How to write an action plan

The nature of the Baltic Sea Challenge requires participants to make a commitment and formulate their own action plan dedicated to protecting the Baltic Sea or reducing negative impacts to the sea.

This plan should include voluntary measures that are additional to legal obligations. The plan can be based on the action plan of Turku and Helsinki, or actors can draw up other measures to have an effect to the state of the Baltic Sea environment through their own everyday action.

The content or scope of the action plans can vary greatly according to the actor in question. The participating municipalities focus mainly on improving sewage networks, reducing the diffuse loading coming from agriculture and scattered settlements, adding waste water management for shipping and boating, participating in the research projects, and enhancing awareness.

However, the most popular action in all the plans is enhancing the general awareness of the state of the Baltic Sea and of the effects the people of municipalities, companies, NGOs, ports, divers or boaters have on it. Because the actions with which companies want to proceed might differ from the actions public authorities prefer, we have created a special hint list for companies.

Take a look at our summary of actions from action plans we have already received!