HELCOM meets EU Commissioner for Research

Stressing the successful link between science and policy was a key point of Executive Secretary of HELCOM, Monika Stankiewicz, in her speech to the European Commissioner Carlos Moedas for Research, Science and Innovation. Commissioner Moedas visited today BONUS, the joint Baltic Sea research and development programme in Helsinki, Finland.
 
"Many, if not the majority of topical marine policy questions are on a sea basin scale, thus it has been simply perfect for HELCOM to have its regional "counterpart" in science – BONUS – to cooperate with," said Ms. Stankiewicz.
 
Still, there are gaps and HELCOM would welcome the future research, for instance, to increase the understanding of the services provided by marine and coastal ecosystems and the costs of their degradation. This knowledge could become part of the decision-making, planning and operation of businesses, in the larger context of sustainable development and responsible consumption.