Eutrophication and oxygen depletion in the Baltic Sea – a challenge for science and management
The oxygen situation in the Baltic Sea is worse than ever before, as are the cyanobacteria blooms. However, the reductions of nutrient loads to the sea have had significant effect – conditions would have been much worse without them. This was one of the key messages in the presentation by Stockholm University researcher Bo Gustafsson at the recent GO2NE webinar.
The Global Ocean Oxygen Network (GO2NE) is an Unesco initiative committed to providing a global and multidisciplinary view of deoxygenation, with a focus on understanding its multiple aspects and impacts. Part of the network’s communication efforts in the monthly Webinar Series Ocean Deoxygenation.
At the last webinar, held 19 June, Bo Gustafsson, director of Baltic Nest Institute at Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre, gave an overview of the development and mitigation of eutrophication and oxygen depletion in the Baltic Sea.
Since the 1980s, the nutrient inputs to the Baltic Sea have been significantly reduced, but they still exceed the Maximum Allowable Inputs to the sea, as defined in the Baltic Sea Action Plan. However, as most easy measures to reduce inputs have been taken, further reductions are challenging to achieve.
In addition to Bo Gustafsson's presentation, Patricia Handmann from the French hydrogen producer Lhyfe, presented under the title "Potential Environmental Services of Offshore Hydrogen Production - Ocean Reoxygenation".
See the whole webinar here:
Last updated: June 22, 2023
Source: Östersjöcentrum