1. Basic project information
The EcoRegion project
Basic project information
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2. Basic Facts Funding Programme: Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007–2013
Number of partners: 22 from all BSR countries
Lead partner: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany
Total budget: EUR
ERDF Budget: EUR
Norwegian Budget EUR
Partners own contribution: EUR
Duration: 36 months (January 2009–January 2012)
Baltic 21 Lighthouse Project
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3. Objective TO DEVELOP THE BALTIC SEA REGION INTO
THE WORLD‘S FIRST ECOREGION
WHERE ECONOMICAL GROWTH GOES HAND
IN HAND WITH ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY
AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
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4. Project background
Development in the Baltic Sea Region is far from sustainable.
By building on existing good practices, the Baltic Sea Region
has the potential of becoming the world’s first EcoRegion.
The EcoRegion project builds on two pillars:
Baltic 21 multi-stakeholder network
Aalborg Commitments
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5. The Baltic 21 multi-stakeholder network
Baltic 21: Initiated by Prime Ministers of BSR countries 1996
Regional expression of the global Agenda 21
Members: ministries and agencies, intergovernmental organisations and NGO, academic and financial institutions, local, city and business networks
Brings together a variety of different sectors, including agriculture, education, energy, forest, industry, tourism, transport, spatial planning
Carries out joint actions and cross-sectoral activities
Promotes Lighthouse Projects
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6. The Aalborg Commitments
Local governments throughout the EU have started in to reinforce their Local Agenda 21 processes.
Authorities, who sign these voluntary commitments, agree
to set up Integrated Sustainability Management Systems
to define clear targets and
to implement concrete actions
in 10 different fields relevant for sustainable development.
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7.
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8. Integrated Sustainability Management System
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9. Problems tackled by EcoRegion
Overall issue
Development in the Baltic Sea Region is far from sustainable!
Sub-issues
Valuable experience remains within sectoral platforms /projects
» lack of integration of tools and expertise
Aalborg Commitments (AC) mainly subscribed by urban areas
» rural areas/regions need support in adapting AC
Only 15 local governments in the BSR have signed AC
Baltic 21 Action Programme and Sectoral Action Plans do not fully reflect new developments
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10. Project activities
Workshops to foster inter-regional, cross sectoral, sector-regional dialogue
Capacity building programme on Integrated Sustainability Management Cycle in partner regions
Preparation of strategic plans and realisation of concrete measures for sustainable development in partner regions
Collection of good practices on how to foster sustainable development
Input for updates of Baltic 21 Actions, Aalborg Commitments and other policies
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11. Project partners
20 partners from around the Baltic Sea turn SD into practice!
1) Policy
German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation & Nuclear Safety
Baltic 21 Secretariat
2) Sectors
Forest: Swedish Forest Agency
Tourism: University of Greifswald
Industry: Baltic University Programme
Agriculture: Julius Kühn-Institute
Energy: Maritime Institute Gdansk
Spatial Planning: University of Gdansk
Transport: University of Gothenburg
Education: Norwegian Directorate of Education and Training
3) 10 Model EcoRegions
City of Lahti
Region Zealand
Region Darss
Region Soltau-Fallingbostel with LWK Niedersachsen
County of Ludwigslust
County of Kronoberg with City of Växjö
City of Tallinn
City of Riga
City of Kaunas
Province of Akershus
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12. Project Structure
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13. Outputs - Information Database Thematic periodicals
showing good practices and contact points
online available
Thematic periodicals
on selected sustainable development issues
EcoRegion newsletter and workshop documentations
EcoRegion Conferences
final conference with exhibition and approx. 350 participants
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14. Outputs - Policy Recommendations
Baltic 21 Actions (2010–2015)
Aalborg Commitments for rural areas
The EcoRegion project identifies gaps in current policies and
provides the information ground for new approaches
on how to foster sustainability in practice
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15. Outputs - Model EcoRegions
Sustainable management cycle put in practice
Strategic Sustainability Programmes prepared
setting concrete sustainability targets
defining measures to reach them
At least one concrete measure realised
EcoRegion supports BSR regions and cities to become
eco-efficient and sustainable
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16. Sector activities
Align sector experience with Aalborg themes and regional demands
participate in training on SD management processes
Sector report on regional good practices
identify and collect good practices which can be made available to BSR regions for their own adaptation; documented in a common database
Sector assistance to regions
provide expertise to model regions on the basis of the good practices collected
Update Baltic 21 policy
update Sector Action Programme (2010–2015)
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17. Regional activities
Preparation of Regional Baseline Report, Priority Setting
Baseline Review on SD
Organisational Set Up in SD management
Targets, Good Practice Information Needs, Strategic Programme
SD Regional Targets defined
Strategic regional SD programme
Definition of SD Measures
Measures to reach SD regional targets
Based on BSR good practice
Reporting and Evaluation
Good Practice Cases documented and disseminated
SD progress evaluated
Implementation of
SD measures
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18. Regional sustainable development measures SAMPLES
Strategy for sustainable transport plan in touristic region of Darss (Community of Wieck/DE)
Implementation plan for regional climate strategy (County of Kronoberg/SE)
City measures to promote energy efficient buildings (City of Tallinn/EE)
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19. Support to regions Coaching programme Sectors assistance to regions
5-step workshop programme by ICLEI during partner conferences
Individual workshops and training on the spot
Sectors assistance to regions
via selected best practices
making experts available
organizing study visits
active dialogue between regional and sectoral representatives
Study tours
each partner meeting linked to a study tour in the region
discussion of particular problems and best practices
discussion with local stakeholders
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20. Policy activities
Inter-regional, cross-sectoral and sector-regional dialogues
facilitation and evaluation
Background Studies and Assessments
update Baltic 21 actions and structures
adapt Aalborg Commitments to rural areas
Adapt to Baltic 21 new strategic areas of cooperation
Climate Change
Sustainable urban and rural development
Sustainable consumption and production
Innovation and education for sustainable development
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21. Project contacts Lead Partner Project Management
Federal Ministry for the Environment,
Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, BMU
Mrs Dörte Ratzmann
Project Management
Deutsche Gesellschaft für
Technische Zusammenarbeit, GTZ
Mr. André Schnuhr
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22. Project contacts Project Communication & Good Practice Database
s.Pro - sustainable-projects GmbH
Mrs. Angela Schultz-Zehden
Sustainability Management Advisors
Local Governments for Sustainability, ICLEI
Holger Robrecht
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23. www.baltic-ecoregion.eu 08.08.2019
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