The concern about the condition of the Baltic Sea and the frustration with speeches were the starting point for the John Nurminen Foundation's Clean Baltic Sea project in 2004. The basic purpose of the Foundation, fostering the Finnish maritime cultural heritage, did not seem very meaningful if the Baltic Sea were to die before our eyes.

The Board of the Foundation consulted leading experts on the marine environment and their message was clear: the fastest and most cost-efficient method to improve the condition of the Baltic Sea would be to intervene in the operation of wastewater treatment plants located in its catchment area by intensifying their phosphorus removal.

Currently, the Foundation is intensifying phosphorus removal from urban wastewaters throughout the catchment area of the Baltic Sea in northwest Russia, Belarus, the Baltic countries and Poland. The aim of the Foundation's projects is to reduce 2,500 phosphorus tons annually ending up to the Baltic Sea. The first project was launched in St. Petersburg in 2005, where an annual reduction of over 1,000 phosphorus tons will be achieved during 2010. The Foundation's St. Petersburg project is one of the most significant water protection projects ever in the Baltic Sea area in terms of its environmental impact.

The Baltic Sea cannot sustain a large-scale oil disaster, and if such a catastrophe were to take place, it would destroy the sea and the sea shores for decades. The Tanker Safety project works in cooperation with the main actors in seafaring to create a new proactive vessel control system, as studies show that its introduction will reduce the risk of an oil catastrophe.

We admit that the Baltic Sea is faced with many other challenges as well. However, it is important to view the problems in the right scale and tackle those that will have a quick and productive impact on the condition of the Baltic Sea. The Clean Baltic Sea projects operate purposefully and without compromise, in accordance with ideology borrowed from the business world, with the ultimate goal of making the work of protecting the Baltic Sea unnecessary.

Until then - our work continues.

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