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Abstracts are expected on one of the following major topics:
Climate change and environmental effects
Keys words: issues in ecology, coastal dynamics/climate change, eutrophication, tourism, fishery, industry/nature protection, transitional effects, economic valuation.
The most important ecological problems for all Baltic countries are the climate change, the intrusion of alien species which are introduced through the ballast water from ships, and ongoing eu-trophication. The Baltic Sea coastal zone is under intensive anthropogenic pressure emanating from seaward as well as hinterland activities. The coastal zone, which is also a component of the Oder River catchment area, is also subject to various external influences from that river. Many factors play a role here: industry, traffic, energy generation, shipping, agriculture and fisheries, tourism, nature protection and raw materials exploitation. These factors make up a complicated patchwork of interactions and overlapping uses, such that priorities can differ significantly, according to specific areas within the Baltic Sea Region. All of the contributing factors need to be considered in order to truly resolve these problems.
Regional management
Keys words: regional management/concepts; coastal and marine special planning; legal aspects of environmental policy; operational plan/strategy; interaction between and management of river, coast, and sea; making use of environmental policy instruments (ICZM and the EU) such as the Water Framework Directive, Marine Strategies, or Regional Agenda 21; cross-border and international issues; indicators; harmonized strategy.
Pressure on the Baltic coastal zone is progressively increasing. Manifold uses of coastal regions linked to a variety of interests produce conflicts. Strategies for joint sustainable development as well as regional management are urgently needed. They are many EU - instruments which the Baltic countries will have to implement. Synthesis, harmonization and the transition of relevant planning into a vision and strategy for the sustainable development of the Baltic Sea coast are important aspects to be considered, in conjunction with instruments such as dialogues or regional discussions. Support for the integration of activities should increase and development concepts and plans for the coastal zone accordingly modified. The results will be taken into account for concepts like the Water Framework Directive. International and national indicators and their evaluation measure the achievement of successful sustainable development for the entire coastal zone.
Computer tools
Keys words: Geo-Information System (GIS); scenarios; decision support systems; data management.
Insufficient information and data disposition, weak awareness of the problems in the coastal zone, and weak identification with the region are the main impediments to implementation of international and European environmental policy instruments. To overcome these deficits vis-à-vis technological/methodological developments and information dissemination, the GIS is avail-able to function as a condensation core for scientific results. Information is to be prepared and selected — statistical data, factual data, maps of region — which give basic of information about a particular area but are of general importance nationally for the participating countries. The decision-making and support systems visualize and concentrate all available, relevant background information by linking selected areas in the information network as well as providing GIS maps for the purpose of developing useful, problem-oriented mathematical models.