Regional Environmental Governance and Avenues for the Ecosystem Approach to management in the Baltic Sea Area

Sammanfattning: This thesis explores the avenues for the ecosystem approach to management in theBaltic Sea Region. This region is one of the most contaminated water bodies inthe world, although the first Regional Seas Convention was created here and theregion has a long history of cooperation and environmental protection. Thecurrent environmental governance arrangements are examined with specific focuson governance structures, cross-sectoral integration and ecological boundaries.The ecosystem approach to management as both a tool and vision of holisticmanagement of natural resources is traced through the evolution of environmentalgovernance, as well as its manifestation in contemporary environmental policiesin the region. It is found that the major EU directives, as well as HELCOMpolices, promote the ecosystem approach and that its presence has increased inrecent years; it is now the major guiding principle in European marinegovernance. However, the governance structures impede implementation indifferent ways. The environmental problem areas in the region all require differentgovernance arrangements, thus obstructing a holistic approach. The environmentalproblems per se also affect each other, necessitating far-reaching sectoralintegration and cross-border cooperation, which at present is the major obstacleregarding implementation. The contemporary trends combining solidregionalisation through HELCOM with increased Europeanisation and macroregionalisationby different EU initiatives offer some promise, but the crosssectoralimpediments must be resolved if the ecosystem approach is to become apractical approach and not just a policy principle.