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Innovative societies Water-smart societies Climate-neutral societies 

Interreg makes
a difference!

Explore how people in the Baltic Sea region have been benefitting
from our projects.

#MadeWithInterreg solutions for

Cleaner waters

Cleaner waters thanks to viable monitoring system, new methods for removing micropollutants from wastewater and sharing knowledge

What are we doing?

Coordinated actions are the key to cleaning Baltic Sea waters efficiently. Interreg projects that bring people together across sectors and countries stand behind many of them. Not only do they introduce new systemic methods to clean wastewater, but also ensure the spread of knowledge of those methods in the region. Trust in project recommendations directly translates into new policies and investments. In a long run, cooperation in projects exceeds original partnerships and builds grounds for new initiatives and actions to respond to arising challenges.

Examples of #MadeWithInterreg solutions:
  • a platform collecting best practices in smart water operations
  • a risk assessment system to monitor concentrations of micropollutants
  • novel methods to clean wastewater from micropollutants, e.g. pharmaceuticals
  • new technologies to reduce phosphorus losses
  • enhanced water treatment to improve water quality in lakes

 

What we’ve achieved so far? 

The Baltic Sea is one of the most heavily eutrophicated seas in the world. Interreg projects helped improve wastewater treatment, which is one of the factors influencing eutrophication. At the beginning of the 2000s, more than 20 cities collected best practices in water management and shared them with other city administrations around the Baltic Sea region. In 2009-2013, projects showcased that it was possible to reduce discharges of nutrients from wastewater treatment facilities to the level set in the Baltic Sea Action Plan of HELCOM. The HELCOM Action Plan targets were stricter than the EU requirement.

In 2016-2021, projects in cities and villages focused on improving the treatment of wastewater from residents and industries. Partners in projects tested new technologies that increased nutrient removal and reduced energy consumption in cities such as Daugavpils, Gdańsk, Tartu, Jūrmala, Kaunas, and Grevesmühlen. Rural municipalities benefitted from solutions like septic tanks and soil infiltration in Kolgaküla, Gennarby, Ainaži, and Leitgiriai. In other projects, partners tested the pre-treatment of wastewater at poultry, meat, and dairy factories in Leszno, Doruchów, Põltsamaa, and Jelgava. Following this joint work, the partners synthesised more than a hundred examples of smart water operations. Using this knowledge, they helped develop the new Baltic Sea Regional Nutrient Recycling Strategy of HELCOM, and revise the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. These two strategic documents help achieve a healthy state of the Baltic Sea.

 

Ongoing projects

The ongoing projects explore new methods to clean wastewater more efficiently and better monitor concentrations of harmful substances and micropollutants in water environments. They address various stages of water management, starting from pollution prevention at its source, extending to robust monitoring and risk assessment practices, and culminating in the adoption of advanced wastewater treatment technologies. The projects aim to influence policy-making processes and implement practical measures for long-term improvements.

 

Supporting the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region 

Our projects play a vital role in achieving the ambitious goals of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) to save the Baltic Sea. In collaboration with the coordinators of the EUSBSR policy areas Nutri, Bioeconomy, Hazards, and Tourism, our projects make water and wastewater management more efficient and less resource-intensive in cities, rural areas, and tourist destinations. Together, our projects and the EUSBSR coordinators drive changes in water-related policies in our region, ensuring that the outcomes of our projects are integrated into legislation and continue to contribute to clearer, cleaner waters in the region.

 

Explore project solutions in more detail:

EMPEREST

Eliminating Micro-Pollutants from Effluents for REuse STrategies
The project EMPEREST tests advanced treatment technology that helps water utilities and companies better remove organic micropollutants such as PFAS or pharmaceuticals from wastewater.
Read more about the project

APRIORA

Improved risk assessment for strategic water management to reduce micro-pollutant emissions in the Baltic Sea Region
In the project APRIORA, environmental protection agencies and wastewater treatment plants get equipped with a GIS-based risk assessment system to monitor and model concentrations of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in order to improve water management and reduce emissions.
Read more about the project

BEACON

Application of biological effects methods in monitoring and assessment of contaminants in the Baltic Sea
In the project BEACON, public authorities and governmental organisations develop harmonised methods to assess contamination in the Baltic Sea waters, sediment and biota.
Read more about the project

AdvIQwater

Improving quality of BSR waters by advanced treatment processes
The project AdvIQwater tests photocatalysis, fungal treatment and biofilms methods to efficiently clean wastewaters from pharmaceuticals.
Read more about the project

NonHazCity 3

Reducing hazardous substances in construction to safeguard the aquatic environment, protect human health and achieve more sustainable buildings
The project NonHazCity 3 helps municipalities, entrepreneurs and individuals construct and renovate buildings with tox-free materials in order to protect health and the environment.
Read more about the project

TRUST ALUM

Building trust in target groups for ALUM treatment - an effective, yet misunderstood method for water quality improvement
The project TRUST ALUM helps public authorities in the Baltic countries make better use of ALUM water treatment and improve water quality in lakes.
Read more about the project

MUNIMAP

Baltic Sea Munitions Remediation Roadmap
The project MUNIMAP develops a legal and administrative framework for public authorities to initiate joint remediation of dumped munitions from the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak, which pose threats to the marine ecosystem and hinder the maritime economy.
Read more about the project

Supported by Nature

Supported by Nature - nature based solution learning sites for a sustainable Baltic Sea
The project Supported by Nature unites six Baltic Sea countries in one mission: to increase the understanding of nature-based solutions. Learning sites for local authorities and education- and research institutions are being set up in coastal, wetland, and watercourse areas to showcase best practices.
Read more about the project

QWATERA

Evaluation of water quality and territories vulnerability in Daugava River Basin
The Daugava river is the second largest river flowing into the Baltic Sea, the basin of which expands to Belarus, Russia and the three Baltic States. Although its ground and surface waters are used for drinking and industrial purposes, a coordinated water quality assessment is still missing. QWATERA aims to strengthen institutional cooperation to develop harmonised assessment criteria of surface and groundwater quality so that good status of waters could be ensured in the future.
Read more about the project

BSR WATER

Platform on Integrated Water Cooperation
The Interreg platform BSR WATER filled up the Baltic Smart Water Hub with over a hundred best practices and solutions to clear and smartly manage fresh, sea, storm and waste waters.
Read more about the project

SUMBA

Sustainable urban mobility and commuting in Baltic cities
By developing master plans on commuting for nine municipalities in five Baltic Sea region countries, the Interreg project SUMBA paved a way for sustainable and greener transport transformation in the region.
Read more about the project

CCC

Creative Circular Cities - Promoting circular transition at local level by involving the Culture & Creative Sectors and Industries
In the project Creative Circular Cities, local authorities, business support organisations and NGOs showcase in six demo cities how cultural and creative sectors and industries can trigger circular business growth and promote circular consumption among people.
Read more about the project

AREA 21

Baltic Smart City Areas for the 21st century
The Interreg project AREA21 involved local and regional public authorities, energy providers, public property owners and citizens from six countries and improved cooperative planning processes by applying ICT-based tools for visualisation of energy consumption and upscaling good practices in energy saving to a district level.
Read more about the project

INTERACTIVE GARDENS

Integrated system for interactive public garden development in Baltic Sea Region
In the project INTERACTIVE GARDENS, public authorities develop a system of interactive public gardens in order to improve health services for people, and thus better meet their well-being, social and educational needs.
Read more about the project

BaltSe@nioR

Innovative solutions to support BSR enterprises in product development aimed at raising comfort and safety of seniors home living
In this Interreg project, furniture manufacturers, designers, architectures and other experts gain knowledge about the senior’s needs and preferences in order to win a competitive edge in designing customised and smart products for seniors, and by this to improve their quality of life.
Read more about the project

Circular spaces

Circular Economy makerspace
The project Circular spaces brings together operators and users of maker spaces in eco-design and material reuse to jointly contribute to sustainable product development.
Read more about the project

SEABAS

Strategic ecosystem-based planning for sustainable future of the Baltic Sea
SEABAS enables public authorities, international organisations, and NGOs to integrate sustainable marine resource use, balanced human activity at sea, and ecosystem protection into maritime spatial planning, using harmonised monitoring, data-sharing tools, and policy recommendations. SEABAS consolidates outcomes from 8 EU projects.
Read more about the project

MedRoPlan

Wood Biomass Production in Medium Rotation Plantations with Hybrid Aspen and Poplars
There is a growing interest in fast-growing tree species, such as hybrid aspens and poplars, especially in the context of bioeconomy approach becoming more popular. These trees have a great potential to constitute a significant share in the wood-based biomass in the near future. MedRoPlan aims to elaborate on developing and improving the production methods of the wood biomass with the use of hybrid aspens and poplars.
Read more about the project

CoCoBLog

Competent and Competitive Baltic Logistics
The project addresses a gap between the needed and existing logistics skills/competences and, consequently, strengthens the institutional capacities of different companies executing logistics duties within the Baltic Sea region. The project works towards upgrading logistics skills and competences of people involved in logistics and, in this way, improving an overall logistics performance in the Baltic Sea region and reducing differences between the different countries.
Read more about the project

EmpInno

S3-Empowering for Innovation and Growth in Medium-Sized Cities and Regions
The Interreg project EmpInno helped twelve medium sized regions around the Baltic Sea to improve their regional innovation strategies for smart specialisation (RIS3) by providing strategy owners (e.g. public authorities) and strategy implementers (e.g. science parks, universities, business intermediaries) with peer knowledge and by boosting their cooperation with business.
Read more about the project

INBETS BSR

Innovative Business Transfer Models for SMEs in the BSR
The project INBETS BSR enabled business support organisations to improve consultations in business transfer and ensure continuity in complex handover processes.
Read more about the project

BaMuR

Baltic Museum Resilience: Resilient museums and memory institutions for resilient societies in the Baltic Sea Region
The project BaMuR equips public authorities, NGOs and SMEs with a toolbox to help cultural and heritage institutions maintain their consolation role to people in times of crisis.
Read more about the project

MAMBA

Maximised Mobility and Accessibility of Services in Regions Affected by Demographic Change
The Interreg project MAMBA introduced innovative mobility solutions making public transport, welfare services and goods delivery more convenient and accessible in rural areas across the Baltic Sea region.
Read more about the project

DAIMON 2

Decision Aid for Marine Munitions - Practical Application
The project DAIMON2 optimised the tools that allow maritime and environmental authorities to more accurately and less costly make decisions on the management of the dumped munitions.
Read more about the project

UROSCO

Update and Recalculation of national oil spill contingency plans in the Baltic Sea
Read more about the project

CAMS Platform

Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Synergies in Energy Efficiency Projects
Local authorities and energy auditors learned how to provide higher quality, quicker, and more holistic energy audits harmonised across the Baltic Sea region based on the knowledge synthesised from a dozen of EU funded projects.
Read more about the project

SEAMEASURES

SEAMEASURES
There are two interlinked developments that accelerate the transition to clean shipping in Northern Europe: the environmental and the economic development. The aim of this project is to contribute to thriving and sustainable shipping through the analysis of different options for decarbonisation and minimizing the harmful impacts to air quality and the marine environment. We will target all aspects of decarbonisation of the maritime cluster, especially the short sea shipping, including a roadmap for emerging technologies.
Read more about the project

BlueBioSites

Data, information and tools to identify and monitor optimal sites for the Blue Bioeconomy in the Baltic Sea Region
BlueBioSites aims to develop a ‘large scale’ project with the objective to create a Baltic Sea wide effective system for the identification and monitoring of Blue Bioeconomy sites covering mussel and macroalgae cultivations, fish aquaculture, microalgae and reed harvesting sites. The project focuses on data and information necessary to identify new sites, as well as the monitoring of existing sites, and shall provide recommendations on most effective technology means to generate such data.
Read more about the project

InBets +

Innovative business transfers in the BSR +
InBets+ organised events and training courses, to train small and medium sized enterprises all across the Baltic Sea region in successful business transfers.

Read more about the project

MI-RAP

Music Industry Resilience Acceleration Programme
The project MI-RAP helps local authorities, sectoral agencies and business support organisations attract fresh talents to the music industry, while ensuring more cross-sectoral cooperation and integration of emerging technologies and green practices at the same time.
Read more about the project

Age@Work

Age@Work - Building Capacity for Age Management in Human Resources
In times of ageing work force and of skills shortages, it is important for employers to retain qualified staff and enable and motivate them to perform well as they age. Yet few employers implement age management, i.e. a human resource policy that fosters age-adjusted work environments, life-long learning and knowledge transfer. Age@Work aims to familiarise human resource managers and executives with age management and to raise their ability to apply it by way of education, training, counselling and professional exchange.
Read more about the project

RenoWave

One-Stop-Shop extended model to increase the multi-apartment building stock renovation in the BSR
The project RenoWave establishes cooperation among homeowners, construction companies, energy agencies and public authorities to initiate more energy-efficiency renovations in multi-apartment buildings.
Read more about the project

CircularPlace

CircularPlace
A transition to circular economy is unfolding in the Baltic Sea region, but at varying speeds and in varying ways. Closing the full circle of the economy requires involving consumers in circular economy at their local levels. The project CCI can play a key role in making the connections between circular economy and society. The aim of the main project will be to increase capacity building of innovation actors for upscaling circular economy systems in local communities, facilitated by CCIs and with consumers as active participants.
Read more about the project

BSR Urban Mobility

Enhancing active and efficient urban mobility in the Baltic Sea region
The BSR Urban Mobility project platform connects cities, regional authorities, and policymakers in a peer learning network to support the implementation of sustainable urban mobility plans and deliver on EU goals for multimodal, zero-emission transport. BSR Urban Mobility consolidates outcomes from 17 EU projects.
Read more about the project

Land-Sea-Act

Land-sea interactions advancing Blue Growth in Baltic Sea coastal areas
With the help of Land-Sea-Act, national and regional authorities, coastal municipalities, NGOs and businesses learned to plan together the use of land and sea space at the coasts of the Baltic Sea for the benefit of local communities.
Read more about the project

BREC

Bridging the gap between research and education for the circular bioeconomy
The project BREC connects agricultural schools, authorities and researchers to spread circular agricultural practices among practitioners and test technologies driving circular bioeconomy.
Read more about the project

R-Mode Baltic

Ranging Mode for the Baltic Sea
The Interreg project R-Mode Baltic launched a technical system for a safer ship navigation, and placed the Baltic Sea as a first operational navigation test area for maritime terrestrial navigation on the global map.
Read more about the project

Prosper BSR

Promoting Perspectives for promising potential workforce in the Baltic Sea Region
The project Prosper BSR empowers business support organisations to integrate refugees and immigrants into labour markets, and ensure access to skilled workforce at the same time.
Read more about the project

PlanHeat

Local Heat Planning - Achieving the Heat Transition in BSR Municipalities
The project PlanHeat brings together municipalities and expert organisations from seven countries to help cities develop local heat plans and meet tightening standards for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Read more about the project

BalMarGrav

Homogenized marine gravity maps of southern and eastern Baltic Sea for modern 3D applications in marine geodesy, geology and navigation
The project BalMarGrav harmonises data on the Earth’s gravity across the region to feed it into a new height reference system for safer navigation, offshore infrastructure and sea traffic management.
Read more about the project

Solutions stay with the people: listen to our #InterregVoices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© UBC SCC/Mariia Andreeva

Thanks to Interreg (...), we created momentum for essential aspects of sustainable water management connected to climate change, for example improving the wastewater and storm water management, reducing water pollution, and increasing the application of circular economy principles. [IWAMA; BSR Water]

 

 

 

Agnieszka Ilola 

Head of Secretariat, Union of the Baltic Cities, Sustainable Cities Commission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© Dmitry Frank-Kamenetsky

I can name a large number of examples of project outputs directly integrated into the regional policy framework. The first one is the recommendation on sludge handling. It was largely based on the PURE project. What’s more, the technologies tested in the project PURE to treat wastewater are in regular use now.

 

 

 

Dmitry Frank-Kamenetsky

 Special Advisor to HELCOM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© City of Turku

Thanks to Interreg projects, we have improved our public services for our citizens. Our water treatment facility has been involved in benchmarking water management processes and our water management processes have continuously been improving. Now, we have even better water quality and managed to keep the price of our water services at a moderate level.

Minna Arve

Mayor of Turku, Finland

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