What is the importance of the Baltic Sea marine environment to society? How do human activities contribute to national and regional economies? How does the state of the marine environment contribute to the well-being of current and future generations? The EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) brought together around 800 players active in the Baltic Sea region to reflect on common challenges, the EU Strategy and its objectives. Ecologic Institute's Benjamin Boteler was invited to participate as a panelist at the HELCOM session "Latest status of the sea revealed" held on 13 June 2017.

The presentations and discussions brought togeher Monika Stankiewicz (HELCOM), Erja Tikka (Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Finland), Thomas Johansson (Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management), Monika Luxem-Fritsch (Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany), Mikhail Durkin (Coalition Clean Baltic), and Heini Ahtiainen (HELCOM). 

The discussions focused on the recenctly published HELCOM State of the Baltic Sea report which provides a holistic view on the latest status of the marine environment. The pressures and cumulative impacts from human activities and social and economic dimensions in the whole Baltic Sea are also assessed. The regional report is a coordinated assessment and a major undertaking of all Baltic Sea countries. It can be used to analyze the progress for achieving the shared goal of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan and of the EUSBSR to achieve a healthy Baltic Sea. It will also provide a baseline for following-up the ocean-related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the Baltic Sea to be achieved by 2030.

The 8th Annual Forum was hosted by the Federal Foreign Office together with the CPMR Baltic Sea Commission and in close cooperation with the European Commission on 13 and 14 June 2017 in Berlin.