BaltCoast - Integrated Coastal Zone Development in the Baltic Sea

An increase in seaside and landside activities without comprehensive strategies and co-ordination between involved stakeholders has lead to conflicts between nature protection and economic development. The BaltCoast project addressed this issue by promoting economic development, urban expansion and nature protection simultaneously.

BaltCoast developed clear recommendations for the spatial planning in off-shore areas and its integration with land-use planning procedures. The plans for coastal waters were prepared around Greifswalder Bodden, Wismar Bay and Kalmar County.

A joint recommendation on the role of spatial planning within integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) called “Sea-Use-Planning” was integrated into the respective national ICZM strategies of Germany, Sweden, Finland and Poland. The recommendation was integrated into the work of the main pan-Baltic organizations like VASAB 2010 and Baltic 21. In addition it was used for a new project “PlanCoast” in the CADSES Programme that will implement the Sea-Use-Planning also in the Adriatic Sea and the Black Sea.

To have a better overview on the current state and future plans of offshore activities BaltCoast generated an information system on offshore activities in all Baltic Sea states and coordinated exchange of the data in GIS format. As a result suitable areas for the offshore wind power in Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Germany were identified, a tourist port was developed around the lake in Rügen, environmentally sound design for shelter was developed in Denmark and a water channel was built in Kalmar County (Sweden). These are just few of results contributing to the costal zone development in the Baltic Sea region.

BaltCoast has lead to sustainable management of the sea as a common resource, created new job opportunities through investments for tourism and encouraged young people to stay in their areas.