EUSBSR Annual Forum in Poland 2025
Project: GYPREG
Physical Meeting
28. - 30. October 2025
00:00 - 23:59 (BST)
Can Gypsum Save the Baltic Sea? Join the GYPREG Final Seminar 28 October 2026
Project: GYPREG
Virtual Meeting & Physical Meeting
Can gypsum help reduce agricultural phosphorus losses and protect the Baltic Sea?
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Date & Time28. October 2026
10:00 - 14:30 (EET) -
OrganiserInterreg Baltic Sea Region project GYPREG - Tackling agricultural phosphorus load by soil amendments
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Venue
- Paasitorni Congress Center, Paasivuorenkatu 5 A
- 00530 Helsinki
- Finland
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Contact
- Ljudmila Vesikko
- [email protected]
- Sari Väisänen
- [email protected]
Description
The seminar will present the key outcomes of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project GYPREG, which has explored gypsum treatment as a measure for reducing agricultural phosphorus losses across the Baltic Sea region. Bringing together agricultural and environmental policymakers, researchers, stakeholders and industry representatives, the event will explore the latest evidence, practical experiences and policy perspectives on the future role of gypsum in protecting the Baltic Sea.
The GYPREG’s Final Seminar highlights
- Lessons learned from Finland, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland;
- Effectiveness and cost-efficiency of gypsum treatment;
- Farmers’ and advisors’ perspectives, and implementation challenges;
- Policy recommendations and opportunities for scaling up gypsum treatment across the Baltic Sea region; and
- Future cooperation and the role of gypsum in reducing nutrient loading to the Baltic Sea.
Registration link: here
Registration deadline: 13 October 2026
Accommodation
A limited number of rooms are available at a special rate for seminar participants at nearby three hotels; Scandic Kallio, Scandic Hakaniemi and Paasitorni: Scandic Hotels | Book your stay now. The code CGRO booking code can be used for all Scandic hotels in Helsinki up to 10 days before the stay. The discount is around 10%.
Additional programme for in-person participants
Participants attending in person are welcome to join a visit to Finnish Environment Institute’s marine research vessel Aranda after the seminar. The visit offers a rare opportunity to step aboard one of the Baltic Sea’s key research vessels and learn more about marine monitoring and research. Afterwards, participants are invited to continue the discussions over a project-hosted dinner at a nearby restaurant.
While we hope you will be able to join us in Helsinki or online, a recording of the final seminar will also be made available on the project website after the event.
Best regards,
The GYPREG Project Team
Finnish Environment Institute (Syke)
Agenda
- TimeItem
- Programme
09:30 Coffee and registration
Opening
10:00 Welcome
Petri Ekholm, Finnish Environment Institute
Antton Keto, Finnish Ministry of the Environment
10:10 GYPREG: What was it all about?
Maria Kämäri, Finnish Environment Institute
10:20 Greetings from Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme
Ekaterina Latysheva, Joint Secretariat, Interreg Baltic Sea Region
Results and cross-country synthesis
10:25 Does gypsum work in the Baltic Sea countries?
Petri Ekholm, Finnish Environment Institute
Fereshteh Pourazari, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden
10:45 Comments
10:50 Farmers and gypsum: Frontline heroes in saving the Baltic Sea
Markku Ollikainen and Sanna Lötjönen, University of Helsinki, Finland
11:20 Comments
11:25 Listening to farmers: Building the road to gypsum adoption
Maija Salmiovirta, John Nurminen Foundation, Finland
Virpi Lehtoranta, Finnish Environment Institute
11:40 Comments
11:45 From source to field: needs for large-scale implementation
Elsa Bertils, Race For The Baltic, Sweden
12:05 Discussion
12:10 LUNCH
Looking ahead
13:10 A three-year journey: Challenges, achievements and insights
Petri Ekholm, Finnish Environment Institute
13:15 Panel discussion: The future of gypsum in water protection?
13:50 Discussion
13:55 Engineering construction materials from phosphogypsum: A viable route towards a sustainable circular economy?
Alexander E.S. Van Driessche, Andalusian Institute of Earth Sciences, IACT-CSIC, Granada, Spain
14:15 From results to action
Tuomas Jäntti, Economic Development Centre and Policy Area Nutri, EU Strategy for
the Baltic Sea Region
14:25 Key messages and closing remarks
Petri Ekholm, Finnish Environment Institute
14:30 End of the event - Additional programme for in-person participants
Visit onboard R/V Aranda 15:15–17:00
Guided tour of the ship
Presentation: Why is the Baltic Sea not responding to reduced nutrient loads?
Gypsum demonstration
Read about research vessel Aranda
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Networking: project-hosted dinner 18:00
Restaurant Katajanokan Kasino, Laivastokatu 1, 00160 Helsinki
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