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MEKUN: Interview with Tobias Goldschmidt
"The Baltic Sea is close to our hearts in Schleswig-Holstein."
The Baltic Sea and its coasts are not only a unique natural area, but also our home. Locals and visitors alike live, work, and relax here. However, the sea on our doorstep is in poor condition. The state government of Schleswig-Holstein wants to change this and, together with the people of the state, protect the Baltic Sea more effectively in the future. In this interview, Tobias Goldschmidt explains how Schleswig-Holstein is currently making history in Baltic Sea protection and what water sports enthusiasts can do to help.
Tobias Goldschmidt
Minister for Energy Transition, Climate Protection, Environment, and Nature of the State of Schleswig-Holstein
Mr Goldschmidt: Why do we need to protect the Baltic Sea?
The Baltic Sea is a small sea with great significance for the people of Schleswig-Holstein: we live with it, benefit from it and depend on it—it balances our climate, we use it for recreation and fishing and it is central to our tourism industry. At the same time, the Baltic Sea is becoming increasingly unbalanced. This shallow inland sea is exposed to many stresses at once – severe overfertilization, pollutant inputs, munitions contamination and overfishing. Intensive use also means that there is a lack of refuge and resting places for the Baltic Sea's flora and fauna. Climate change is causing the Baltic Sea to become warmer, which promotes algal blooms. Large parts of the Baltic Sea are now so-called dead zones – there is almost no oxygen left in the water, making life impossible. We see this in summer during certain weather conditions, for example in Eckernförde Bay, when dead fish wash ashore in large numbers. Because we urgently need to protect the Baltic Sea, the state government has drawn up a comprehensive action plan, Baltic Sea Protection 2030: We are placing 12.5 percent of Schleswig-Holstein's Baltic Sea under strict protection, we have agreed with the agricultural sector to reduce nutrient inputs, we are restoring reefs and seagrass beds, and we are working to recover World War II munitions.
“The Baltic Sea Protection Action Plan is the strongest protection program for the Baltic Sea in the history of our country.”
Tobias Goldschmidt
Host City Local Partner
The Ocean Race Europe 2025
With so many pressures, is the plan sufficient to initiate a turnaround for the Baltic Sea?
We in Schleswig-Holstein care deeply about the Baltic Sea. It is our home sea, and that is why we will protect it better in the future than we have in the past. We are making a significant contribution. The more people contribute, the more will benefit. We clearly felt how much the tone of the discussion on Baltic Sea protection has changed for the better during our events on Baltic Sea protection in coastal towns in the spring. The Baltic Sea Protection Action Plan is the strongest protection program for the Baltic Sea in the history of our state. Now we are implementing it: with northern German composure, perseverance and great determination.
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“The more people contribute, the more will benefit from it.”
Tobias Goldschmidt
What can I do for the Baltic Sea as a water sports enthusiast?
The action plan and its partner program offer the opportunity to get involved with your own ideas for the Baltic Sea or to participate in existing projects. These can range from litter collection campaigns to helping plant seagrass beds. And in the new marine protected areas, sailors, kiters, surfers, and motorboat enthusiasts can protect the Baltic Sea by behaving in an environmentally friendly manner. For example, by complying with speed restrictions for motorboats to protect noise-sensitive porpoises. Or by not anchoring in valuable seagrass beds and only sailing and surfing in designated zones in winter to show consideration for resting birds. Water sports enthusiasts can make a major contribution here to creating effective refuges and resting places for the creatures living in the Baltic Sea – and enabling the Baltic Sea to regenerate from here. Good educational work within the sailing community is particularly important here – and the Ocean Race is an excellent multiplier for this.
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