Five major environmental problems
The symposium concentrated on five major problems that the Baltic Sea faces: 1. Pollution of the sea by harmful elements that are flushed into it either by rivers that empty into the sea or by unmonitored pipes and waste from ships. 2. The consequent eutrophication, or excessive growth of fauna in the sea’s ecosystem, which is also caused by uncontrolled dumping of organic waste, mainly fertilizers, which deplete oxygen levels in the water. 3. Excessive fishing in the area, which is basically a closed sea. 4. The incursions of sea life alien to the area and which upsets long-established balances. 5. Reduced salinity, because of the influx of large quantities of fresh water from melted ice – a result of the general increase in the planet’s temperature caused by human intervention. In general, the Baltic countries are mobilizing to tackle the problems in a joint effort funded by all the countries and by others, such as Norway and the USA.
