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Environmental Co-operation in the Baltic Region Readerīs GuideThe description of the trans-boundary environmental problems in the Baltic region is found in Chapter 2 of this booklet. The chapter is initiated by a short clarification concerning the broader perspective of international co-operation within the field of environment, 2.1 and concerning the route to sustainable development, based on the pollution phenomena, 2.2. Chapter 2.3 contains information about the Baltic as regards size, depths, oxygen and salts content, water exchange and run-off area. Chapters 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, and 2.7 contain descriptions of water pollution, air pollution, nuclear safety and biodiversity in the Baltic area. The description of conventions and thereby of the legal environmental cooperation in the region is found in Chapter 3. The chapter is initiated by an introduction to questions regarding general international law in connection with conventions, 3.1. The regional conventions are described in Chapters 3.2.1-5 and the other international conventions in Chapters 3.3.1-27. The description of conventions is organised with the objective that this booklet shall function as a handbook for project managers and others involved in working for a better environment in the Baltic region. Under each convention, information is available concerning objectives and origin, geographical limitation, contracted parties at the end of the 20th century, organisation and decision process, field of activities and relations to the EU. Hereto comes information about possible technical and financial support programmes in connection with the convention. The environmental-political cooperation about the Baltic region is taking place in many fora and at different levels, which are described in Chapter 4. The environmental co-operation in the EU is described in 4.1, and the Nordic environmental cooperation is described in 4.2.The regional and the other international environmental co-operation are described in Chapters 4.3.1-11 and Chapters 4.4.1-8. The information in Chapter 4 is organised under the same headings as in Chapter 3 about conventions. Also professional bodies co-operate about environmental protection in the Baltic region. Available information about the most important professional bodies is available in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 contains a summary and conclusion of the question whether the legal co-operation within the conventions covers environmental problems in the Baltic region on an overall level.
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