Finland appeals for cleanup of the Baltic Sea
Feb 10, 2010 at 13:37"It is clear that something has to be done — and quickly," Halonen said, opening a one-day regional summit in the Finnish capital.
The Baltic Sea area, home to more than 90 million people, has been subjected to decades of nutrient deposits, toxic dumping, oil spills, weapons and untreated sewage. Experts say it's particularly vulnerable to environmental changes because it has only a narrow outlet to the Atlantic Ocean.
"Today, some of the richest and most environmentally conscious countries on Earth live on the shores of one of the world's most polluted seas," Halonen said. "Isn't it a tragedy?"
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is expected to discuss Moscow's environmental programs and an underwater natural gas pipeline planned between Russia and Germany.
Other participants include presidents and Cabinet ministers from Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf addressed the meeting in the morning session.
The European Commission is also represented and observers include Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and government representatives from Belarus.
The Helsinki Commission — an organization formed 35 years ago by the Baltic Sea countries to protect the maritime environment — expects clear pledges from government leaders, chairman Igor Maydanov said.
So far, some 140 commitments have been made by schools, non-governmental organizations, cities, private foundations, government departments and corporations. They include company funds for treatment of sewage, agricultural producers pledging to cut nutrient deposits, and colleges and schools promoting awareness of the maritime environment.