The Baltic Sea faces ongoing pressures: low water levels, pollution, overfishing and environmental change. In 1997 the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) linked 22 March to Baltic protection, making it the International Baltic Sea Protection Day.
The Baltic’s biodiversity is unusual, with both marine and freshwater species. Long‑term exploitation has reduced many fish stocks, including cod and eel, and the harbour porpoise – the only resident cetacean – has declined.
Major threats are industrial and household pollution and nutrient runoff from agriculture, which drive eutrophication, algal blooms and oxygen‑poor “dead zones”. Heavy shipping – more than 50,000 vessels pass the Danish straits each year – adds noise and disturbance.
Wrecks and underwater munitions on the seabed are a largely overlooked, climate‑sensitive danger. As climate change speeds up corrosion and raises the risk of chemical leaks, these hazards worsen biodiversity loss and ecological stress. One of the most effective ways to protect the Baltic is to reduce pollutant emissions and ease exploitation of resources – for example by cutting use of artificial fertilisers and improving wastewater treatment.
Water levels have also been a concern. In the 2025/2026 season the Baltic recorded its lowest levels since measurements began, linked to weather conditions and reduced exchange with the North Sea. These trends underline the interconnected challenges facing the sea and the need for coordinated action.
Many Interreg South Baltic Programme projects focus on the health of the Baltic under Priority 2: Sustainable South Baltic. The Programme’s project library provides information on initiatives covering green energy, water and circular economy.
The Interreg South Baltic Programme will attend the EUSBSR Forum in Tallinn on 11–13 May 2026 with a panel discussion “Hidden treasures of BSR – munitions and wrecks in the sea: risks, challenges and solutions”. The session brings together ERDF‑funded projects under two Interreg programmes (Interreg Baltic Sea Region and Interreg South Baltic) and an EMFAF‑funded project, showing how different EU funds complement one another. It will share project findings and help create pathways to scale up results through a possible new consortium after 2027.
Among the projects presented will be BALTWRECK. By showcasing new technologies, risk‑mapping tools and cross‑sector cooperation, the session aims to boost regional preparedness and support the EUSBSR Action Plan, especially PA Hazards, PA Safe and PA Ship. Harmonised international management is essential to protect ecosystems, communities and maritime economies and to build a resilient, clean and sustainable Baltic Sea area.