32
2.4.1 Key Assessment-Management Interactions
Scientifi c knowledge and science-based advice have at least since the 1970s played
a key role in eutrophication management of the Baltic Sea, for example, infl uencing
decisions on which nutrients to prioritise in wastewater treatment (e.g. Elmgren
2001 ). Over the years, these interactions between science and policy have developed and changed under the infl uence of, for example, changes in the knowledge
base vis-à-vis remaining uncertainties, stakeholder and public perceptions of eutrophication and associated societal consequences and trade-offs . Interactions have
also changed due to transformations of national and international environmental
governance arrangements (e.g. Linke et al. 2014 ). Originally, scientifi c assessments
and science-based advice mainly infl uenced management measures at the national
level. Examples of these are Swedish measures in the 1970–1980s to introduce and
expand nitrogen treatment in coastal sewage treatment plants (Elmgren 2001 ).
Successively, collaboration in science and management at the regional Baltic Sea
and international (e.g. European) levels increased in importance in response to the
large spatial scale of eutrophication impacts and potential solutions in the Baltic
Sea. Today the role of science remains strong in the development of policy and
management measures, and although the national level is still important for generating environmental assessments linked to various objectives, the regional (i.e.
HELCOM) and European (i.e. EU institutions) levels have become the primary
domains for science-based policy advice.
When it comes to the regional Baltic Sea level, HELCOM and not the EU is the
overall coordinator of the commonly nationally based assessments of eutrophication impacts. In line with ambitions to coordinate national assessment activities and
implement EAM, HELCOM has developed a new holistic environmental assessment strategy (HOLAS). This strategy involves recurring integrated thematic
assessments of, for example, eutrophication and hazardous chemicals , as well as
holistic assessments that aim at assessing ecosystem quality and integrating various
societal pressures. An initial holistic assessment was published in 2010 (HELCOM
2010 ), based on the results from thematic assessments of various environmental
issues and objectives linked to BSAP and EU Directives , such as WFD and MSFD
(Gilek et al. 2015 ). To facilitate these thematic assessments and to improve methodological harmonisation and data integration possibilities in the region, HELCOM
has also developed various tools for assessing, for example, eutrophication
(HELCOM Eutrophication Assessment Tool, HEAT) (HELCOM 2006a , 2009a )
and biodiversity (HELCOM Biodiversity Assessment Tool, BEAT) (HELCOM
2009b ).
Regarding HELCOM’s various proposals on management measures, the 2007
BSAP (with updates in 2013), with its acknowledgement of EAM and agreed
national reduction targets for nutrients , is of central importance. According to
several interviewees, BSAP evolved as a reaction to the perceived failure of the abovementioned HELCOM target of 50 % nutrient reductions , which was not based on
any scientifi c studies on what is needed to reach a desired state of the marine
M. Karlsson et al.
2.4.1 Key Assessment-Management Interactions
Scientifi c knowledge and science-based advice have at least since the 1970s played
a key role in eutrophication management of the Baltic Sea, for example, infl uencing
decisions on which nutrients to prioritise in wastewater treatment (e.g. Elmgren
2001 ). Over the years, these interactions between science and policy have developed and changed under the infl uence of, for example, changes in the knowledge
base vis-à-vis remaining uncertainties, stakeholder and public perceptions of eutrophication and associated societal consequences and trade-offs . Interactions have
also changed due to transformations of national and international environmental
governance arrangements (e.g. Linke et al. 2014 ). Originally, scientifi c assessments
and science-based advice mainly infl uenced management measures at the national
level. Examples of these are Swedish measures in the 1970–1980s to introduce and
expand nitrogen treatment in coastal sewage treatment plants (Elmgren 2001 ).
Successively, collaboration in science and management at the regional Baltic Sea
and international (e.g. European) levels increased in importance in response to the
large spatial scale of eutrophication impacts and potential solutions in the Baltic
Sea. Today the role of science remains strong in the development of policy and
management measures, and although the national level is still important for generating environmental assessments linked to various objectives, the regional (i.e.
HELCOM) and European (i.e. EU institutions) levels have become the primary
domains for science-based policy advice.
When it comes to the regional Baltic Sea level, HELCOM and not the EU is the
overall coordinator of the commonly nationally based assessments of eutrophication impacts. In line with ambitions to coordinate national assessment activities and
implement EAM, HELCOM has developed a new holistic environmental assessment strategy (HOLAS). This strategy involves recurring integrated thematic
assessments of, for example, eutrophication and hazardous chemicals , as well as
holistic assessments that aim at assessing ecosystem quality and integrating various
societal pressures. An initial holistic assessment was published in 2010 (HELCOM
2010 ), based on the results from thematic assessments of various environmental
issues and objectives linked to BSAP and EU Directives , such as WFD and MSFD
(Gilek et al. 2015 ). To facilitate these thematic assessments and to improve methodological harmonisation and data integration possibilities in the region, HELCOM
has also developed various tools for assessing, for example, eutrophication
(HELCOM Eutrophication Assessment Tool, HEAT) (HELCOM 2006a , 2009a )
and biodiversity (HELCOM Biodiversity Assessment Tool, BEAT) (HELCOM
2009b ).
Regarding HELCOM’s various proposals on management measures, the 2007
BSAP (with updates in 2013), with its acknowledgement of EAM and agreed
national reduction targets for nutrients , is of central importance. According to
several interviewees, BSAP evolved as a reaction to the perceived failure of the abovementioned HELCOM target of 50 % nutrient reductions , which was not based on
any scientifi c studies on what is needed to reach a desired state of the marine
M. Karlsson et al.