumph of hope over experience and reason".

The Arctic Council recently updated and revised guidelines for offshore oil and gas drilling, but those guidelines, even if implemented, would not go far enough to prevent or contain catastrophic spills such as last year's Timor Sea blowout which took 73 days to stop or the current Gulf of Mexico oil confirmed as the worst in US history and still unresolved.

WWF maintains that the revised guidelines do not go nearly far enough and the Arctic Council Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response (EPPR) Working Group needs to use the Vorkuta meeting commencing today to strongly urge the Council to impose a halt to drilling plans for this year over a wide spread of the Arctic.

This year exploratory drilling is scheduled to occur off the west coast of Greenland. In Norway, the government is considering opening up areas of high ecological value outside of Lofoten and Vesterålen for oil exploration. In Russia, exploratory drilling is scheduled in the Kara Sea and the Ob river estuary near the Yamal Peninsula.

Nationally, no new drilling should occur until there is the capacity to rapidly and effectively respond to spills in arctic waters.

"It is time for the arctic states to recognize that offshore oil drilling with current technology and response capability poses unacceptable risks in the Arctic" says Aleksey Knizhnikov, Oil & Gas Environmental Policy Officer for WWF-Russia who is attending the Vorkuta meeting.

"Norway and the United States have already taken the first step, by putting off any further arctic offshore drilling until an investigation into the Gulf disaster is over. But we already know that whatever that investigation reveals, it will not diminish the risks of arctic drilling."

Arctic offshore oil drilling is facing increasing opposition from local peoples. A recent poll commissioned by WWF-Norway indicated that almost one out of four Norwegians has become more negative to oil exploration in Lofoten and Vesterålen following the Gulf spill. In both Canada and Alaska, local Indigenous peoples are also opposing offshore oil development until or unless they can be assured that it can be done safely.

"The offshore exploration and production industry are pushing at the very limits of technology and the ability to safely handle and control that technology," says Greg Bourne, CEO of WWF-Australia, and formerly a Drilling Manager and Regional President with BP in Latin America and then Australasia.

"The Gulf of Mexico is the world's centre of drilling technology with thousands of engineers and immense resources in terms of boats, planes, control equipment and manufacturing facilities - and even here it is proving immensely difficult to handle the tragic event of the Gulf of Mexico blowout.

"To even conceive of being able to control a similar event in the Arctic would be a triumph of hope over experience and reason. The consequences of such an event in the cold climate would lead to a persistence of ecological damage over many decades," Bourne says.

WWF is currently updating a study of the oil spill response gap in the Arctic, showing that current technology is incapable of effectively cleaning up oil spills in ice covered waters.

Link to web-quality material: http://www.youtube.com/user/WWFNorge#p/a/u/0/dCSbY5nsjks

For further information:

In Vorkuta, Russia: Aleksey Knizhnikov, Oil & Gas Environmental Policy Officer, WWF-Russia, aknizhnikov@wwf.ru, Tel: +7 910 4280514

International: Patrick Lewis, Responsible Industry Officer, WWF Arctic Programme, plewis@wwf.no, Tel: +47 92 62 30 30

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with more than 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

www.panda.org/media for latest news and media resources

Swedish hunters help save Amur tigers

2010-04-29

Vladivostok, Russia – The Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management is helping Russian tiger conservation efforts thousands of miles away by sharing their secrets to raising prey animals like deer and wild boar.

The managers of four sustainable hunting estates in Russia recently joined leaders from WWF-Russia's Amur branch on a special trip to Sweden to learn how to increase the number of prey in their areas – a crucial component of efforts to save wild tigers.

The managers, who head Tigrovoye, Medved, Orlinoye, and Borisovskoye hunting estates, have been working with the Amur branch of WWF-Russia since 2000 to better use their natural resources and conserve rare and endangered plants and animals on their lands.

The Russian team visited hunting estates in the north and east of Sweden in collaboration with the country's National Veterinary Institute, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management, and the Kolmården Zoo, the largest in Scandinavia.

Their Swedish counterparts shared methods on how they increased populations of ungulates, including roe deer, wild boar, fallow deer, reindeer and elk. The Amur tiger's main prey in the Russian Far East are roe deer, red deer, sika deer, and wild boar.

In addition, increasing the number of prey animals in tigers' habitats reduces human-tiger conflict because when tigers have enough wild prey they are less likely to wander into villages and kill domestic livestock.

There are as few as 3,200 tigers left in the wild and only about 450 Amur tigers left in Russia. Low population numbers, an increase in poaching and illegal trade and a decrease in habitat and prey mean that tigers face an uncertain future in the wild.

However, scientists say that there is enough habitat across Asia to support tens of thousands of tigers, and if these big cats have enough space and prey and are protected from poachers, then their numbers will increase.

Projects such as this one that are helping tiger populations recover are a part of WWF's Year of the Tiger campaign, which seeks to double the number of tigers in the wild by the next Year of the Tiger in 2022.

In late February, the Russian hunters visited feeding grounds for reindeer, elk, roe deer, wild boar, and fallow deer, learned how to prepare different feeding mixes, and studied the types of animal feeders used in Sweden.

"The experience gained will help us achieve one of our main goals – to increase ungulate numbers so that they will be sufficient both for tigers and humans," said Sergei Aramilev, biodiversity conservation program coordinator at WWF-Russia's Amur branch.

"We have seen the unique Swedish approach and expertise based on people's knowledge, and love and care for nature," said Pavel Fomenko, biodiversity conservation program coordinator at WWF-Russia's Amur branch. "One of the strongest impressions for me is that game management in Sweden is very democratic – all people regardless of their social or financial status are involved into this process."

Sergei Voblyi, head of the Orlinoye hunting estate said he expected that Sweden and Russia's approach to hunting management would be different.

"But the study tour has proved the contrary," Voblyi said. "Being in Sweden, I have learned that the approach for game management is similar and have realized the importance of new approaches for my future work in Russia."

Already, the hunting estate managers have begun changing their approach to raising prey. Voblyi and other hunting estate managers said they are now installing new types of feeders and are now using different kinds of forage.

WWF plans to organize a series of seminars to share the findings of the trip with other hunting estates in Primorskii and Khabarovskii Provinces, which are interested in conservation of wild ungulates as the main prey for the Amur tiger and the Amur leopard.

WWF and Industry Leaders join forces to save European fisheries

2010-04-28

Brussels, Belgium: Global environment organisation WWF and the leading associations for European seafood processors and retailers today announced they will work together to push for solutions to the crisis of European seas and fisheries.

The EU Fish Processors' and Traders' Association, AIPCE-CEP, and Eurocommerce, which represents retail, wholesale and international trade interests to the EU, and WWF will be jointly seeking reforms to the troubled European Common Fisheries Policy to lay the basis for sustainable fisheries and a sustainable fishing industry.

The current EU Common Fisheries Policy has failed to secure the health of EU fisheries, and has put most of them under severe strain, compromising the ability to offer the EU population the sustainably harvested fish they are demanding.

"In the last decade conservationists and the seafood industry have definitely changed. Where once we might have been adversaries, today we are allies and all agree that without these key reforms we will not be able to bring European fisheries back to wide scale health and prosperity," said Tony Long, Director of the WWF European Policy Office.

"Today's alliance already represents a very significant portion of the supply chain from the processing and trading sector and the retail sector, and from the North Sea to the Mediterranean. Sustainability is a conservation necessity and a business necessity today."

AIPCE President Guus Pastoor said "For the sake of an improved CFP, EU Fish processors and traders are convinced that it is necessary to join forces to achieve sustainable and profitable fisheries for the future of all EU citizens. Therefore we feel committed to support an alliance of partners seeking for a reform which meets the needs of the sector."

Xavier Durieu, Secretary General of EuroCommerce, said "The commerce sector is committed to play an active role in helping to achieve a sustainable and well managed supply of fish, which in turn should enable retailers to meet the growing consumer demand for healthy and environmentally friendlier fish and aquaculture products."

The alliance is seeking the replacement of "political quotas" for fish with mandatory long term management plans firmly based on science for all EU fisheries by 2015.

The alliance is also seeking to have all regional stakeholders play effective roles in developing fisheries plans and a culture of compliance for fisheries.

Strong EU standards should also apply wherever the EU fishes and this should be reflected in EU fishery and trade polices and fishing agreements and partnerships.

Fisheries policy should also seek to maximise value from catch to consumer, avoiding waste and ensuring stable supplies of seafood and added value at each stage of supply chain.

In the next months WWF and its allies will present their shared position to members of the European Commission and the Parliament involved in the reform of European fisheries and actively engage more and more national offices and companies to move towards sustainable and well-managed fisheries inside and outside Europe.

For further information:
Stefania Campogianni, Press Officer, WWF European Policy Office, Tel. +32 (0)2 743 88 15,
Mob: (0) 499 539736, Email: scampogianni@wwfepo.org
Aurora Vicente, Secretary General, AIPCE-CEP, tel. +32 (0)2 743 87 44, Email: aipce@agep.eu
Marina Valverde Lopez, Adviser on Food Policy and Consumers, Eurocommerce,
tel. +32 (0)2 737 0584, Email: valverdelopez@eurocommerce.be

This press release and related material is available on www.panda.org/eu
.

Out-of-court negotiations lay way for less damaging Baltic pipleline

2010-04-23

Berlin, Germany - The controversial Baltic Sea gas pipeline is to be less damaging to the vulnerable sea following out-of-court negotiations between proponents Nord Stream and WWF-Germany and BUND (the German chapter of Friends of the Earth).

Under the agreement, Nordstream will modify construction procedures to better protect the environment, greatly increase funding for nature conservation activities, provide more in compensation and provisions for nature conservation measures.

BUND and WWF will discontinue their legal action against the zoning approval and hence waive the option tohave construction work stopped.

"The agreement is a trailblazing success for the protection of the Baltic Sea", notes Jochen Lamp, head of the Baltic Sea office of WWF Germany.

The operators are guaranteeing that they will implement additional measures to protect nature during the construction of the pipeline, going so far as to implement a modified concept of digging. Funds for compensation measures and nature conservation tasks and maintenance will be increased by more than €10m.

On the crucial Greifswald bodden Nord Stream has agreed to considerably reduce disruptions from construction activity, with marsh soil rich in slush now to be transported to onshore dumps or used as construction material. This will eliminate unnecessary water turbidity which would have killed soil organisms and benefit herring spawn.

The company also entered into an agreement with fishers, which will see the the fishing season for herring in the Greifswald bodden reduced by ten days during next year's spawning season.

In addition to the requirements imposed by the public authorities, Nord Stream will contribute €10 million for the implementation of nature conservation measures in the Baltic Sea.

Nature reserves as large as up to 1,000 hectares are to be created in order to compensate for damage caused during construction, with Nord Stream paying for maintenance of these areas for a term of 35 years.

Furthermore, the company will provide a guarantee for remedial action concerning unforeseeable environmental impacts of the pipeline.

The additional funds can now be used to develop and implement nature protection projects in the Baltic Sea habitats in due time. These projects include, for instance, steps to remedy the low oxygen content in the sea which is burdened anyway.

Other options include the creation of large wetlands near the coast and the relocation of dams in order to create space for flooded salt marshes.

Notes Corinna Cwielag, managing director of BUND Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: "We have achieved far more for Baltic Sea protection than public authorities were able or willing to do.

"We have achieved a revision of the approval by the mining authorities which foresaw compensation of just 40 percent - and hence also achieved the main goal of our action."

Eberhard Brandes, head of WWF Germany, called it a "historical achievement" as the first time that a material value visible for investors had been defined for nature on the seafloor and costs had been identified for intervention in marine nature.

This would set standards for the future, he said.

Forests fundamental to effective climate deal

2009-10-25

Buenos Aires, Argentina – The world's ability to control climate change could be crippled if global leaders do not support clear and effective targets to arrest deforestation at climate talks in Copenhagen in December, WWF said at the conclusion of a key global foresty summit.

As the XIIIth World Forestry Congress finished Friday, WWF called for an ambitious and bold climate deal at Copenhagen to give clear guidance and incentives for the forestry sector to do its part in stopping catastrophic climate change and adapt to predicted changes.

"Setting immediate deforestation targets is a key component of any climate change agreement," said Rodney Taylor, Director of WWF International's Forest program.

"If the global deal on climate change ignores the dangers of unchecked deforestation, it will set the world on an accelerated path to savage climate change."

Despite conservation efforts, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate – 13 million hectares per year, or 36 football fields a minute. It generates almost 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and halting forest loss has been identified as one of the most cost-effective ways to keep the world out of the danger zone of runaway climate change.

To this end, WWF during the Congress proposed a global target of zero net deforestation by 2020 to avoid runaway climate change and stop the current catastrophic trend of species loss.

"A zero net deforestation by 2020 target will set the scale and urgency needed to gather the political will to stop forest loss," Taylor said.

WWF will continue to advocate for a strong deforestation target to be included in all other relevant international treaties and agreements, including in the Convention on Biological Diversity.

In Copenhagen, negotiators need to agree to strong financial and emissions reduction commitments to craft a climate deal that enables developing countries to halt forest loss.

"WWF received strong feedback at the Congress from various sectors, including governments, other NGOs, and the private sector to support our target on deforestation," said Gerald Steindlegger, WWF International's Forest Manager on Global Policy.

Many developing countries already are adopting major deforestation policies that mirror WWF's call for zero net deforestation by 2020.

On Wednesday, government representatives from Argentina and Paraguay pledged during a special ceremony co-hosted by WWF and its partner organization Fundacion Vida Silvestre at the Congress to work towards zero net deforestation in the Atlantic Forest, and to implement a package of measures that include national legislation to enforce those commitments.

The Atlantic Forest initially spanned 500,000 square kms, shared between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. However, only 7.4 percent of the forest is left today – or about 35,000 square kilometers, making it one of the most threatened and fragmented subtropical forests in the world.

Meanwhile, the Brazilian government already has established a zero deforestation target by 2010 for the Atlantic Forest. Brazil also has pledged to establish protected areas covering at least 10 percent of the forest.

This year, the World Forestry Congress brought together more than 4,000 participants in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Fishing for funds to be placed off limits for rule breakers

2009-10-21

Brussels, Belgium: European governments and enterprises continuing to flout fisheries regulations are to be denied access to EU public funds, according to measures agreed by the EU Fisheries Council this week.

WWF has welcomed the Control and Enforcement Regulation creates a common system of rules and sanctions to be applied at national level in Europe.

"Existing rules have been applied poorly or not at all, disadvantaging fishermen and governments who played by the rules. Illegal fishing continues to be a huge threat to healthy fish stocks and profitable fisheries," said Aaron Mc Loughlin, Head of the European Marine Programme at WWF's European Policy Office.

When some fishing nations raised last minute objections to the Article 95 sanctions on public funding for rule breaking nations and fishers, WWF wrote to the EU noting that "the fishery sector is the only sector covered by Community law in which funds are still distributed to Member States with perfect impunity, without being conditioned upon compliance with control rules."

It was "common sense" that there be provisions "setting down countermeasures in suspending and reducing financial aid in cases in which Member States continue to show no intention of stopping persistent and serious infringements," the letter said.

The nations, led by France, had sought to have serious infringements dealt with by application to the European Court of Justice. However, WWF noted that "It took over 24 years for the Court of Justice to order France to pay penalties because of failing to carry out controls of fishing activities in accordance with the requirements laid down by the Community provisions".

WWF strongly believes that measures to tackle illegal fishing inside and outside EU waters are to be implemented as soon as possible starting from the 1st of January 2010.

Saving forests one of the most efficient climate remedies: WWF Sweden

2009-10-07

Stockholm, Sweden - WWF Sweden is urging its government – holding the current EU Presidency - to get behind an effective international agreement on halting forest loss as a key and highly cost effective measure on climate change.

"Sweden should follow the examples set by its northern neighbors in developing systems to halt deforestation," said WWF CEO General Lasse Gustavsson.. "Stemming deforestation is one of the most efficient tools wehave to slow down climate change."

Gold in Green Forests, a report issued today by WWF-Sweden, says that next to energy efficiency halting forest loss and degradation is the most cost-effective method for mitigating climate change.

The annual loss of natural forests in developing countries is equivalent to one third of Sweden's surface area. Forest fires, the conversion of forests to agricultural land and the cultivation of energy crops are responsible for the high rate of forest loss.

A program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation, known as REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) is currently being discussed in the negotiations for a global climate deal. REDD aims to make it worthwhile for developing countries to maintain their forests, as opposed to cutting them down.

In order for REDD to succeed it needs a suitable framework and international finance, including aid to developing countries will be required. Potential investors recently surveyed by WWF said they would be ready to support a forest carbon market if certainty and support were forthcoming from the international community and key national

" solutions can be good for both the environment and our wallets"

In Indonesia, where large areas of forests are cut down and prepared for palm oil plantations, 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions come from deforestation. Halting deforestation would not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but would also secure the livelihoods of people living in these forests.

"We should see that many solutions for climate change are good for both the environment and our wallets. - Sweden's cautious attitude in this area is therefore very surprising," said Gustavsson, who calls for the government to take action during the ongoing climate change conference in Bangkok and secure a system to finance the protection of the world's forests.

"Norway, Finland, Denmark and Germany have already guaranteed financing for REDD between 2010 and 2012. It's time for the Swedish government to take action - both domestic and as EU President," he said.

If parties are able to come to an agreement on a new climate deal in Copenhagen, it will not enter into force until 2013. Meanwhile deforestation will continue to accelerate in large parts of the tropics.

"Time is passing and the possibility of reaping the positive climate effects that a stop in the loss of forests entails is decreasing rapidly. Complex social, economic and ecological are involved which is why a global cooperation for REDD must be carefully prepared," says Stefan Henningsson, Climate Director, WWF Sweden.

WWF negotiators in Bangkok are urging a an insitutional structure for REDD which guarantees transparency, effectiveness and longterm financing from developed countries in support of measures in developing countries. In financing, WWF is seeking the equivalent of $US 42 billion per year after 2013, a key element of an estimated financing requirement of $US 160 billion annually for climate change adaptation and mitigation in developing countries.

The scheme would aim for a goal of zero net deforestation by 2020, with WWF also emphasising that forestry and climate projects must also contribute to the conservation of biological diversity and respect the rights of local and native populations.

Baltic Sea protection by surrounding states still very poor- WWF report

2009-09-03

Stockholm - Baltic Sea states are still failing to deal with decades of environmental mismanagement in the Baltic Sea, where intense human activity has made it one of the world's most threatened marine ecosystems, WWF's Baltic Sea Scorecards report shows.

Home to rich levels of biodiversity and wildlife, the Baltic Sea is a unique marine ecosystem which also sustains the livelihoods and economies of millions of people in the 9 coastal countries that call the region "home".

Overfishing, irresponsible shipping, industrial exploitation and pressures from agriculture and forestry continue to negatively impact its sensitive environment. The Baltic Sea today is one of the most threatened marine ecosystems on the planet.

WWF's 2009 Scorecard examines how Baltic Sea states are planning and managing sea resources and whether they are taking necessary steps towards sustainable management.

No country scored the top grade, and only Germany received a B, due to its progress in developing maritime spatial plans for its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone moving ahead of the other countries with its plans for the use of its sea waters. Germany is followed by Denmark, Poland, Finland and Sweden which all received a C.

These countries are all in the early stages of developing a more integrated approach to sea use management.

"The report shows that the management varies widely from country to country – and could be described as a bit of a "patchwork approach". To be able to solve the complex problems of the Baltic Sea the countries and governments must work jointly across sectors and borders," said Lasse Gustavsson, CEO of WWF Sweden.

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia all received a grade of D because of a lack of evidence of any real results towards an integrated sea use management.

"The Baltic Sea is still one of the most threatened seas in the world. Part of the problem facing the Baltic Sea is the 'free-for-all' mentality that still governs our use of the sea", said Pauli Merriman, Director WWF Baltic Ecoregion Programme. "If we are to succeed in saving our common sea for the future, we desperately need to work across countries, sectors and departments to achieve a more integrated sea use management and a holistic perspective".

"From an ecosystem perspective, such a relatively small sea like the Baltic cannot be treated as simply a collection of national marine areas. It constitutes, in almost all respects, one single marine ecosystem and should be managed as a whole", said Pauli Merriman.

Baltic Sea ports overlook cruise ship waste

2009-07-16

Stockholm, Sweden – Large amounts of sewage from cruise ships likely are being dumped into the Baltic Sea because major ports in the region have failed to upgrade their facilities to dispose of the waste.

Only three of more than 20 cruise ship ports around the Baltic – Helsinki, Stockholm, and Visby – have adequate facilities to handle waste from cruise ships when they dock, even though they bring in millions of euros from tourism.

In a letter sent today, the WWF Baltic Ecoregion Action Programme urges those ports to take action and upgrade their facilities. The 12 most visited cruise ports in the Baltic region are: Gdynia, Gothenburg, Helsinki, Klaipeda, Kiel, Copenhagen, Riga, Rostock, Stockholm, Saint Petersburg, Tallinn and Visby.

"We find it unfair that so many ports are profiting from cruise line tourism but are not prepared to take care of their waste," said Pauli Merriman, Director of the WWF Baltic Ecoregion Programme. "We believe that some of these profits should be used to make needed upgrades to their facilities as it should be the responsibility of any country or city that wants to receive these ships, to offer adequate sewage reception facilities",

WWF initially contacted ferry lines and cruise ship companies sailing in the Baltic Sea two years ago, asking for a voluntary ban on waste water discharge. That same year, most of the ferry lines responded positively.

In May, many cruise lines, through their umbrella organization, the European Cruise Council (ECC), made a voluntary commitment to stop dumping their waste water in the Baltic Sea "when certain conditions are met". These conditions included "adequate port reception facilities which operate under a 'no special fee' agreement".

"We are happy that the cruise lines have made this commitment and we believe it is now up to the ports to do their part," said Anita Mäkinen, Head of Marine Program at WWF Finland. "It's a scandal if we let this pollution continue."

WWF also is working within the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to push for stronger regulations, which currently allow the discharge of ship waste to international waters. In a paper submitted this week to the IMO Marine Environmental Protection Committee, WWF urges the IMO to strengthen its regulations regarding the discharge of ship waste in eutrophied semi-closed or closed waters, such as the Baltic.

The Baltic Sea will receive more than 350 cruise ship visits with more than 2,100 port calls this year and the industry is growing by an estimated 13 percent per year.

The waste-water produced in these vessels is estimated to contain 74 tons of nitrogen and 18 tons of phosphorus, substances that add to eutrophication. In addition to excess nutrients, the waste water also contains bacteria, viruses and other pathogens, as well as heavy metals.

River managers plan a bleak water future for Europe

2009-05-29

Brussels, Belgium: An ambitious European scheme to fix and safeguard its rivers and secure its water future is at risk of being undermined by poor and inadequate plans for water management prepared by EU countries, a new study by WWF and European Environment Bureau (EEB) has found.

The analysis has found none of the draft plans rates well across a range of water safety, conservation and management measures.

"The European Water Framework Directive when adopted in 2000 was far from perfect but it had the makings of a world-leading vision to change the ways we manage, use and value water at a time when the worlds water future looked much more secure than it does today ," said Sergey Moroz, Water Policy Officer at WWF.

Despite increasing water challenges exacerbated by climate change, draft plans developed so far by Member States are generally putting off major and necessary decisions, providing few mechanisms and little funding to achieve good status for water bodies.

"in the interests of agriculture and industry to become less vulnerable"

"These plans dont create an impression that we are finally departing from the unsustainable practices that led us to the current water crisis," said Pieter de Pous, EEB Water Policy Officer." For example, it is in the interests of agriculture and industry to become less vulnerable to increasingly insecure water supplies but there is very little in the plans when it comes to reducing their water consumption."

What future for EUs water? expresses particular concerns with increasingly water scarce Italy and Greece where it is unclear whether they are actually planning to finalise plans even remotely comparable to what the rest of Europe is doing.

Some countries like the Netherlands that have lost much of their natural rivers and waters in the past, are now starting initiatives to give rivers more space for flooding and thus improving their ability to face future climate change impacts. The Netherlands also managed to secure funding for river restoration, although the amounts are still inadequate.

Worrying diverging trends now emerge from Eastern and Southern Europe, like in Czech Republic and Portugal, where rivers continue to be poured into concrete straightjackets for the purpose of navigation, flood defence or hydropower, said de Pous.

In Portugal up to 10 new dams for hydropower are currently proposed for construction without any adequate consideration of the likelihood that there may not be enough water to run them.

"need to be visionary to tackle lasting food and energy security, public health and climate challenges"

Water pollution remains a serious issue also not sufficiently addressed in the majority of plans and large portions of Europes waters remain at risk of becoming unavailable or in need of expensive treatment.

Water efficiency measures were particularly poor in most draft plans. A partial exception was France's Loire Bretagne basin where a water efficiency objective is proposed for drinking water supply for rural and urban areas.

"To tackle Europes water challenges, Member States plans need to be visionary, abandoning a minimalist approach to implementation and becoming the central plank of efforts to tackle lasting food and energy security, public health and climate challenges," said Moroz.

Public consultation on the draft river plans is set to close at the end of June. EU Member States will have to finalise their water plans by the end of the year and send them to the European Commission.