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This research paper uses securitization theory and a multi-level governance lens to analyze how security discourses and actors influence offshore wind development in Sweden and the broader European context, specifically examining the tension between security imperatives and democratic Marine Spatial Planning.

This report by Ember, developed for the Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA), provides a comprehensive analysis of global offshore wind targets across national, subnational, and regional levels. It examines current ambitions, deployment projections for 2030, and the potential for expansion in countries without existing targets, while highlighting the gap between political ambitions and projected delivery.

This report by Ember examines the critical role of electricity interconnectors in maintaining European energy security, preventing blackouts, and mitigating the impact of geopolitical conflicts and sabotage. It argues that expanding and securing cross-border grid capacity is a vital element of protecting European society against hybrid warfare and technical failures.

This research article examines the transformation of the Baltic Sea into a 'built seascape' characterized by an increase in human infrastructure, including offshore wind farms and subsea cables, and discusses the resulting tensions between innovation, security, and environmental protection.

This policy brief examines the security, environmental, and geopolitical threats to marine infrastructure in Europe, specifically within the Baltic Sea region, based on a workshop held in Riga on 26 April 2024.

This research paper by Ember analyzes draft National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) from EU Member States to determine if current national ambitions align with the REPowerEU plan and the Fit-for-55 package. The analysis finds that while renewable energy targets have increased significantly since 2019, the EU is still projected to fall short of its 2030 goals for renewable electricity share, solar capacity, and wind capacity.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) provides a comprehensive compilation of existing definitions from Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), international organizations, and regional norms to support the negotiation of a legally binding international instrument to end plastic pollution.

This policy brief examines the development and implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a legally binding global treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from mercury emissions and releases. It details the transition from regional marine protections to a comprehensive global framework, the specific challenges posed by artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), and the reasons why mercury was addressed separately from other toxic heavy metals like lead and cadmium.

This research paper provides a systematic map of global literature on ecotechnologies used to recover carbon and nutrients from domestic and municipal wastewater. It highlights the vulnerability of the Baltic Sea to eutrophication caused by wastewater emissions and concludes that more research funding and supportive policies are required to improve the efficiency and safety of nutrient and carbon reuse.

Eurogrid issued a EUR750m green bond on 15 May 2020 to finance and refinance the Ostwind 1 and Ostwind 2 offshore connections in the Baltic Sea. The bond, certified under the Climate Bonds Standard v3 for Marine Renewable Energy, supports wind farms with a total capacity of approximately 1.5GW. It is noted as the first green bond explicitly linked to offshore wind transmission infrastructure and offshore wind in the Baltic Sea.

This report reviews 175 agriculture-related water policy recommendations from the European Commission, HELCOM, and EU BONUS projects. It finds that governance is the most prioritized area (31%), followed by financing and methods/tools. While the EU and HELCOM focus on regulatory frameworks and international harmonization, BONUS projects advocate for more innovative, result-based payments and co-governance. Notably, biodiversity and enforcement are entirely absent from the recommendations, and climate change is rarely mentioned.

This background report, prepared by the Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre for the BLASTIC project, identifies and classifies the land-based sources and pathways of macroplastic marine litter (>25 mm) to assist municipalities in developing monitoring programmes and action plans, with a specific focus on the Baltic Sea region.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute explores the process of translating the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into a national agenda for Sweden. Through a screening of 169 targets, the authors argue that the SDGs are universally applicable and require significant domestic policy changes even in high-income countries. The paper identifies key challenges in target interpretation, such as ambiguous wording and the need for political judgment, and recommends a government-led, cross-sectoral approach to implementation to ensure the SDGs become a real policy agenda rather than a mere reporting exercise.

This policy brief describes the results of the GES-REG project (2011-2013), which aimed to harmonize the implementation of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) among Estonia, Finland, Latvia, and Sweden. The document focuses on improving socio-economic analysis (SEA) capabilities and regional cooperation to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) in the Baltic Sea by 2020.

This report summarizes the seventh Sustainable Development Forum held in Tallinn on October 28,SSSSSS, focused on the maritime economy within the sensitive environment of the Baltic Sea. The event featured presentations and discussions on sustainable blue growth, environmental threats such as eutrophication and plastic pollution, and the development of offshore wind energy and nature tourism in Estonia.

This policy brief summarizes the findings of the GES-REG project, which aimed to harmonize the implementation of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) in the central and north-eastern Baltic Sea. The project focused on improving Economic and Social Analysis (ESA) to help Estonia, Finland, Latvia, and Sweden develop cost-effective Programmes of Measures to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) by 2020.

This policy brief examines the use of gypsum, an industrial by-product from phosphorus fertilizer extraction, as a soil amendment to reduce phosphorus run-off from agricultural fields into the Baltic Sea, specifically focusing on applications in Finland.

The 'Kliimamuutustega kohanemise arengukava aastani 2030' is a national strategic framework designed to reduce Estonia's vulnerability to climate change. It identifies key risks—including rising temperatures, increased winter precipitation, and sea-level rise—and establishes eight priority areas for adaptation: health and rescue capacity, land use and planning, the natural environment, bioeconomy, economy, society/awareness, infrastructure, and energy security. The plan outlines specific goals, metrics, and a budget of 43.745 million euros for the period 2017–2030 to increase the resilience of the state, regional, and local levels.

A study by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Tallinn, conducted as part of the Waterdrive project, analyzed agriculture-related water policy recommendations for the Baltic Sea from 2014 onwards. The research found that a significant portion of recommendations focus on governance but are often too general and lack specific addressees, hindering their effectiveness in combating eutrophication.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the implementability of agro-environmental targets in Estonia, focusing on combating eutrophication in the Baltic Sea. It reviews the regulatory framework, the impact of agricultural transitions, and identifies institutional and technical challenges in meeting water and soil quality goals.