What did the Baltic Sea Challenge achieve in the years 2019-2023?

During the five-year action plan period form 2019 to 2023, many tangible and administrative actions were made, in order to reduce the environmental loads from the cities of Helsinki and Turku to waters.

Goals of the Action Plan was divided under five waves of action for the benefit of the Baltic Sea. The waves were clear coastal waters, healthy marine ecosystems, clean and safe water traffic, systematic water area management and active Baltic Sea citizenship.

The action plan included 117 actions, some of which were implemented in both cities and some only in one. Turku had 98 actions to implement, of which 80 were completed during the action plan period. Helsinki had 91 actions, of which 63 were completed. The action plan period was marked by significant changes in the operating environment, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the geopolitical shift in the Baltic Sea region following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Clear coastal waters

Under clear coastal waters, the categories included wastewater, diffusing loading, storm waters and improving the state of small water bodies, maintenance of green areas and agriculture, transport and nutrient removal. Wastewater treatment was improved in Turku, e.g. by increasing the capacity of the regional wastewater treatment plant with a new discharge pipe, as well as a new UV sanitization plant that cleans the wastewater so well that it meets the quality requirements for swimming water. In addition, the waste water treatment systems of the city’s outdoor islands were overhauled or by building completely new ones for those that were missing. A septic station for vans was also implemented in Saaroniemi. 8 km of the mixed sewer network in the inner city area were separated in connection with renovations. In Helsinki, wastewater treatment was improved e.g. by connecting Vallisaari to the municipal engineering network and with the completion of the first mixed drainage separation sites.

Diffusing loading, storm water and the state of small waters were concretely improved in Turku, e.g. by building a delay dam using biochar in Hirvensalo, restoring the Pomponrahka swamp area, building a biofiltration system in Länsikeskus and rehabilitating the Kuninkoja city stream. 60 storm water filters were installed in the Jaaninoja catchment area. In addition, a lot of actions were taken at the administrative level, for example, a sustainable water management map was introduced into Turku’s general plan 2029 and the blue-green coefficient was made mandatory in the new building order (2021), these are reportedly not yet in use in other cities or municipalities. In Helsinki, concrete actions were e.g. publication of the blue-green network survey 2023, the organization of the Virho voluntary work and the restoration of streams such as changing the Mätäjoki bottom dam into a rapid, the restoration of the beds in the Tali area into spawning grounds, and the storm water chest implemented for Taivallahti.

Activities related to agriculture and the maintenance of green areas in Turku were, for example, the use of the updated land condition agreement as an addendum to the city’s field lease agreements, the addition of biochar to the growth medium of the city’s plantings, and the investigation of the Satava forest ditch and the implementation of the settling basin, where wood material was added. In addition, in the research project, a practical guide for farmers on the implementation of structural liming on different types of clay soils was implemented as a collaboration. Activities in Helsinki were, for example, implementation of plaster treatments, liming and optimization of fertilization. Actions related to traffic in Helsinki were e.g. clarifying the waste water practices of waterway transport and promoting electronic water transport

To reduce nutrient runoff, the food service provider for the City of Turku committed to offer a locally sourced fish on a five-week menu rotation, with consumption reaching approximately 3,000 kg each time. Additionally, the Upper Secondary School of Turun Suomalainen Yhteiskoulu (TSYK) annually challenges all schools and kindergartens across Finland to eat locally sourced fish on the Baltic Sea Day. On Baltic Sea Day, Service Centre Helsinki also serves Baltic Sea fish dishes in various service areas. For example, in 2020, fish was used for a total of 75,000 meals.

Healthy marine ecosystems

The promotion of healthy marine ecosystems included littering, harmful substances and underwater noise as themes. Littering in the cities was reduced, for example, by changing the materials of the artificial turf and developing snow management methods. In Helsinki, the Action Program for Litter Control 2022-2025 was launched. Both cities have been partner cities of the Pidä Saaristo Siistinä NGO’s manhole sticker campaign to raise awareness about plastic littering.

In order to reduce harmful substances, a chemical-wise buyer’s guide was introduced in the city’s procurement of goods and services in Turku, the sea disposal of dredged masses was abandoned in 2019, and the use of glyphosate as pesticide was prohibited in new regional contracts. In Helsinki, among other things, a joint site water guidelines for the capital region and a plan for the gradual transition to glyphosate-free cultivation in the city’s fields were made.

The city of Turku’s underwater noise situation was started to be investigated in the EU project Biodiversea LIFE IP, which is part-financed by the city. The Port of Helsinki made a report on the underwater noise of Vuosaari harbor in 2021.

Clean and Safe Waterborne Transport

Clean and safe waterborne transport includes ports and maritime traffic, ensuring oil spill preparedness, and recreational boating. Measures related to ports and maritime traffic in both Turku and Helsinki include environmental port fees and the development of port operations towards carbon neutrality. In Turku, a pump-out station for large ships was installed in the Aura River in 2023, as well as pump-out stations for recreational boaters on the city’s recreational islands. In Helsinki, shore power systems were implemented in the South Harbor and Jätkäsaari areas.

Oil spill preparedness has been enhanced in Turku, for instance, through the acquisition of quick-deployment booms by the Southwest Finland Rescue Department and the development of an environmental spill response plan for 2022–2024. In Helsinki, the on-call rescue service personnel have received training on using environmental and nature-related databases in case of environmental accidents. 

For promoting responsible recreational boating, actions include the annual summer newsletter from the Baltic Sea Challenge to boating clubs and yacht clubs, which compiles up-to-date information and guidelines. In 2020, a campaign on antifouling paints for boat hulls highlighted yacht clubs and boating associations that prioritize sustainability.

In Helsinki, restoration of marine nature includes efforts such as planting seagrass (Zostera marina) off the coast of Lauttasaari and improving seabed quality prior to the planting work.

Deliberate Use of Water Areas

Deliberate use of water areas includes marine habitat restoration, spatial planning and map-based tools, as well as nature surveys and assessments of ecological conditions. In Turku, actions related to spatial planning and map-based tools included underwater habitat mapping in the city’s first biodiversity program (LUMO), incorporating numerous recreational and natural values into a zoning amendment for the port area, and mapping aquatic vegetation in three coastal bays within the city in 2022. In Helsinki, efforts included classifying islands into different use categories as part of the city’s maritime strategy and developing Vasikkasaari as a new type of eco-friendly tourism island.

Actions related to nature surveys and ecological conditions in Turku included restoring the lowest rapid of Koroistenkoski through participatory budgeting, conducting ecological monitoring of the Kuninkoja urban stream, reducing pollution in small water bodies through various projects, increasing personnel resources in planning and construction oversight, and hosting the exhibition “40,000+ – Experience the World’s Largest Archipelago at Touching Distance” at Forum Marinum. In Helsinki, activities included mapping locally ecologically remarkable marine areas (PEMMA), establishing a nature reserve in Uutela, and conducting surveys of small water body ecosystems.

Active Baltic Sea Citizenship

Active Baltic Sea citizenship includes networking and communication, business cooperation, raising awareness and environmental education, internal city processes, services, and citizen engagement, as well as international cooperation. Networking and communication efforts were carried out throughout the season, for example, by organizing themed webinars, seminars, and other meetings on current topics. Additionally, several projects were carried out in collaboration with universities and research institutions. Business cooperation was enhanced through speedy experiments, as well as through the Åpitch entrepreneur meetings and hackathon-style competitions.

Raising awareness and environmental education were also carried out throughout the season through various events and initiatives such as litter clean-up campaigns, the annual Baltic Sea Day, the Pax Navis maritime peace declaration, and the annual Baltic Sea Camp in Helsinki at the Harakka Nature Center.

Actions related to internal city processes, services, and citizen engagement included internal training on topics like water protection and hazardous substances, as well as utilizing the city’s Kerro kantasi service to engage residents in decision-making.

International cooperation activities included projects such as BaltiCities, organizing workshops at the EU Baltic Sea Strategy annual conference, and participating in the UN High-Level Political Forum.This also involved engaging with international networks and attending events, providing input through speeches. Helsinki launched two EU-projects (BaltiPlast and PlastLIFE) regarding circular economy of plastics.

Some of the actions carried out during the season were one-time initiatives, but the majority have become an established part of the cities’ ongoing activities.