PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING THE BONUS-169 BALTIC SEA SCIENCE PLAN & OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTATIONS

1. PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING THE BONUS-169 BALTIC SEA SCIENCE PLAN& OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTATIONS Chris Hopkins Co-Task Leader, BONUS Task 2.5 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) H.C. Andersens Boulevard 44-46, DK-1553 Copenhagen V, Denmark

2. BONUS ERA-NET Task 2.5Mandate & terms of reference • TASK 2.5 - ARTICLE 169 – Potential Future Transnational Research Schemes (TASK LEADER: ICES; Co-Task Leaders: Jan Thulin & Chris Hopkins (CH). CH engaged with responsibility, under the guidance of the Executive Committee (ExCom) of BONUS, for drafting & developing the BONUS-169 Baltic Sea Science Plan. • Approach: Provide a draft Science Plan Framework (SFP) proposal (‘Strawman’ = Skeleton for discussion/improvement) for BONUS-169 Baltic Sea Science Plan. • Convert the research needs arising from the management bodies into scientific questions, which the science community can respond to with research ideas. • Developing scientific outputs & knowledge to support & enhance the transnational ecosystem-based management of the Baltic Sea. • The BONUS-169 activities comprise 8 workpackages (WPs) related to redressing major environmental problems and improving the health of the Baltic Sea ecosystem. • Special emphasis is placed on ‘Linking science & policy’ (WP7) by integration & transfer of knowledge to wider society & ‘users’. • Environmental challenges are inherently linked to human socioeconomic activities. Thus, there is a need for ‘Integrating ecosystem & society’ (WP6) encouraging interdisciplinary research concerning socioeconomic development and the sustainable utilization and conservation of ecological ‘goods and services’. • Take into account ’policy drivers’ (international Conventions, Agreements & Instruments including EC Directives & European Marine Strategy) & ’users’. Also take into account relevant international institutions with operational scientific, advisory and regulatory/management interests in the Baltic Sea (e.g. BMB, EC, EEA, HELCOM, ICES, IMO, etc.)

3. Timetable & process • Drafting & development must allow for quality assurance, & critique/ consultations from diverse parties, & revisions & reiterations: It must mobilize a ‘critical mass’ of the science community by being inclusive rather than exclusive, & be credible & relatable to the appropriate clusters (e.g. disciplines) of the science community and potential ‘users’. The outputs must be considered as ‘Living documents’, i.e. they are open for improvement until a final deadline is decided. • 1 May 2005: Chris Hopkins (CH) engaged by ICES, with approval of BONUS ExCom, to prepare Draft document. • Early July 2005: Rough preliminary Draft provided to Task Steering Group (TSG). After TSG comment & critique, CH produced revised draft by ultimo August 2005 for open circulation. • Ultimo August 2005: Draft framework document placed on BONUS ERA-NET website for information, comment & critique from BONUS community. • September 2005 – January 2006: National consultations/workshops on the Draft Science Plan Framework (SPF) arranged in all 9 Baltic Sea States (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden & Russian Federation) to provide views & feedback. • November 2005 onwards: Responses from the national consultations/workshops used to feedback into further development of the draft Science Plan.

4. Rationale & working procedures for developingBONUS-169 Science Plan Rationale: Advisory Board & SPF document - When developing a science plan for the future, it is extremely important for the success of the plan that top-down planning (e.g. environmental problem-orientated) and bottom-up input (e.g. question-driven priorities of scientists & research organizations) are effectively coupled. To ensure quality assurance of the SPF & respond to the rationale in 1) above, Task 2.5 promoted the Questionnaire for country-driven consultations/workshops. Responses indicate priorities & gaps. This is an essential aspect of ‘bottom-up’ feedback. The inputs from point 2) are compiled according to general views & specific WPs. The information in the Compilations is highly variable in substance & information content, but provides many good ideas & gives useful indications of the Baltic Sea community’s views. This information must be used in objectively feeding back into developing the WPs forming the Plan, by firming up the Scope & Substance of the various Issues/Topics & thereby eventually providing guidance concerning the focus of the future Calls for submission of Project Proposals. To follow this up, WP text-box drafting work is ongoing, involving the Co-Task Leader & core groups of well-respected experts (scientists & management administrators) to prepare draft text-box for WPs 1-8. These drafts should eventually be able to ‘marry’ the top-down & bottom up aspects. BONUS-169 is more than a ‘business as usual’ pure science programme: the science must be understood & ‘make a difference’ (i.e. real value added) regarding applied science (i.e. addressing environmentally relevant transfer of knowledge).

5. Rationale & working procedures for developingBONUS-169 Science Plan When the specific draft WP text-box has been properly developed, it can be viewed as ‘robust’ in representing a wide pan-Baltic perspective & should result in few, if any, critical comments from practicing scientist/management administrator levels. The WP will successfully have ‘married’ the ‘top down’ & ‘bottom up’ needs. NB: It must also conform with the BONUS-169 Policy. Reaching point 6) is not a trivial pursuit & requires ‘research’ (e.g. reading & formulating) time & energy & confidence building regarding human interactions. Without reaching this level scientists may misunderstand what is wanted & will use time & effort to provide proposals that are ‘out of scope’ & BONUS-169 will also loose credibility to deliver environmentally relevant results. A subsequent risk is that we may not get European Community Funding (i.e. European Commission) to match national funding. Eventually the completed Science Plan is envisaged to to be a relatively short document comprising the following: A Preamble & Introduction. The overall programme goals of BONUS-169, & a ‘BONUS-169 Policy’ regarding funding criteria (e.g. what is eligible for funding, etc.). The text-boxes for the various WPs (1-8, now called Themes), that will form the basis for Calls for Submissions of project proposals for funding. Annexes that will inter alia comprise ‘Background’ & ‘Policy’ sections drawing on the current ‘Framework’ document.

6. BONUS - 169 WP8 Strengthening collaboration and use of common resources WP1 Understanding geophysical forcing and system dynamics WP5 Preventing pollution WP2 Combating eutrophication WP7 Linking science and policy WP4 Protecting biodiversity WP3 Achieving sustainable fisheries WP6 Integrating ecosystem and society BONUS-169 Science PlanEmphasis on integration & transfer of knowledge

7. Task 2.5 Outputs have already provided:Agreed BONUS-169 Objectives & focus The objective of the Baltic Sea Research Programme (BONUS-169) is to create a cooperative, interdisciplinary, well-integrated & focused transnational research programme for the Baltic Sea region. It will establish durable cooperation of the Member States’ research policies & their scientific communities in order to support the region’s sustainable development. BONUS-169 will provide scientific outputs that will facilitate the implementation of ecosystem-based management of the Baltic Sea environmental issues. It will enhance our understanding & predictive capacity about the Baltic Sea ecosystem’s response to impeding changes caused by both naturally & human induced pressures & about linkages between environmental problems & the social & economic dynamics in responding to them. In turn it will form the basis for prudent management aimed at safeguarding the sustainable use of the ecosystem’s good & services. BONUS-169 will represent an interdisciplinary scientific model-system for the European regional seas by linking science & management that is inherent in the European Marine Strategy. It will provide a regional contribution to addressing key global issues: Climate change, the impact of increasing encroachment of human activities on coastal & offshore areas, & the consequences of these pressures on ecosystem strcuture & function. BONUS-169 forms a fully fledged framework programme for regionally focused research. Besides its main activity, i.e. publishing Calls for specific workpackages aimed at a series of topics within its strategy, BONUS-169 will also promote activities to foster the whole Baltic Sea Research Area – including four new EC Member States & the Russian Federation – and to cross the national borders of basic research towards application & dissemination of knowledge. Achieving the goals needs the implementation of specified instruments:

8. Task 2.5 Outputs have already provided:Agreement on the following Objectives & Focus RTD activities linked directly to creating prudent, long-term, holistic interdisciplinary solutions involving sustainable use of the Baltic Sea, by: • understanding and quantifying the role of climate change and variability, and its implications for the dynamics of the region’s ecosystems and associated impacts on human communities; • understanding the physical, chemical and biological functioning of marine ecosystems, and understanding and quantifying human impacts (e.g. pollution including eutrophication, unsustainable fisheries and aquaculture, and degradation of habitats and ecosystems) on the marine environment and its biodiversity and human well-being; • developing the scientific basis for sustainable use and protection of the marine environment and its associated biodiversity, recognizing the essential benefits arising from socioeconomic development while also realizing the responsibility to conserve, and where appropriate restore, ecosystem health and the production potential of natural capital. We need your engagement & feedback to develop the focus of the Workpackages to bring this about. Good luck & thanks in advance for your input!!