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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

BSGI

Baltic Sea Game Incubation – Piloting Network Activities to Foster Game Incubation in the BSR
The project BSGI equipped game incubators and business developers with tools that allow them to be better prepared in a fast growing and constantly developing industry.
Read more about the project

OSIRIS

Supporting the Smart Specialization Approach in the Silver Economy to Increase Regional Innovation Capacity and Sustainable Growth
OSIRIS helped to accelerate the development and market uptake of innovative products and services for the elder people.
Read more about the project

SUMANU

Sustainable manure and nutrient management for reduction of nutrient loss in the Baltic Sea Region
The Interreg platform SuMaNu synthesised best practices and recommendations on nutrient management from four projects in order to guide authorities, policy makers, advisors and farmers on how to reduce the negative impact of farming on the Baltic Sea.
Read more about the project

Smart-up BSR

Improving smart specialisation implementation of the Baltic Sea Region through orchestrating innovation hubs
The Interreg project Smart-up BSR helped regions in eight countries across the Baltic Sea to implement smart specialisation strategies and develop their strengths in healthy ageing, climate change, circular economy and smart city.
Read more about the project

Flip-EC

Flipped Energy Concept to Flip Climate Change
The project Flip-EC helps public authorities and building users overcome structural barriers and drive lasting behavioural change to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions in public buildings.
Read more about the project

EFFECT4buildings

Effective Financing Tools for implementing Energy Efficiency in Buildings
The Interreg project EFFECT4buildings enabled public building managers in eight countries around the Baltic Sea to better plan renovation projects to unlock investments and implement retrofitting, upgrading and deep renovation and, by this, to save energy.
Read more about the project

BALT-PRO

BOOST ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS FOR HEALTHY FOOD WITH LOW ECOIMPACT AND HIGH REGIONAL GROWTH IN BSR
The growing world population demands increased high-quality protein-rich food sources, while simultaneously considering human health, environmental sustainability, with more effective and ecological agricultural practices, and increased biodiversity. In order to increase alternative protein cultivation and boost market share of healthy food the local experiences need a boost on a transnational level. Pilot and demonstration activities are already established on regional / national level, but so far the exchange on the steps of the value chain and improvements thereof have not been set up.
Read more about the project

NSB CoRe

North Sea Baltic Connector of Regions
In the project NSB Core, spatial and transport planners and other experts representing local, regional and national authorities from six countries developed a joint vision on how to ensure better integrated and accessible eastern and southern parts of the Baltic Sea region.
Read more about the project

EXOPRODIGI

Expanding efforts to bring eco-efficiency to maritime industry processes in Baltic Sea Region via digital tools
EXOPRODIGI helped shipowners and builders, crew on vessels, and port operators to increase the eco-efficiency of the shipping sector through digital tools.

Read more about the project

Energy Circle

Promoting circular approaches for energy independency in business and communities.
The project EnergyCircle helps public authorities and business support organisations develop long-term plans and transition towards circular energy independence, ensuring energy security in the region.
Read more about the project

H2Deri@BSP

H2-Derivatives@BalticSeaPorts
The project H2Deri@BSP helps port authorities, terminal operators and energy providers integrate green hydrogen derivatives fuels, such as methanol and ammonia, into port operations to reduce CO2 emissions and turn seaports into green energy hubs.
Read more about the project

LUCIA

Lighting the Baltic Sea Region - Cities accelerate the deployment of sustainable and smart urban lighting solutions
LUCIA helped municipalities in the Baltic Sea region save energy by the deployment of smart urban lighting solutions.
Read more about the project

CONTAR

Contaminated sediments in the Baltic Sea: assessment, remediation and management revisited
In marine coastal environments, sediments contaminated by anthropogenic activities are a significant source of hazardous substances. However, there is lack of harmonised assessment methodology or common management protocols for contaminated sediments among the Baltic Sea countries. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop guidelines to combine chemical and biological measurements to obtain reliable evaluations of sediment toxicity. The project aims at creating a platform for analysing state of the art in the current risk assessment of contaminated sediments in order to set the basis for the harmonisation of methodologies.
Read more about the project

BEST ACE

Biogas - Established Sustainable Technology in A Circular Economy
The project BEST ACE helps develop natural gas grid infrastructure and use biomethane efficiently in long-haul transport and maritime industry.
Read more about the project

BSR Food Coalition

Baltic Municipality’s Food Coalition
The project BSR Food Coalition connects local farmers and public authorities to ensure regular access to organic food meals at schools, and thus a continuous demand for healthy food supply.
Read more about the project

InnoFruit

Advancement of non-technological innovation performance and innovation capacity in fruit growing and processing sector in selected Baltic Sea Region countries
The project InnoFruit created a sustainable network of fruit-growing companies to make them more successful and competitive across the Baltic Sea region markets thanks to the exchange of innovative solutions.
Read more about the project

ChemClimCircle-2

Fostering implementation of the ChemClimCircle approach to Green Public Procurement in the Baltic Sea Region
The project ChemClimCircle-2 provides public authorities with targeted training and an online platform to easily integrate climate protection, circularity, and chemical reduction goals into public procurement, promoting a greener, toxin-free future.
Read more about the project

Energize Co2mmunity

Real-life implementation of renewable community energy projects
The project Energize Co2mmunity piloted six renewable community energy (CE) projects across the Baltic Sea region.

Read more about the project

BSR SMART LIFE

BSR Lifelong Learning for Smart Specializations
There is a great potential for cooperation and knowledge sharing among countries in the Baltic Sea region when it comes to lifelong learning: the countries have a lot in common when talking about the ageing society and education systems that do not fully correspond to the labour market expectations. Therefore, the exchange of good practices and joint development of new methods are crucial. The project focuses on building a structured dialog with key stakeholders in order to create awareness of the needed adjustments of the educational systems and adapt to a fast-changing labour market.
Read more about the project

PRECHARGE

Predictive Smart Car Charging
The transition to emission-reduced transportation involves various challenges that still ask for appropriate solutions. In order to increase the share of electric vehicle, suitable, affordable and reliable electric vehicle support infrastructures are needed, such as EV charging infrastructures. The PRECHARGE seed money project aims to develop project applications referring to: Knowledge and technology transfer between participating partners (“Predictive Smart Charging”). Implementation of demonstration sites and proof-of-concepts for intelligent EV charging infrastructures Translation of “Predictive Smart Charging” into the Baltic Sea region Reaching social acceptance and public awareness for intelligent EV charging technologies based on artificial intelligence and machine learning including data protection and security. Lowering the barriers for the use and thus strongly enhancing the distribution of electric vehicles in the region.
Read more about the project

BalticSatApps

Speeding up Copernicus Innovation for the BSR Environment and Security
The Interreg project BalticSatApps improved the usability of satellite data provided by the European Copernicus Programme and ensured its further integration in decision-making to trigger innovation in the Baltic Sea region.
Read more about the project

CSHIPP

Clean Shipping Project Platform
The Interreg platform CSHIPP pushed clean shipping forward in the Baltic Sea region by bringing research, business and policy makers together to introduce new policies and discuss promising technological change.
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

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

BSR Mental Health

Baltic Sea Mental Health Platform
The BSR Mental Health project platform outlines a modern healthcare system for the region, helping public authorities integrate non-clinical cultural, artistic, and physical activities to enhance mental and social well-being for people of all ages. BSR Mental Health consolidates outcomes from 13 EU projects.
Read more about the project

We make transition!

Towards sustainable and resilient societies through empowered civil society and collaborative innovation
In the project We make transition! public authorities work on social and ecological initiatives with civil society, and co-create changes in the areas of consumption, mobility, energy and social life.
Read more about the project

Baltic ForBio

Accelerating production of forest bioenergy in the Baltic Sea Region
The Interreg project Baltic ForBio increased production of renewable energy by using forest biomass in Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and triggered new business models for small-scale forest bioenergy plants across the Baltic Sea region.
Read more about the project

UrbCulturalPlanning

UrbCulturalPlanning
The project UrbCulturalPlanning addressed social and urban development by involving citizens in the cultural planning.
Read more about the project

WaterMan

Promoting water reuse in the Baltic Sea Region through capacity building at local level
In the project WaterMan, public authorities and water companies model strategies to reuse water and recirculate retained water, e.g. for industry and agriculture.
Read more about the project

POWER UP

Towards a more efficient organisation of the prosumer construct in energy communities
Citizens, or rather groups of private individuals, have a high potential to contribute to decentralising the production of energy - but their joint role as energy consumers and producers, or ‘prosumers’, is complex. The prosumer construct is under-researched and inefficient. This limits its full potential and requires additional support mechanisms and guidance. POWER UP attempts to offer an inclusive option for all consumers to have a direct stake in producing, consuming or sharing energy through efficient organization at a local level.
Read more about the project

ClimateAligned

Climate-Aligned budgeting at municipalities
The idea of ClimateAligned focuses on the matter that today many municipalities in Europe address the problem of climate change by implementing certain climate mitigation and adaptation policies and goals, but a concept which takes the whole municipal policy and the available budget into account is lacking. The main project wants to deliver a concept for guidelines for municipalities where budget decisions can be examined in terms of climate relevance over a longer time horizon. This would mean to develop a decision support methodology how to assess planning decisions and budget proposals in terms of their climate mitigation and adaptation relevance and their potential to contribute to mitigation and adaptation efforts in a systematic fashion.
Read more about the project

HyTruck

Developing a transnational network of hydrogen refuelling stations for trucks
The project HyTruck helps public authorities design a network of hydrogen refuelling stations for large trucks, bringing the region closer to zero–emissions in road freight transport.
Read more about the project

NHCRE

Network for Hydrogen in Combination with Renewable Energysources
In response to challenges related to shifting from fossil fuel to renewable energy economy, the project sets up a multinational, multilevel and cross-sectoral partnership and a “knowledge hub” to jointly streamline cutting points between hydrogen and other sustainable and renewable energy sources, such as biomass, solar, wind and water. In this way, the project strives for a zero-emission energy and transport structure.
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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