INTERNATIONAL EVENT AND CONFERENCE

to commemorate 30 years of the Helsinki Convention

 

 

MARCH 22-24, 2004

 RIGA, LATVIA

 

PROGRAMME

 

 

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DAY ONE: MONDAY, 22 MARCH

Registration.   HALL 1                                                                                   09:00-10:00

Flute quartet “Flautissimo”

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Conference Room ALFA -                                                                                10:00-11.30

SPECIAL EVENT TO COMMEMORATE 30 YEARS

OF THE HELSINKI CONVENTION

Chaired by Mr. Raimonds Vçjonis, Minister of the Environment of the Republic of Latvia

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Welcome addresses by:

Mr. Indulis Emsis, Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia

Prof. Dr. Inese Vaidere, Chair of Helsinki Commission (HELCOM)

Mr. Gundars Bojars, Mayor of Riga, Vice-President of Union of Baltic Cities

 

Musical Performance:

Chamber ensemble “ALTERA VERITAS”

 

Messages by High Level representatives:

 

Ministers of Environment of HELCOM Member States:

·         Mr.Villu Reiljan, Estonia

·         Mr.Arûnas Kundrotas, Lithuania

H.E. Tiit Naber, Chairman of the CBSS CSO

Mr.Bob Decker, OSPAR Chairman

Mr. John Carstensen, Acting Deputy Director, Regional Office for Europe, UNEP

Ms. Anne Christine Brusendorff, HELCOM Executive Secretary

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Musical Performance

Ballet duet and video–art perfomance: Andrejs Jurjâns “To My Homeland”

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Coffee break                                                                                       11:30-11:45

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HIGH-LEVEL ROUNDTABLE                                                        11:45-12:45

Sustainable Development and Environmental Governance in the Baltic Sea

Region in Future

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HIGH-LEVEL representatives Press conference                            12:45- 13:20

Room TAU + EPSILON

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Buffet Lunch. Room BETA 1                                                              13:30-14:30

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OPENING of the Conference.                                                                      14:30-14:40

Presentation of the outcome of High-Level Roundtable discussion.

Mr. Raimonds Vçjonis, Minister of the Environment of the Republic of Latvia

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PLENARY SESSION                                                                                    14:40 -16:00

The Historic Role and Development of the Helsinki Convention.European Marine Strategy.

Chairman: Dr. Tapani Kohonen, Finland

-Development of the Convention

 “Development of the 1974 and 1992 Helsinki Conventions.”

Mr. Pertti Harvola, Deputy Director General, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Finland

·           Historic Role of the Convention

“Historic Role of the Three Baltic States to Join the Work of HELCOM.
Regaining of Independence and Raising of Environmental Awareness.”

 Mr. Indulis Emsis, Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia.

"HELCOM achievements and coming challenges - NGO views".

Mr. Gunnar Noren, Coalition Clean Baltic, CCB.

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Coffee break                                                                                      16:00-16:30

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PLENARY SESSION continued.                                                      16:30-18:00

·           HELCOM Ministerial Declarations - Milestones and Driving force.

European Marine Strategy

 “HELCOM Ministerial Declarations - Milestones and Driving force.

 One year after the Bremen Ministerial Meeting.”

 Dr. Peter Ehlers, Germany. 

„HELCOM and International Financial Institutions:  Partnership for JCP and Beyond

 Mr Inesis Kiskis, World Bank

 “The Helsinki Convention and the European Marine Strategy.”

 Mr. Ben van de Wetering, European Commission DG Environment.

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Official Reception hosted by Mr. Raimonds Vçjonis,                          19:30-21:30

Minister of the Environment of the Republic of Latvia

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DAY TWO: TUESDAY, 23 MARCH 2004                                        09:00

Three sessions in parallel

 

 

SESSION I

Conference Room ZETA + OMEGA

SESSION II

Conference Room ALFA

SESSION III

Conference Room BETA 2

Ecosystem Approach to the Management of Human Activities in the Baltic Sea

Environmental Impact of Shipping

Cooperation for Sustainable development in the Baltic Sea Region

Chair: Ms. Katarina Veem, Sweden

Chairman: Dr. Peter Ehlers, Germany

Chair: Ms. Heike Imhoff, Germany
Introductory Key Note Address.

Speeches by Invited Speakers.

 

“Biological complexity - a case study of Baltic ecosystem dynamics”

Henrik Österblom, M.Sc., Environmental Advisory Council, Ministry of Environment, Sweden.

 

”Successful implementation of the ecosystem approach - The Great Barrier Reef”.

Dr. Jon Day, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Queensland, Australia

Introductory Key Note Address.

Speeches by Invited Speakers.

 

  • Maritime safety. The HELCOM Copenhagen Declaration - What still needs to be done?

“Maritime Safety in the Baltic Sea Region - Co-operation in the framework of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference”.

Ms. Sylvia Bretschneider, Speaker of the Land Parliament Mecklenburg - Vorpommern representing BSPC
Introductory Key Note Address.

Speeches by Invited Speakers.

 

“The Role of the Parliamentarians in the Baltic Sea Co-operation”. 

Mr. Kent Olsson, MP, Sweden, Chairman of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, BSPC

 

“The role of the CBSS in the development and implementation of the EU Northern Dimension Action Plan”.  H.E. Tiit Naber, Chairman of the CBSS CSO

 

“Persuing Sustainable development in the Baltic Sea Region through regional multi-stakeholder co-operation: challenges for Baltic 21”.

Mr. Valdis Bisters, Chairman of the Baltic 21 SOG.

 

 

 

“Designation of the Baltic Sea as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area”.

Mr. Johan Franson, Swedish Maritime Administration

 

 

Discussion 10:30-10:45

Discussion 10:30-10:45

Discussion 10:30-10:45

Coffee break

 

                     10:45-11:15                    

SESSION I continued

11:15-13:00

SESSION II continued

SESSION III continued

“From sectoral to integrated assessments: Implementation of the ecosystem approach in the European seas - what obstacles do we need to overcome?”

Prof. Laurence Mee, Plymouth University, UK

 

“Large Marine Ecosystems - the Baltic Sea Regional Project”.

Dr.Andris Andrushaitis, GEF Baltic Sea Regional Project assistant coordinator

 

”An Ecosystem Approach to Establishing Effective Ecological Quality Objectives (EcoQOs) for the Baltic Sea”.

Mr. Sebastian Valanko, HELCOM Secretariat

 

Discussion
  • The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments - harmonized implementation in the Baltic Sea Area.

 “Harmful Aquatic Organisms in Ships` Ballast Water - Risk, Regulation and the IMO Regime”. Mr. Mr. Tadas Navickas,

HELCOM Secretariat

 

"Research aspects of Baltic Sea

non-indigenous species".

Ms. Anda Ikauniece, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Latvia

 

 

 

Discussion

“NIB - a future in-house bank for the financing of environmental projects in the Baltic Sea Region”. Mr. Roland Randefelt, Nordic Investment Bank (NIB).

 

"WWF Baltic Ecoregion Action Programme". Mr.Lasse Gustafsson, WWF Sweden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discussion

Buffet Lunch Room BETA 1

 

                                   13:00-14:00

SESSION I continued

14:00-16:00

SESSION II continued

SESSION III continued

"Baltic Sea ecosystem management and EU policy".

Dr. habil. Gerald Schernewski
Baltic Sea Research Institute Warnemünde, Germany

 

“Decision-making tools to minimise non-point pollution in the Baltic”.

 Prof. Frederik Wulff, Department of Systems Ecology, Stockholm University, Sweden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discussion
  • Implementation of the Baltic Strategy - success and problems.

“Implementation of the Baltic Sea strategy”.  Mr. Tadas Navickas,

HELCOM Secretariat

 

“An example of successful implementation of the Baltic Strategy in port of Liepaja, Latvia“.  

Mr. S¸ren Ponsbach Petersen, Carl Bro International, Denmark

 

“Implementation of the Baltic Strategy in Finland – problems and success”. Mr. Jorma Kämäräinen, Finnish Maritime Administration

 

Discussion

Concrete examples of integrated policies in the Baltic Sea Region (fisheries, agriculture, transport policy).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discussion

Coffee break

 

                            16:00-16:30

Poster session           16:30-18:00

Discussion

Conference Dinner               19:30 – 22:30

 

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DAY THREE:  WEDNESDAY, 24 MARCH 2004

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PLENARY SESSION

                        Report from Ecosystem session

Report from Shipping session

Report from Sustainable development session

Discussion

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Coffee break                                                                                       10:30-11:30

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Adoption of the Conference Resolution                                            11:30-12:30

End Note Address

Closure of the Conference

 

Participation of Mass Media

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Press Conference       Room TAU + EPSILON                                   12:30-13:00      

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Buffet Lunch               Room BETA 1                                                  13:30