In 1989 the largest islands in the Baltic Sea decided to form a common interest group, the Islands of the Baltic Sea, also called Baltic Sea Seven Islands or B7. The islands that have been involved from the beginning are: Bornholm (Denmark), Gotland (Sweden) Hiiumaa (Estonia), Saaremaa Estonia), Åland (Finland) and Öland (Sweden). In 1993 Rügen (Germany) joined the group.

The first annual meetings of the island representatives concentrated mainly on environmental issues. A planned and systematic environmental cooperations started in 1995 when island representatives formed the Workgroup Environment (B7 WGE) to coordinate common environmental activities. Although the institutional structure of the cooperation is still being developed, several common research and development projects have been started by now. Specialists in specific fields of the islands have started cooperation that has been recognised as necessary and fruitful.

B7 Environment Workgroup was established at the beginning of 1997 and the work programme for 1997-1998 was adopted by the B7 Board in May 1997. This paper presents the work programme for 1999-2000. The programme is based on the following:

• "The Baltic Sea Islands Common Strategy for the Future" May 1996,
• the additional new goals set up by the B7 Conferences in 1997 and 1998,
• the two-year work experience from the B7 EWG.

1. Background

In the report "The Baltic Sea Islands Common Strategy for the Future" one of the main areas for cooperation is environment, aiming at a sustainable development on the islands as well as in the Baltic Sea Region.

The objectives of the B7 EWG remain unchanged:

• Exchange of knowledge, experiences, ideas and general information to promote and support common or individual actions for a sustainable development.
• Improve information on island environment and the Baltic Sea to supply environmental efforts with a background material, monitoring data and feedback and to assist in the marketing of "the island quality of life".
• Increase coordination of administrative and technical procedures, methods etc. to achieve synergetic effects, cost - effectiveness and improved results.
• Developnew procedures, methods etc. (R&D) to create highly qualified jobs within the environmental sector and thus also put the B7 islands on the map.
• Start common projects (development projects, demonstration projects or research projects)
• Participate in relevant national and international bodies to contribute to a sustainable development on the islands as well as in the Baltic Sea region.

Here EWG would like to add:

• Strengthen the co-operation between EU islands and CEE islands and support CEE partners to reach the capacity level to be able to fullfil the obligations of EU membership.

The B7 EWG is aware, that these cooperation objectives can be achieved on different levels, depending partly on the input of financial and human resources from the partners and partly on the results of the efforts to gain external (EU and national) funding.

2. Fields of co-operation

At the beginning of 1997 the B7 EWG adopted the following environmental work areas as being important and suitable for both short-term and long-term island cooperation. These target work areas remain unchanged for 1999-2000.

1. Spatial planning. Suprevision and management of development in the rural areas and especially in the areas near the coast are of importanceon all the islands. The relations between town and countryside are also an important area to study and handle within the concept of sustainable development and spatial planning. As a result of many conflicting interests a number of important objectives of spatial planning can be identified. Comparing planning legislations and planning methods can be useful as inspiration for each island. Demonstration projects for an environmental sustainable development based on commonly adapted mapping and planning methods can be of great interest. The European spatial perspective launched by the Commission needs to be addressed by the islands. Joint planning efforts will serve as a constructive element in the dialogue with different national and EU bodies.
2. Nature Protection and Biodiversity. Generel protection of the countryside, through land use planning, protection of small-scale nature elements in farming areas and development of legislative or economical instruments, is an essential need in most islands. Futhermore, comparison of maintenance and management of legally protected nature areas can be fruitful; in some islands it is a problem to maintain the protection of such areas against the pressure from tourist development. In several islands there is a need for an increased awareness among the people regarding the necessity for nature protection, and a need to improve public access to nature protection areas. Also development of common inventory of biodiversity could be of importance.
3. Groundwater and soil. Main problem is how to control pollution from the so-called "hot spots" (old dumpsites, oil and chemicals etc) and from modern farming; experiences through cooperation can be very useful. On many islands there is a need to oppose deterioration of water quality due to over-utilization of groundwater reservoirs; some islands have good experience that can be transfered. On most islands it can be a problem to establish or keep up water supply for small societies and single households at an economically sound level. Comparison of water monitoring systems might also lead to better and/or cheaper solutions on some islands. Carrying capacity problems due to tourism peak season in summer can also be studied.
4. Streams, lakes, wetlands. The main problem here is how to minimize water pollution from urban areas, single households, farms and industry. Also conflicts with water supply for towns can be important. Existing low-technology methods can be studied and compared. There can be a demand for exchange of know-how and ideas concerning cleaning up streams, minor lakes etc (removal of solid waste, barriers etc). Monitoring methods could be compared and coordinated.
5. Open sea and coastal waters. All islands deal with the problems like algae in coastal waters, pollution from wastewater discharge, dubiuos bathing water quality and a growing number of coastal oil pollution cases. In this field there are many cooperation possibilities, both regarding excange of experiences, coordinated monitoring and mapping, methods used etc.
6. Solid waste and industry. All the islands have problems with waste management and disposal. Islands without a bridge connection have special problems. Cooperation will be essential, concerning many issues, for instance dumpsite planning, hazardous waste treatment, economically sound recycling systems, peak load problems due to summer tourism etc. Major issues in relation to local industry are simple pollution control systems, development of increased environmental awareness, green accounts etc.
7. Energy. Energy efficiency, energy savings and use of renewables are an important part of creating an environmentally sustainable development on the island. A lot of experience can be transferred in this field. Demonstration projects are also possible.
8. Environmental awareness. Public participation and interest in sustainable solutions on the island are very important. On some islands the public environmental awareness is generally big, on other islands rather small. Legislation, social circumstances and traditions vary on the islands but they can all benefit from the exchange of experiences and common projects (Agenda 21 etc).

Work programme 1999-2000

Some of the planned activities are those that were not completed in 1997-98, some activities were started in 1997-98 and some are new ideas. Both the planned new activities and the suggested timetable are very much dependent on the available resources. Compared to the first two - year work period we are planning to:

• increase the regular ongoing communication (by phone, fax, E-mail) between the group members, so that it will become a daily routine for all of us.
• continue to have two regular group meetings
• start regular video meetings (every second month) which should reduce the need for ordinary meetings to one a year from 2000 onwards
• elaborate several new project proposals for external funding for co-operation projects, aiming at projects with great visibility,
• run projects and/or supervise managers responsible for B7 environmental projects,
• be more open and distribute B7 environment information