News » Global temperature increases: an alarming scenario for the Baltic Sea

01.12.2015

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Prior to the opening of the 2015 UN Conference on Climate Change,Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB) calls for immediate climate changemitigation and adaptation measures in the Baltic Sea Region, based onthe findings of a new CCB report released today.

Thereport presents alarming predicted consequences of temperature increasescenarios on Baltic Sea marine biodiversity. Estimated impact of a4-degree C increase would represent a catastrophic scenario, resultingin adverse ecosystem changes for the Baltic Sea. Even a 2-degreeincrease impacts are so serious that policy actions must safeguard thatthis temperature level is never reached and only a maximum increase ofless than 1.5 degrees should be set as acceptable.

Environmental changes in the Baltic Sea

Basedon the IPPC indications of 2 to 4 degrees C increases within the periodof 2100-2200, the CCB report indicates that human-induced warming willcause drastic changes at all trophic levels and components of the BalticSea ecosystem. In addition to increased temperature and sea level,sa­linity is expected to drop and so will the oxygen levels ofdeep-water areas. As a result, the biodiversity of the Baltic Sea willchange and gradually diminish, including loss of important habitats andspecies, and decreases of many fish stocks. These changes will happeneven during a status quo situation, and it is very unlikely that futureecosystems will be able to adapt unaided by human activities.

Policy recommendations

Dulytaken, implemented and enforced mitigation measures will reduce thespeed of change even though our knowledge of the full role of the oceanin climate is still lacking.

  • Direct climate change mitigationmeasures primarily include a phasing-out all fossil fuel emissions, anda phasing-in of a 100% renewable energy future with sustainable energyaccess for all.
  • Indirect climate change adaptation measures should focus a. onfurther reduction of nutrient losses and recycling of nutrients,regulating fisheries below Maximum Sustainable Yield and preserving acoherent network of Marine Protected Areas.

BalticSea countries should jointly take legally binding decisions so that theBaltic Sea region contributes to mitigation of the climate changeenvironmental impacts, both regionally and globally.

The full version of compiled policy recommendations is available on the CCB website.

About Coalition Clean Baltic:

CCBis an environmental NGO network that unites 19 organizations fromBelarus, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany,Denmark, Ukraine and Sweden and represents over 1% of the Baltic Seacatchment population, as its members. The main goal of CCB is to promotethe protection and improvement of the Baltic Sea environment andnatural resources. Through its work CCB engages people to become part ofthe solution instead of part of the problem.

For more information, please contact:

Mikhail Durkin, Coalition Clean Baltic, +46 739 770 793 / mikhail.durkin@ccb.se / www.ccb.se

 

Federacja Zielonych GAJA
5 Lipca 45, 70-374 Szczecin, Poland
Phone. +48 91 489 42 33
Fax + 48 91 489 42 32
fzbiuro@gajanet.pl


Coalition Clean Baltic
Östra Ågatan 53
SE-753 22 Uppsala, Sweden
SHORT ABOUT THE PROJECT

Project Industrial animal farms in the Baltic Sea Region - sustainable practices to reduce nutrient loads is a part of a long-term campaign of the Coalition Clean Baltic and Green Federation "GAJA", aiming to reduce the negative impact of large-scale animal production on the environment and local communities in the Baltic Sea Region, particularly by reducing nutrient run-off into the sea. The project is part-financed by the European Union. This website reflects only the view of the Coalition Clean Baltic. The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

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