From theory and plans to eco-efficient and sustainable practices to improve the status of the Baltic Sea

The project WATERPRAXIS "From theory and plans to eco-efficient and sustainable practices to improve the status of the Baltic Sea" aims to improve the status of the Baltic Sea by assisting the implementation of river basin management plans into practice in the region. WATERPRAXIS is partly funded by the Interreg IVB Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013.

One of the most serious problems seen in the Baltic Sea is the eutrophication caused by nutrient loads. Although there are practical measures to restrict them, the implementation of river basin restoration measures as envisaged in the EU Water Framework Directive is still deficient. WATERPRAXIS focuses on developing water management practices, as well as on preparing water protection action plans and measures for selected pilot sites around the Baltic Sea Region. The project will be carried out in transnational cooperation among authorities and scientific partners and will lead to concrete improvements in sustainable river basin management in the region.

The main idea of WATERPRAXIS is that by better understanding the problems and constraints, long-term solutions and concrete pilot investments may be identified. The project partnership consists of research organisations, universities, local authorities and NGOs from Denmark, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden and Russia. WATERPRAXIS is based on the Interreg IIIB project "Watersketch" (2004-2007).

Project number	n/a
Subject(s)	NATURAL MEDIUM , POLICY-WATER POLICY AND WATER MANAGEMENT , PREVENTION AND NUISANCES POLLUTION , RIGHT , RISKS AND CLIMATOLOGY , WATER QUALITY
Acronym	WATERPRAXIS
Geographical coverage	Denmark, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, Russian Federation
Budget (in €)	0
Programme	Interreg IVB Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013
Web site	http://www.waterpraxis.net
Objectives	The project's overall objective is to improve the status of the Baltic Sea by contributing to the practical implementation of measures chosen in RBMPs in the region. The specific objectives are to: identify and suggest improvements to present water management practices by analysing the contents and planning processes of RBMPs; establish action plans based on RBMPs for pilot areas representing best practices and measures for water protection and public participation; prepare investment plans (incl. technical and financing plans) for water protection measures for selected sites in Poland, Lithuania, Denmark and Finland; disseminate information on best practices and measures of water management via publications, seminars and websites; offer training and education programmes for planners in the water management sector. The action and investment plans as well as planning methods will be prepared in a transnational cooperation with authorities and scientific partners. The plans aim at real investments following this project. We plan to finance investments partly by the extension stage of the project. Result dissemination to outside the EU territory is secured by carrying out joint planning actions at the transboundary River Sesupe flowing from Kaliningrad to Lithuania.
Results	The following project outputs are expected: examples and guidelines of best water management practices for river basin planning at several levels (official river basin districts, single river basins, local investments) based on previous experiences from different countries and lessons learned in pilot studies of the project (published as report and on web); practical examples of good investment projects (published as report and on web); training courses for planners on general river basin management focusing on environmental economy; water protection action plans for pilot areas in some partner regions; investment plans (including technical and financing plans) for water protection measures in pilot areas in Finland, Denmark, Poland and Lithuania. The investments will be realised during the extension stage to be proposed at the end of the project.
Period	01/01/2008

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