Achieving good ecosystem health is a core area of collaboration among countries bordering the Baltic Sea, which make up the Contracting Parties to HELCOM. Pressures from various human activities have an impact on Baltic Sea ecosystems, affecting the status of species and habitats, as well as human well-being.
The close links between different parts of the Baltic Sea mean that actions often have to be coordinated across national borders for environmental measures to be effective. Environmental pressures vary spatially and their importance can change over time, depending on how human activities develop and on how efficiently we are able to manage and minimize negative impacts.
The third HELCOM holistic assessment (HOLAS 3) provides a wide-ranging update on the environmental status of the Baltic Sea for the time period 2016–2021. The holistic assessment helps readers to understand which pressures are currently of key importance and what areas will require additional measures, assuming current management measures are effective and are sufficient.
HELCOM carries out holistic assessments every six years to follow up on how well the agreement is functioning, focusing on how the Baltic Sea ecosystem is doing. These assessments cover ‘moments’ in time over the dynamic life history of the Baltic Sea.
The third HELCOM holistic assessment (HOLAS 3) focuses on the years 2016-2021 and includes results at various levels of detail, including monitoring data, indicator reports and thematic assessments.
State of the Baltic Sea 2023 is a synthesis report that builds on, and integrates, results from a wide range of assessment products produced within the third HELCOM holistic assessment. The role of this summary report is to link information from the underpinning assessment products together, thus highlighting the holistic aspects.
HELCOM (2023): State of the Baltic Sea. Third HELCOM holistic assessment 2016-2021. Baltic Sea Environment Proceedings n°194.
The report is accessible as a downloadable PDF and in a printed format.