Water body of the year 2024 – Shallow coastal waters of the Baltic Sea | Umweltbundesamt

The German Environment Agency is drawing attention to the Baltic Sea on World Water Day and has chosen the "shallow coastal waters of the Baltic Sea" as the water body of the year 2024. This body of water is found along the coasts of Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania at a distance of up to one nautical mile from the coast or in water depths of up to 15 metres. Overall, this stretch of water accounts for around 20 per cent of the German sea area in the Baltic Sea. A special feature is that the salinity of the Baltic Sea decreases from west to east. As a result, some saltwater species, such as starfish, only live in the western waters.

Although the ecological and chemical status of coastal waters has already improved to some extent, good status has not yet been achieved. Good status refers to high water quality and intact habitats that are not impaired by pollution such as waste or chemicals, noise pollution and other pressures. In order to achieve such a status, the impact of various uses such as shipping, tourism and coastal agriculture must be further reduced. This is the conclusion of Germany's current status assessment in accordance with the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive for the waters of the Baltic Sea. The public can comment on the draft status assessment until 15 April 2024: https://mitglieder.meeresschutz.info/de/oeffentlich/zustandsbewertung-2024.html

World Water Day

For the 14th time, the German Environment Agency is naming a water body of the year on 22 March to mark the United Nations World Water Day. The aim is to draw attention to the diversity of water bodies in Germany, also as a contribution to the United Nations Water Decade 2018 to 2028. Intact bodies of water are the lifelines of a landscape and are extremely valuable for people.

The motto of this year's World Water Day is "Water for Peace".

The EU Water Framework Directive ⁠

Monitoring the status of water bodies, identifying deficits and developing measures to protect water bodies has been regulated in the European Union since 2000 by the EU Water Framework Directive and, since 2008, by the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Many stretches of water in Germany fail to achieve good ecological status due to excessive pollution and a variety of structural changes. Constant efforts are required to minimise these deficits and restore the water bodies to an ecologically intact state.

Furthermore: The Helsinki Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Region (HELCOM) is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, as is the German Environment Agency.

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