HELCOM facts for kids
Contracting parties of HELCOM
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| Formation | 1974 |
|---|---|
| Type | IGO |
| Legal status | Treaty-based |
| Purpose | Protection of the Baltic Sea environment |
| Location | |
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Official language
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English |
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Chairperson 2024-2026
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Vitalijus Auglys |
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Executive Secretary
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Rüdiger Strempel |
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Main organ
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Ministerial Meeting |
The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, often called HELCOM, is a special group of countries working together. It helps protect the Baltic Sea from pollution and other dangers. HELCOM is based on an important agreement called the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, also known as the Helsinki Convention.
HELCOM has ten members. These include nine countries around the Baltic Sea: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Sweden. The European Union is also a member. Together, they make rules and plans to keep the Baltic Sea healthy.
The Helsinki Convention was first signed in 1974. This happened because pollution from factories and other human activities was really hurting the sea. The agreement aimed to stop pollution coming from land, air, and ships. It also made sure countries would protect sea animals and plants, and use ocean resources wisely. The convention was updated in 1992 to deal with new challenges. The most recent version became official in 2000.
The countries and the European Union that are part of HELCOM are:
The main office for HELCOM is in Helsinki, Finland.
How HELCOM Works
HELCOM holds regular meetings where important decisions are made. These meetings include ministers from the member countries and their main representatives. Before these big meetings, smaller groups called working groups do a lot of the preparation. These groups are made up of experts from the member countries. They also include observers from groups like Coalition Clean Baltic, which are not governments.
HELCOM's Working Groups
HELCOM has eight main working groups. Each group focuses on a different part of protecting the Baltic Sea:
- WG GEAR This group works on using an "ecosystem approach." This means they look at the whole environment, not just one part.
- WG Maritime This group focuses on issues related to shipping and activities at sea.
- WG Sea-based pressure This group works to reduce pollution that comes from activities happening in the sea.
- WG Response This group plans how to respond to emergencies, like oil spills, in the sea.
- WG BioDiv This group focuses on protecting the variety of life (biodiversity) in the Baltic Sea. They also work on restoring natural areas.
- WG Fish This group works on making sure fishing is done in a way that doesn't harm the sea's ecosystem.
- WG Source to sea This group deals with pollution that starts on land and flows into the sea. This includes things like too many nutrients and dangerous chemicals.
- HELCOM-VASAB MSP WG This is a joint group that plans how different parts of the sea can be used. This is called Maritime Spatial Planning.
These working groups also have smaller expert groups. These expert groups have members from different countries who work on very specific tasks.
See also
- Marine protected area
- OSPAR
External links
- HELCOM official website: https://helcom.fi/
 | Selma Burke |
 | Pauline Powell Burns |
 | Frederick J. Brown |
 | Robert Blackburn |
