Marine environment and marine natural resources

Natural resources do not emerge in a vacuum. Regulation based on sustainable use aims to keep consumption reasonable so that the ecosystem does not collapse. International cooperation to define and achieve goals has been ongoing for decades.

The UN Biological Convention and the EU Baltic Sea Strategy are the most important agreements

The most significant international agreement concerning marine biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources is the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, which came into force in 1992.

Europe and Finland are committed to the goals of the convention. The convention is implemented regionally through the EU Baltic Sea Strategy.

Finland’s Baltic Sea Strategy combines protection and use

At the national level, the most important document related to marine nature and natural resources is Finland’s Baltic Sea Strategy, which integrates international and regional goals and coordinates their implementation locally. According to the vision of the Baltic Sea Strategy, a clean Baltic Sea and a vibrant marine environment are secured and sustainably utilized resources. The strategy considers not only protection but also the sustainable use of the Baltic Sea as a source of natural resources and for recreational use.

Legislation, conventions and programmes