Raising environmental awareness in the Baltic Sea area: results and experience gained from the SPA Project

Abstract

In the 1990s, the countries in the Baltic Sea catchment area were undergoing many changes on the political, economic, social and cultural levels. The development of democracy in the previous Eastern Block countries and the enlargement of the European Union to include Sweden and Finland have also created a new framework for international, regional and sub-regional cooperation in the field of environmental awareness. Many new actors working in this field have appeared at international and local levels. The SPA report carried out by the Finnish Environment Institute in cooperation with the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) aimed at providing useful background information, findings and action proposals for raising environmental awareness in the Baltic Sea catchment area. It was intended to serve the European Union, HELCOM and other numerous regional, national, local and sectoral actors in their activities related to environmental awareness and public participation.