1
© The Author(s) 2016
M. Gilek et al. (eds.), Environmental Governance of the Baltic Sea,
MARE Publication Series 10, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-27006-7_1
Chapter 1
Environmental Governance of the Baltic Sea:
Identifying Key Challenges, Research Topics
and Analytical Approaches
Michael Gilek , Mikael Karlsson , Sebastian Linke , and Katarzyna Smolarz
Abstract The Baltic Sea ecosystem is subject to a wide array of societal pressures
and associated environmental risks (e.g. eutrophication, oil discharges, chemical
pollution, overfi shing and invasive alien species). Despite several years of substantial efforts by state and non-state actors, it is still highly unlikely that the regionally
agreed environmental objectives of reaching “good environmental status” by
2021 in the HELCOM BSAP (Baltic Sea Action Plan) and by 2020 in the EU
Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) will be met. This chapter identifi es
key research topics, as well as presents analytical perspectives for analysing the gap
between knowledge and action in Baltic Sea environmental governance. It does so
by outlining important trends and key challenges associated with Baltic Sea
environmental governance, as well as by summarising the scope and results of
individual chapters of this interdisciplinary volume. The analysis reveals the
development of increasingly complex governance arrangements and the ongoing
implementation of the holistic Ecosystem Approach to Management , as two general
trends that together contribute to three key challenges associated with (1) regional
and cross - sectoral coordination and collaboration , (2) coping with complexity and
uncertainty in science-policy interactions and (3) developing communication and
knowledge sharing among stakeholder groups . Furthermore, to facilitate analysis of
environmental governance opportunities and obstacles both within and across
M. Gilek (*) • M. Karlsson
School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies , Södertörn University ,
14189 Huddinge , Sweden
e-mail: michael.gilek@sh.se; mikael.karlsson@2050.se
S. Linke
Department of Philosophy, Linguistics and Theory of Science , University of Gothenburg ,
Box 200 , 405 30 Göteborg , Sweden
e-mail: sebastian.linke@gu.se
K. Smolarz
Department of Marine Ecosystem Functioning, Institute of Oceanography , University of
Gdańsk , Al. Marszałka Piłsudskiego 46 , 81-378 Gdynia , Poland
e-mail: oceksm@univ.gda.pl
© The Author(s) 2016
M. Gilek et al. (eds.), Environmental Governance of the Baltic Sea,
MARE Publication Series 10, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-27006-7_1
Chapter 1
Environmental Governance of the Baltic Sea:
Identifying Key Challenges, Research Topics
and Analytical Approaches
Michael Gilek , Mikael Karlsson , Sebastian Linke , and Katarzyna Smolarz
Abstract The Baltic Sea ecosystem is subject to a wide array of societal pressures
and associated environmental risks (e.g. eutrophication, oil discharges, chemical
pollution, overfi shing and invasive alien species). Despite several years of substantial efforts by state and non-state actors, it is still highly unlikely that the regionally
agreed environmental objectives of reaching “good environmental status” by
2021 in the HELCOM BSAP (Baltic Sea Action Plan) and by 2020 in the EU
Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) will be met. This chapter identifi es
key research topics, as well as presents analytical perspectives for analysing the gap
between knowledge and action in Baltic Sea environmental governance. It does so
by outlining important trends and key challenges associated with Baltic Sea
environmental governance, as well as by summarising the scope and results of
individual chapters of this interdisciplinary volume. The analysis reveals the
development of increasingly complex governance arrangements and the ongoing
implementation of the holistic Ecosystem Approach to Management , as two general
trends that together contribute to three key challenges associated with (1) regional
and cross - sectoral coordination and collaboration , (2) coping with complexity and
uncertainty in science-policy interactions and (3) developing communication and
knowledge sharing among stakeholder groups . Furthermore, to facilitate analysis of
environmental governance opportunities and obstacles both within and across
M. Gilek (*) • M. Karlsson
School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies , Södertörn University ,
14189 Huddinge , Sweden
e-mail: michael.gilek@sh.se; mikael.karlsson@2050.se
S. Linke
Department of Philosophy, Linguistics and Theory of Science , University of Gothenburg ,
Box 200 , 405 30 Göteborg , Sweden
e-mail: sebastian.linke@gu.se
K. Smolarz
Department of Marine Ecosystem Functioning, Institute of Oceanography , University of
Gdańsk , Al. Marszałka Piłsudskiego 46 , 81-378 Gdynia , Poland
e-mail: oceksm@univ.gda.pl