The BALSAM project addresses a major challenge in waters around the globe – acidification that comes in the wake of climate change. The project addresses this challenge from a Baltic Sea perspective and involves five core-countries: Finland, Sweden, Poland, Russia and Ukraine.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a major greenhouse gas that causes global warming but also acidification. Acidification already causes changes in aquatic ecosystems in EU-territorial waters and many marine species are under pressure. Still, this threat is rather unknown, and it is therefore necessary to increase the awareness of this phenomenon. The project argues in favor of an international regulation of CO2 emissions and strives for common long-term approaches to policymaking and funding, involving stakeholders at multiple levels.
The project aims to build a network of environmental organisations in the Baltic and Black Sea regions to be able to analyse the threat of ocean acidification and to prepare an awareness campaign. The project also intends to follow ongoing research projects working on this issue to be updated on the situation. Some of the planned activities are workshops, a conference and a plan for the future.