Resilience, climate and biological diversity at the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference
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The 32nd Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) took place in Berlin on 27–29 August. The title for this year’s conference was “Strengthened resilience in the democratic Baltic Sea region – boosting democratic, digital and marine resilience and safeguarding reliable neighbourly relations and cooperation”.
The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference is a forum for political dialogue between parliamentarians in the Baltic Sea region, the purpose of which is to highlight and push issues of importance for the Baltic Sea region. The conference was opened by the President of the German Bundestag, Bärbel Bas, and gathered together 70 parliamentarians from nine national parliaments, seven regional parliaments and three parliamentary organisations. Ministers, experts and invited guests from the Baltic Sea region also took part. The Swedish delegation to the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference consisted of Staffan Eklöf (Sweden Democrats), Chair, Hanna Westerén (Social Democratic >Party), Deputy Chair and Emma Nohrén (Green Party).
Democracy and digital resilience on the agenda
The first session of the conference focused on peaceful and strengthened cooperation in the region. The session was co-chaired by Staffan Eklöf (Sweden Democrats). Issues of central importance included the importance of unity in the Baltic Sea region after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, youth participation and continued work on environmental and climate issues. The German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock reported back from work on intergovernmental cooperation in the region, the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS). In addition, the forthcoming priorities for intergovernmental cooperation were presented, which were followed by a debate on cooperation in the region. Several international guests were invited to speak at the conference, including the president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Joëlle Garriaud-Maylam.
Another item on the agenda was democratic and digital resilience. A panel discussion was held on the subject with experts in this area, including Paul Memitz, Principal Adviser on the Digital Transition at the European Commission. The panel also included representatives from a youth forum which was held in conjunction with the conference. This was followed by a debate in which Stefan Eklöf (Sweden Democrats) and Hanna Westerén (Social Democratic Party) participated.
Resilient marine ecosystems
During the year, the German Presidency of the BSPC focused on environmental issues, including work on dumped ammunition and wrecks in the Baltic Sea. A session was held on marine ecosystems at the conference. The speakers at the session included the German Minister for the Environment Steffi Lemke, and Christoph Humborg, Professor and Scientific Director of the Baltic Sea Centre at Stockholm University. One of the main addresses from the Swedish delegation was held by Emma Nohrén (Green Party), in which she provided information about the Cross-Party Committee on Environmental Objectives as an example of a democratic process aimed at reaching political consensus in a whole range of environmental issues.
On Tuesday, a panel discussion was also held on the strengthening of resilience as regards climate change and biological diversity. Within the framework of the discussion, the final report for the working group at the conference on climate change and biological diversity. The working group has been examining these issues in depth over a tree-year period. The representative from the delegation on this working group has been Emma Nohrén (Green Party). This was followed by a debate in which Stefan Eklöf (Sweden Democrats) participated.
A resolution was adopted
A resolution was adopted at the conference, a joint public statement with a number of recommendations aimed at the governments of member states. The recommendations were focused on continued support to Ukraine, condemnation of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, strengthened cooperation in the Baltic Sea region and strengthened democratic and digital resilience. The conference also highlighted resilience in marine ecosystems, climate and biological diversity and work on dumped ammunition in the Baltic Sea.
The conference also decided to establish a new working group on energy security, self-sufficiency, resilience and connectivity. At the end of the conference, the Presidency was transferred to Denmark, who will be holding the Presidency until 2024.
Members of the Riksdag delegation to the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference who participated in the conference
Further information
Contact person for the media
Johanna Ingvarsson, International Adviser, International Department of the Riksdag, telephone: +46 76,117 49 19, email: johanna.ingvarsson@riksdagen.se