WHY IS THE BALTIC SEA IMPORTANT TO US?
We all care about the global ocean, which includes the Baltic Sea. Here are some facts on why we need to protect our seas and oceans!
THE WORLD'S OCEAN:
- Produces more than 50% of the oxygen we breathe
- Absorbs around 30% of CO₂ emissions each year
- Regulates climate and precipitation
- Is home to more than 90% of all species living in the wild
- Seafood is the main source of protein for up to 3 billion people
- Around 80% of the oceans are still unexplored
Sadly, oceans and marine ecosystems are declining at a frightening rate. Scientists are already calling it the sixth mass extinction of species - a phenomenon that will inevitably affect every one of us.
Human activities are causing much of the damage: intensive fishing, habitat destruction, pollution, invasive species... Seas are the source of about 90% of global trade. Marine tourism accounts for around 50% of the world's tourism sector.
So today it is worth thinking about what we can all do to preserve marine ecosystems.
The National Service for Protected Areas, together with other European partners, is running an international project called PROTECT BALTIC, the main aim of which is to create a framework for protecting the Baltic Sea.
More and more countries are recognising the importance of marine protection. This is why PROTECT BALTIC brings them together with the common goal of more effective protection of the Baltic Sea. The project involves 7 Baltic Sea States.
The Baltic Sea is one of the youngest, but also one of the most polluted seas in the world.The Baltic Sea has "dead" seabed areas. As a shallow, semi-enclosed sea with a slow water circulation, the water renews itself about every 30 years.
PROTECT BALTIC plans to optimise the implementation of coastal protection measures in the coastal zone, and to plan how to limit the negative impacts of human activities on the ecosystem in the context of the triple planetary crisis of biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution. The PROTECT BALTIC project runs from 2023-2028.
We can all contribute to the conservation of the Baltic Sea by acting responsibly, living sustainably and spreading the message "Let's protect the Baltic Sea together!".