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Each year over 1 million tonnes of nutrients leak into the waters of the Baltic Sea, causing environmental damage to one of the world's most threatened marine ecosystems.
These nutrients – used in farming around the region - lead to blue-green algal blooms, which kill other marine life and make it difficult for people to go near the water, scaring off tourists and local residents.
But instead of stopping this pollution, governments are actually causing and adding to the problem by handing out large subsidies to intensive industrial farming in the region.
Every year, over €10 billion of European taxpayers' money is provided through agricultural subsidies without setting strict enough environmental measures to guard against nutrient overload.
If urgent action is not taken the Baltic Sea could be irrevocably damaged.
The Baltic is the youngest sea on our planet, emerging from the retiring ice masses only some 10-15,000 years ago. Due to its specific geographical, climatic and oceanographic features, it is highly sensitive to human activities which are taking place both at sea and the surrounding area, which is home to some 85 million people.
The algal blooms in the Baltic Sea are caused by a process called eutrophication. This happens when a body of water receive excess nutrients that stimulate excessive plant growth. This plant growth, often called an algal bloom, eventually decomposes and reduces dissolved oxygen in the water, which can kill other marine life that depend on the oxygen for their survival.
Compiled by: Saurav Chakraborty
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These nutrients – used in farming around the region - lead to blue-green algal blooms, which kill other marine life and make it difficult for people to go near the water, scaring off tourists and local residents.
But instead of stopping this pollution, governments are actually causing and adding to the problem by handing out large subsidies to intensive industrial farming in the region.
Every year, over €10 billion of European taxpayers' money is provided through agricultural subsidies without setting strict enough environmental measures to guard against nutrient overload.
If urgent action is not taken the Baltic Sea could be irrevocably damaged.
The Baltic is the youngest sea on our planet, emerging from the retiring ice masses only some 10-15,000 years ago. Due to its specific geographical, climatic and oceanographic features, it is highly sensitive to human activities which are taking place both at sea and the surrounding area, which is home to some 85 million people.
The algal blooms in the Baltic Sea are caused by a process called eutrophication. This happens when a body of water receive excess nutrients that stimulate excessive plant growth. This plant growth, often called an algal bloom, eventually decomposes and reduces dissolved oxygen in the water, which can kill other marine life that depend on the oxygen for their survival.
Compiled by: Saurav Chakraborty
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