SuMaNu in dialogue with stakeholders around the BSR
SuMaNu project platform has been synthesizing results and recommendations from several previous EU funded agri-environmental projects. The important part of the work has been a dialogue with stakeholders. SuMaNu organized, together with other organisations, three international workshops. Their aim was to ensure the regional relevance of joint policy recommendations.
HELCOM workshop on nutrient recycling measures
In the HELCOM workshop on nutrient recycling measures, the focus was both on agricultural nutrient management and wastewater treatment. The discussion covered issues such as better utilization of manure, nutrient recovery technologies, mandatory nutrient recycling for large wastewater treatment plants and safe nutrient recycling. It was acknowledged that there is overall need to increase both knowledge and awareness of nutrient flows. The need to increase the profitability of manure processing was also emphasized. Currently, it depends largely on the business model of biogas production. The aim of the workshop was to outline possible measures that could increase nutrient recycling in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) and be included in the Baltic Sea Regional Nutrient Recycling Strategy and in the updated Baltic Sea Action Plan.
Unlocking the potential of nutrient recycling in the Baltic Sea Region
The second workshop, ‘Unlocking the potential of nutrient recycling’, was organized under the umbrella of the EU’s Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region’s Annual Event. During the workshop, three themes were discussed:
– How to incentivize supply and demand of recycled organic fertilizers
– Cooperation towards sustainable phosphorus strategy in the BSR
– Reducing pollutants in sewage sludge and ensuring the safety of recovered nutrients.
The workshop resulted a consensus on the fact that nutrient management and in particular, nutrient recycling needs a stronger push using a range of policy tools i.e.: a.) regulatory instruments to increase the minimum standard of manure and sewage sludge management b.) economic instruments to create a market and demand for circular nutrients, c.) communication instruments to reach farmers and consumers.
The Baltic Sea unaffected by pollution
In the third workshop, which was organised together with BONUS RETURN project, a new approach was tested to avoid ‘silo’ structures in planning of efficient set of measures. The aim of the workshop was to create and discuss cross-secotral system level intervention prototypes for reaching the mission of “the Baltic Sea unaffected by pollution”. Workshop participants came to prioritize most of the SuMaNu policy recommendations.
The whole report can be found here: