International EMECS Center

EMECS�NEWSLETTER

No.10ISSN 0919-7060�February 10, 1988

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With Rivers to the Sea7th Stockholm Water Symposium / 3rd EMECS Conference 1997

The third International Conference on theEnvironmental Management of EnclosedCoastal Seas (EMECS) was held in Stock-holm, Sweden for four days, from Monday,August 11 through Thursday, August 14,1997, as a joint conference with the seventhStockholm Water Symposium. This was thefirst international conference to besponsored by the International EMECSCenter, originally proposed by Hyogo Pre-fecture and established in 1994 throughsupport from related organizations both athome and abroad. Twenty - five years ago,in 1972, Stockholm was the site of the〔United Nations〕 Stockholm Conferenceon the Human Environment, at which theDeclaration on the Human Environmentwas adopted - an event that could be calledthe starting point for our present - dayefforts to solve environmental problems.Therefore 1997 marks a "triple anniver-

sary": the 25th anniversary of the Declara-tion on the Human Environment; the 20thanniversary of the UN Water Conferenceheld in Mar del Plata, Argentina in 1997;and the 5th anniversary of the 〔UnitedNations〕 Rio Conference on Environmentand Development (the "Earth Summit")held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992. SoThe 3rd International Conference on theEnvironmental Management of EnclosedCoastal Seas (EMECS) has therefore beenheld in a notable year and a notable city interms of environmental issues.

1. Significance and Objectives

This year's conference served as the forumfor debate on many issues, principally thosepertaining to land and coastal interaction,such as the role freshwater bodies in

carrying nutrients and harmful pollutantsthat flow from the land into the sea, andthe relationship between land use andwater quality. The discussion spannedmany spe-cialist fields, involvingresearchers in both freshwater and ocean

CONTENTS

With Revers to the Sea 7th StockholmWater Symposium / 3rd EMECSConference 1997…………………………………Page 1Weicoming Speech……………Page 5Stockholm Statement…………Page 6Report from Maryland ………Page 74th EMECS Conference………Page 10The Global Water Partnership(GWP)……………………………Page 11Forthcoming Conferences……Page 12

Offical opening address by Ms. Brigitta Dahl, speaker of the Swedish Parliament, Sweden

fields, government officials and NGOorganizations. The par-ticipants worked toenhance ties between researchers,considered the similarities and differencesof land regions and coastal areas aroundthe world, and strove for an integratedapproach to promoting the envi-ronmentalmanagement of the world’s en-closedcoastal seas.

2. Conference Theme

The conference theme was 'With Rivers tothe Sea: Interaction of Land Activities,Fresh Water and Enclosed Coastal Seas.’This unique theme was born at the Execu-tive Program Committee meeting wherethe scientists both from Stockholm WaterSymposium and EMECS joined.

3. Conference Schedule

Monday, August 11― Opening session― Plenary session 1Tuesday, August 12― WorkshopWednesday, August 13― Workshop― Poster SessionThursday, August 14― Plenary session 2―Lecture by the 1997 Water PrizeLaureate

― Poster award― Closing session

4. Participants and ParticipatingCountries

The conference was attended by approxi-mately one thousand researchers, govern-ment representatives, NGO officials andothers from 80 countries. These includedapproximately 250 delegates from Japan,more than any other country including thehost country, Sweden.

Opening Ceremony(Monday, August 1110 a.m.- 12 noon)

The opening ceremony began with a perfor-mance of a traditional Viking dance. Afterthe performance, Mr. Sven - Erik Skogsfors,chair and managing director of the Stock-holm Water Company, welcomed the par-ticipants, urging all of the world's people tojoin hands and establish a "partnership withwater." Next, Ms. Birgitta Dahl, speaker ofthe Swedish parliament, gave the officialopening address for the conference, callingfor an appropriate common recognition ofthe importance of the world’s water

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EMECS Newsletter

resources. Following the official opening ofthe conference, Mr. Toshitami Kaihara,governor of Hyogo Prefecture and chair-man of the Executive Committee of theInternational EMECS Center, addressed theparticipants (Page 5). At the outset, Mr.Kaihara thanked all of the participants forthe assistance offered by their respectivecountries during the Great Hanshin - AwajiEarthquake of January 1995, saying thattheir help had greatly encouraged the vic-tims of the earthquake, and reported thatrecovery efforts were progressing steadily.Next, he expressed concern for the presentwater situation, noting that large quantitiesof pollutants were flowing into enclosedcoastal seas around the world from landareas, causing eutrophication, oil pollutionand other problems, thus worsening thehabitats of living organisms and reducingfish catches. While national and local gov-ernments were actively working to resolvethis situation, he said, it was feared that thesituation in coastal areas would worsen dueto increased development, the centraliza-tion of population in these areas and otherfactors. He promised that the InternationalEMECS Center would work harder toresolve these problems. Next, Mr. Parris N.Glendening, governor of the State of Mar-yland in the United States, welcomed theparticipants and cited Mr. Kaihara and the

late Dr. Morris of the University of Mar-yland as two persons whose vision andcreative spirit had given birth to theEMECS conferences, and once moreintroducing Mr. Kaihara. The keynoteaddress was given by Dr. Lars Hedin, ayoung environmental scientist from theUnited States, who spoke on the effect ofhuman land-based activities on water eco-systems. Following the keynote address,the plenary speech was given by ProfessorEmeritus Bengt - Owe Jansson atStockholm University, who spoke on thecurrent status of pollution in the Baltic Sea.

Plenary Session(Monday, August 11, 1:30 - 5:10 p. m.Thursday, August 14, 8:30 - a. m.)

(1) Case Studies on Enclosed Coastal SeasPresentations were given on several of theworld’s major enclosed coastal seas bymajor researchers in these regions on Mon-day, August 11 and Thursday, August 14.Monday's presentations focused on Japan'sseto Inland Sea, Chesapeake Bay in NorthAmerica, and the Black Sea. In the SetoInland Sea, Dr. Tomotoshi Okaichi, profes-sor of Tokushima Bunri University andformer president of Kagawa University,reported on sustainable development in theSeto Inland Sea from the perspective of thefishing industry. Dr. Okaichi stressed theneed to establish an integrated environmen-tal assessment to consider the special fea-tures of, and problems in, the Seto InlandSea and measures to prevent eutrophicationand the occurrence of "red tides", while atthe same time evaluating the importance ofthe Seto Inland Sea as a region that issignificant in terms of both scenic beautyand Japanese history and tradition. In theChesapeake Bay case study, Ms. Ann PesiriSwanson, managing director of theChesapeake Bay Council, spoke on the topicof ecosystem management. In the presenta-tion on the Black Sea, Lawrence DavidMee, director of Black Sea environmentalplanning and research, spoke on the needfor continually increased awareness. OnAugust 14, Mr. Christopher Nyirabu, execu-tive director of the Lake Victoria Environ-mental Management and Planning Bureauof Tanzania, spoke on the present status ofLake Victoria. Next, Mr. Tapani Kohonenof Finland, secretary - general of the Helsin-ki Commission (an international organiza-tion for environmental management in theBaltic Sea), spoke on the history, organiza-tion and current status of environmentalmanagement in the Baltic Sea. Dr. BjornStigson, managing director of the WorldBusiness Council, spoke on the role of indus-try in the sustained management of waterresources. One other scheduled presentation

Ms. Brigitta Dahl, speaker of the SwedishParliament, Sweden

Governor Parris N, Glendening, Maryland State. USA

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EMECS Newsletter

on the Gulf of Thailand had to be canceledbecause the presenter was unable to attend.

(2) Preview of SessionsStarting at 3:40 p. m. on August 11, sessionchairpersons from each track reported onsession objectives, trends and so on. Area 1: Dr. Michael kemp (U. S. A. ) Area 2: Ms. Terttu Melvasalo (Kenya) Area 3 & 4: Professor Nobuo Kumamoto(President of Hokkaigakuen University,Japan)

Workshops & Poster Sessions(Tuesday, August 12;Wednesday, August 13)

(1) WorkshopsThe presentations were divided into 12workshops in 5 tracks (though the 9thworkshop was canceled). Discussion foll-owed the presentation on each topic. Includ-ing invited guests, there were 165 speakersfrom 37 countries.

(2) Poster SessionIn the poster session, presenters summar-ized their papers and conclusions in theform of a poster. These posters weremounted on boards and became the focusof discussion between creators and partici-pants. A total of 72 posters from 8 countrieswere selected, but in several cases theposters were unavailable and so only about70 were ultimately presented, including 16from Japan. The posters were displayedinside the exhibition hall starting on August11. During the Poster Session on the morn-ing of the 13th, the creators of the postersexplained their works. The award for BestPoster, given for excellence in terms ofboth content and design, was presented toProfessor Keiji Nakatsuji of Osaka Univer-sity. The committee that selected the BestPoster award was made up of the followingmembers: Mr. Ulf Ehlin, Stockholm Inter-

national Water Institute (SIWI), Sweden(chairman) Mr. Lars Lindbrom, StockholmWater Company, Sweden Mr. BonifaceEckborg, Nigeria Mr. Peter Naiberg, Stock-holm Water Company, Sweden Dr. Masata-ka Watanabe, National Institute for Envi-ronmental Studies, Japan.

Panels Showing the PresentStatus of the Seto InlandSea, etc.

The Seto Inland Sea Corner was set up inone corner of the exhibition hall withPanels, videos and leaflets showing the sta-tus of enviromental preservation in theSeto Inland Sea and EMECS activities.Other panels showed the status of the recov-ery efforts in the wake of the GreatHanshin - Awaji Earthquake that occurredin January, 1995.The Stockholm Water Prize, the "NobelPrize of Water,” was presented by Profes-sor Peter Eagleson of the MassachusettsInstitute of Technology (MIT). Asmentioned previously, the Best Posteraward was presented to Osaka Universityprofessor Keiji Nakatsuji. Dr. Nakatsuji

used computer - generated graphics topresent the course of pollution, primarily inOsaka Bay.

Closing Ceremony(Thursday, August 1411:15 a. m. - 12:15 p.m.)

The closing ceremony began with a perfor-mance of Japanese koto music (by YokoMakita and the Joyo - kai). Following theperformance, Professor Malin Falkenmark,chair of the conference Executive Pro-gramme Committee, summarized the con-clusions of each session. Next, Dr. JiroKondo, president of the InternationalEMECS Center, read the Stockholm State-ment which makes four recommendationsfor principles to reduce the pollution load toenclosed coastal seas (Page 6). Both theStockholm Statement and the Proposal tohold the fourth EMECS conference in theRepublic of Turkey as a joint conferencewith the Fourth International Conferenceon the Mediterranean Coastal Environment(MEDCOAST ‘99) were approved unani-mously. Finally, Dr. Lars Ulmgren of theStockholm International Water Institute,the secretary general of the StockholmWater Symposium, expressed thanks to alland officially declared the conferenceclosed.

Conclusion of the joint conference, Professor Malin Falkenmark,chair of the Executive & Program Committee, Sweden

Best Poster Award Pressentation (1st Prize winner Professor Nakatsuji,University of Osaka, Japan (left))

Poster exhibition

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EMECS Newsletter

WORKSHOP PROGRAM

TRACK / WORKSHOP

Workshop 1 AN ECOSYSTEM APPROACH : DRAINAGE

BASIN AND COASTAL SEA AS A

WHOLE SYSTEM

TRACK 1 UNDERSTANDING LAND / SEA INTERACTIONS

Donald F. Boesch

(USA)

chairman

Kenneth Sherman

(USA)

Workshop 2 MODELS AS TOOLS FOR ECOSYSTEM

UNDERSTANDING, COMMUNICATION, MANAGE

MENT, AND RESTORATION

Lars Hedin

(USA)

Fredrik Wulff

(Sweden)

Workshop 3 MONITORING: A BASIS FOR TRACKING

AND UNDERSTANDING FRESHWATER AND

COASTAL RESPONSES

Henry Regier

(Canada)

Bernard Sylvand

(France)

Workshop 6 CURBING OUTFLOW OF POLLUTANTS FROM

DOMESTIC WASTE

TRACK 2 MINIMIZING POLLUTANTS FROM LAND-BASED SOURCES

Poul Harremoes

(Denmark)

William J. Mitsch

(USA)

Workshop 10 STRATEGIES AND INSTITUTIONALARRANGEMENTS FOR RESOLUTION OFSTAKEHOLDER CONFLICTS IN DRAINAGEBASINS AND COASTAL SEAS

TRACK 3 POLICIES FOR OVERCOMING BARRIERS IN GOVERNANCE

Nobuo Kumamoto

(Japan)

Susan Hanna (USA)

Hector Garduno (Mexico)

Workshop 11 NGO'S : ROLES AND STRATEGIES IN WATER

PROTECTION POLICY

TRACK 4 CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT

Hans Lundberg

(Sweden)

Frances Flanigan

(USA)

Workshop 13 GLOBAL RESOURCE INFORMATION DATA

EXCHANGE

TRACK 5 GLOBAL INFORMATION EXCHANGE

Michael J. Donahue

(USA)

Carol Ratza (USA)

Sindre Langaas (Sweden)

Workshop 12 ETHICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

OF THE NEXT GENERATIONWayne Bell

(USA)

Richard Collins

(USA)

Workshop 7 GREENING OF INDUSTRY: CURBING OUT-

FLOW OF INDUSTRIAL POLLUTANTSBjorn Stigson

(WBCSD / Swizerland)

Curt Nicolin

(Sweden)

Workshop 8 NON - POINT POLLUTION: CURBING OUTFLOW

OF AGRICULTURAL POLLUTANTS AS GLOBAL

FOOD NEEDS RISE

Curt Forsberg

(Sweden)

Edwin D. Ongley

(Canada)

Workshop 4 UNDERSTANDING LONG-TERM CHANGES IN

DRAINAGE BASINS AND COASTAL SEASMasataka Watanabe

(Japan)

Anders Grimwall

(Sweden)

Workshop 5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

AND VALUATION OF ECOLOGICAL SERVICESSaburo Matsui

(Japan)

Robert Costanza

(USA)

invited speker

..

' ～

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EMECS Newsletter

Welcoming SpeechMonday, August 11. 1997

by Mr. Toshitami KaiharaGovernor of Hyogo Prefecture Japan at the Opening Ceremony

now a key word with a substantialmeaning. On the 23rd of June this year, aSpecial Session of the General Assemblywas held with the aim of verifying theprogress made in the five years sincethe opening of Agenda 21.On the 1st of December, the UNFCCCCOP3 will be held in Kyoto, a neighbor-ing city of Kobe, with the object offinding ways to deal with the problem ofglobal warming and determining carbondioxide reduction targets. Today’s con-ference in Stockholm is also one of themost important conferences addressinga series of global environmental prob-lems.

The 3rd EMECS Conference is an epoch-making event in that this is the first timethe Conference has been held jointlywith the Stockholm Water Symposium,renowned worldwide as a very highlevel symposium on fresh water andwater resources.Enclosed coastal seas are deeply con-nected with the way we live. If coastalwaters are not properly maintained andare contaminated as a result, it takesyears of difficult operations to returnthem to a clean state. In this Conference,researchers of land areas and sea areaswill discuss various subjects under themain theme, “With Rivers to the Sea,”and I believe it will contribute a greatdeal to our effort to find out just how wecan maintain the rivers and seas in ahealthy condition from a global perspec-tive.

I founded the International EMECSCenter in 1994 with the support andcooperation of many people around theworld who had common concerns.Around the world, with some excep-tions, there are still many coastal seasinto which huge amounts of contaminat-ed substances are flowing from the in-land areas, causing such problems aseutrophication, low oxygenation, toxicsubstance contamination, and oil con-tamination. These problems are leadingto the deterioration of biological hab-itats, decreasing both the numbers ofspecies and individuals as well as reduc-ing fish hauls.

Although national and local govern-ments that have interests in enclosedcoastal seas are making action plansbased on related treaties and agree-ments in an effort to tackle, these prob-lems, there are still many places whereimprovements haven't been made, or, if

at all , are being made very slowly.Coastal areas facing enclosed coastalseas around the world, especially thosein the developing countries, will beincreasingly populated as they are devel-oped and industrialized. Unless we starttaking effective counter-measures, theseenclosed coastal seas will only be morecontaminated, which will eventuallyaffect the environment on a global scale.The International EMECS Center hasnurtured a human network through theinternational conferences held in thepast. With the help of this resource, wecan further increase our investigationand research into what is necessary forthe protection of the environmentregarding the enclosed coastal seasaround the world. We are now thinkingof making a system for carrying out thisinvestigation and research and arefurther committing ourselves to solvingthe problems.

Last but not least, I'd like to express mymost sincere appreciation to those peo-ple in Sweden who have made prepara-tions for this joint conference withfriendship and dedication over the pastone and a half years, especially to Mr.Sven - Erik Skogsfors, managing directorof the Stockholm Water Company; Dr.Malin Falkenmark, chair of the Execu-tive Programme Committee; Dr. LarsUlmgren, vice chair of the ExecutiveProgramme Committee; and all othercommittee members, staff, and facultymembers of the Stockholm Water Sym-posium and the University of Stock-holm; and many other people in Sweden.

I am now thinking of the time in historywhen the relationship between Swedenand Japan first began. In the 18th cen-tury, in 1755 to be exact, the first man tocame to Japan from Sweden arrived ona Dutch ship. The Netherlands was theonly foreign nation permitted to sendvessels to Japan, which at that time wasisolated from the rest of the world. Theman was Dr. Carl Per Thunberg, who isstill revered in Japan as the father ofJapanese botany. After 200 years, thepeoples of the two countries still enjoy astrong friendship, sharing a commoninterest in the field of global environ-ment, for which I’d like to express mydeepest appreciation.

Thank you very much for your kindattention.

The Honorable Birgitta Dahl, speakerof the Parliament of Sweden; the Honor-able Ingemar Ingevik, president of theStockholm City Council; the HonorableParris N. Glendening, governor of Mar-yland; ladies and gentlemen: it's a greathonor for me to speak at this 3rdEMECS Conference, jointly held withthe 7th Stockholm Water Symposium inthis wonderful city of Stockholm, whichis so famous for the beauty of its water-front.

First, I'd like to take this opportunity tothank all of you here on behalf of thepeople of Hyogo Prefecture for all thehelp you offered us in January 1995,when we were hit by a powerful earth-quake. The earthquake, which regis-tered 7.2 on the Richter scale, devastat-ed a major part of Kobe, the capital ofHyogo Prefecture, and the surroundingarea, seriously affecting more than 4million people. At that time, we receivedrelief funds and goods from 72 countriesand areas of the world which not onlyhelped us sustain our daily lives but alsogave us great encouragement. Althoughwe still have a lot of problems to solve,we are determined to overcome thoseproblems and proceed with the recon-struction.The United Nations Conference on theHuman Environment was first held herein Stockholm on 5th June, 1972. It wasthen that our commitment to the protec-tion of the global environment began.Twenty - five years on, it is no exaggera-tion to say that "The environment" is

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EMECS Newsletter

Stockholm StatementThursday, August 14

Dr. Jiro Kondo

President, International EMECS Center

Japan

The Joint Conference participants,representing over eighty countries andintergovernmental and non-govern-mental organizations, expressed deepconcern about the difficulties experi-enced around the world as nationsattempt to cope with this threat to ourplanetary life support system. The Con-ference reviewed the experience andprovided a forum for the disseminationof lessons leaned. The application ofthese lessons and the development ofmanagement innovations is vital.

RECOMMENDATIONSThe Joint Stockholm Water Sympo-sium/EMECS Conference recommendsthat all governments, intergovern-mental and non-governmental organiza-tions and other policy and decisionmaking bodies take action aimed atreducing the pollution loads to safelevels, to enclosed coastal seas, based onthe following four principles:

Principle No.1. Pursue and holisticapproachWe must see the drainage basin andcorresponding coastal sea as a dynamicwhole, treating them as one complexsystem. The physical linkage betweendrainage ares and coastal sea throughthe mobility of water - a unique solvantthat moves continuously from land tosea - demands and integrated approachto land use and water management. Asystematic approach to the land-seacomplex will facilitate diagnosis ofphysical and chemical problems, andhasten identification and implementa-tion of remedies through holistic andproactive management.

Principle No.2. improve understandingWe must base the long-term sustainablemanagement of coastal resources on theaccess to synthesized information abouttheir inherent ecological, social, eco-nomic, and political importance. Find-ing effective solutions to prevent fur-ther pollution and restore ecosystemswill depend on identifying the causalchain between destructive and pollutinghuman activities in the drainage basin-and the driving forces behind them-andthe degradation of coastal ecosystems.Only then can we reverse the unfortu-nate social and economic impacts thatresult from misuse of our resources.

Principle No. 3. Develop and activedialogueWe must base our decisions and actionson specific regional targets, and onrealistic assessment of social, economic,technical, and professional resources inindividual countries. International coop-eration among concerned countries, andadministrative responsibilities for theenclosed coastal seas should be consid-ered as important factors to preventcontinued degradation. Decisions willthus demand careful priority - setting, aprocess that in turn requires construc-tive dialogue and exchange of informa-tion between major stakeholder groups:citizens, industry leaders, farmers, fish-eries, resource managers and decision-makers. Non - governmental organiza-tions could function as active bridge-builders facilitating regional coopera-tion among stakeholders, municipalitiesand countries surrounding the world'scoastal seas.

Principle No.4. Act locally-Think region-allyWe must pursue the implementation ofneeded technical and legal measures onthe local level. By targeting activities atthe level of sub-basins, while maintain-ing a focus on ecosystem-wide goalsbased on an integrated land-seaapproach, we can substantially improveefficiency and success. Building aware-ness among politicians, administrators,and the general public will be a crucialcomponent in these efforts. Educationalmeasures play an important role toachieve these goals.

Final CommentsThe participants of the Joint Confer-ence have finally taken note, with satis-faction, of an opportunity for furtherdialogue between freshwater andmarine specialists at the FourthEMECS Conference to be held inAntalya, Turkey, in November 1999,jointly with the Fourth InternationalConference on the MediterraneanCoastal Environment (MEDCOAST‘99).

BACKGROUNDThe ongoing degradation of coastalseas and large inland lakes and riversconstitutes a major threat to globalquality of life and to coastal and marineecosystems. Nearly three-fourths of theworld's population live within 100 km ofthe sea-coast where their physical aswell as economic well-being depends onsuch activities as fishing, shipping, tour-ism, recreation, farming and industries.Some 80 percent of the pollutantsresponsible for this degradation arecarried with rivers and groundwaterflows to the sea and originate fromland-based human activities in thedrainage basins of rivers that dischargeinto coastal water. Also pollutioncaused by shipping. mining and drilling,as for oil exploitation, are causing con-cern.

Past Conferences on the EnvironmentalManagement of Enclosed Coastal Seas(EMECS) have resulted in a networklinking many scientists and othersstudying enclosed coastal seas. A simi-lar network has been created throughprevious Stockholm Water Symposia.The Joint 7th Stockholm Water Sympo-sium / 3rd EMECS Conference 10 - 15August 1997 in Stockholm broughttogether over one thousand participantsfrom these two networks of respective-ly marine and freshwater specialists.

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EMECS Newsletter

Stockholm Water Symposium / EMECS '97 Joint ConferenceReport from Maryland

This was the seventh annual Stock-

holm Water Symposium and the third

EMECS conference. It was co-

organized by the Stockholm Water

Company, Sweden, and the Interna-

tional EMECS Center, Kobe, Japan.

More than 1000 delegates from 80

countries attended, making it the

largest EMECS conference since this

forum was initiated in 1990. Hyogo

Prefecture Governor Toshitami Kai-

hara and Maryland Governor Parris

Glendening formally convened the

joint conference with speeches at the

opening session.

The conference theme, “With Rivers

to the Sea,” brought individuals con-

cerned with the supply and quality of

freshwater together with those

involved in restoring degraded

coastal systems. Special presenta-

tions during the opening and closing

plenaries addressed whole ecosystem

problems and programs using 5 case

studies as models: Baltic Sea,

Chesapeake Bay (presented by A.

Swanson, Chesapeake Bay Commis-

sion, and by a special display during

the poster sessions), Seto - Inland Sea

of Japan, Black Sea, and Lake Victo-

ria. A series of 12 workshops on

specific topics took place on the two

days between the plenaries. Each

workshop included presentations by

an invited speaker with recognized

expertise on the subject at hand, and

by an invited young speaker at the

beginning of his or her career in

coastal research, environmental edu-

cation, or management. There were

approximately 300 papers and 100

posters presented at the joint confer-

ence.

Delegates from the Chesapeake Bay

region actively participated in the

conference as members of the Execu-

tive Programme Committee, invited

speakers, workshop chairs, and

workshop and poster presenters. The

delegation, a cross-section of the Bay

Program community, included elect-

ed officials, agency personnel, scien-

tists, citizen group members, educa-

tors, and a graduate student in

marine studies invited as a young

speaker.

Formal conference products include a

volume of presentation abstracts and

another of poster abstracts, both of

which were given to participants on

arrival. Workshop chairs have

prepared 1 - page summaries of their

sessions for a conference report to be

published in Stockholm Waterfront

and the EMECS Newsletter.

Extended workshop summaries,

along with text of the 5 case study

presentations, will be incorporated

into the Conference Proceedings to

be produced later in 1997. A formal

edict, The Stockholm Statement on

Interaction of Land Activities, Fresh-

water and Enclosed Coastal Seas, was

issued at the conclusion of the

conference.

The Stockholm Statement

This formal statement of the confere-

nce's conclusions identifies 4 princi-

ples for undertaking more effective

programs for sustained management

of the world's coastal seas. This sum-

mary of conference findings and

accomplishments from the perspec-

tive of the Chesapeake Bay delega-

tion has been organized around these

principles.

Principle No. 1:

Pursue a Holistic Approach

The conference emphasized the

growing understanding that coastal

systems must be managed as whole

land-sea ecosystems. Two aspects of

this theme were highlighted:

※Watershed or drainage basin ―

The conference theme, With Rivers

to the Sea, drew attention to the

influence land - based activities have

on the degradation of coastal waters

and loss of habitat for coastal living

resources. While watershed manage-

ment includes both point- and non-

point pollution controls, the interna-

tional community is not uniform in

setting priorities. Mary members of

that community are concerned that

non-point control may focus too

heavily on nutrient runoff from agri-

cultural land at a time when there

are severe food shortages in many

countries. Some delegates comment-

ed that nutrient loadings, which was

the principal integrative subject

Vice President for Extemal Relations

University of Maryland Center for Environmental ScienceDr. Wayne H. Bell

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EMECS Newsletter

under the conference theme, were

drawing attention away from other

pollutants such as chemical

contaminants and other sources such

as urban runoff. Indeed, the several

presentations dealing with toxics

suggested that the effects of these

compounds are most pronounced on

those coastal seas that have small

watersheds relative to their size

(surface area or volume). Despite

these observations, it is clear that

nutrient enrichment and its conse-

quences in stimulating algal blooms

and causing anoxia remain major

world - wide concerns.

※Non-indigenous species ― Case

studies of the Black Sea (ctenophor-

es) and Lake Victoria (water hya-

cinth) demonstrate the devastating

effects introduced species can have

on whole coastal ecosystems. How-

ever, the understandable emphasis of

this joint conference on water quality

precluded any extended discussion of

living resources during the work-

shops or plenaries.

A holistic approach raises the prob-

lem of increasing scale in ecosystem

management that was addressed in a

plenary presentation by Dr. M. Kemp

of the Chesapeake Bay delegation. It

is no longer acceptable to assume

that predictions based on informa-

tion gained from laboratory models

and small-scale systems will accu-

rately describe the future behavior of

whole ecosystems. Managers need to

be more aware of this uncertainty

and much more research is needed to

develop scaling principles that may

help to reduce it.

Principle No. 2 :

Improve Understanding

There is a growing appreciation that

the degradation of coastal systems is

less a consequence of neglect than it

is a consequence of human social and

economic systems. In the words of

Distinguished Speaker L. Hedin, “No

ecosystem on earth is buffered from

human activity.”

Emphasis on what was formerly

called "risk assessment" of the conse-

quences of a particular activity is

gradually turning to "environmental

valuation" of the impacted resources.

The joining of EMECS ‘97 with the

Stockholm Water Symposium

brought issues associated with clean

water supply and management to the

attention of the coastal seas' commu-

nity, while the workshop on ecologi-

cal economics and environmental

valuation significantly broadened the

horizon of water managers. These

are new waters that neither commu-

nity yet understands clearly.

There is a tendency to look for tech-

nical solutions to coastal seas' degra-

dation. Many conference delegates

noted that three-fourth's of the

world’s population lives within 100

km the coast. Very few acknowled-

ged that changing the behavior of

those people could be instrumental in

reducing coastal pollution. The adop-

tion of a ban on phosphate-containing

detergents within the Chesapeake

Bay watershed is an example of such

behavioral change. Similar action

has not been taken under the aus-

pices of advanced coastal programs

(including the Baltic Sea). More

interest was expressed about the

technology of nitrogen control by

biological nutrient removal than in

reducing N deposition by driving

automobiles less often (a scheduled

workshop on control of car exhaust

and atmospheric deposition was can-

celed due to lack of papers).

"Environmental inertia," the delay in

predicted system response to inten-

sive point-and non-point pollution

control, is a concept quickly and in-

dependently emerging from long-

term coastal programs such as those

on the Baltic Sea, Chesapeake Bay,

and Seto - Inland Sea. Groundwater

pollution is being cited as the pri-

mary cause, but the fact remains that

much more needs to be understood

about atmospheric deposition and

nutrient dynamics within whole eco-

systems. Managers are especially

concerned because lack of response

discourages environmental program

support by local jurisdictions and

citizens.

Conference venue (Stockholm City Conference Center)

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EMECS Newsletter

Principle N0. 3:

Develop an Active Dialogue

Since the first EMECS conference in

1990 the world has undergone an

unprecedented political revolution.

What the former Soviet regimes left

behind in Russia and Eastern Europe

constitute an environmental disaster

that whole - ecosystem programs are

ill suited to address. At the same

time, this political revolution is

creating promising new potential for

active dialogue between government

officials, scientists, stakeholders, and

citizens that is considered critical to

the success of any coastal sea’s sus-

tainable management program.

※The perennial call for a more effec-

tive dialogue between science and

management is becoming increasing-

ly strident. Whole-ecosystem man-

agement requires knowledge of com-

plex interactions and modeling capa-

bilities that are at the forefront of

scientific understanding. Many

coastal seas are the sites of renowned

research universities and marine sta-

tions. These institutions must assume

major responsibility for communicat-

ing and interpreting the results of

their programs to managers and the

general public. And they must be

more prepared to undertake research

that is in direct response to manage-

ment needs. “Scientists are too often

concerned with doing the thing right

rather than with doing the right

thing.”

※ Communication technology is

advancing so rapidly that nations

without access to the Internet are a

vanishing exception. It already pos-

sible not only to exchange data and

information electronically, but to

inspect in real time the physical con-

dition of many coastal waters around

the world, links to which can be

accessed via the EMECS home page

at http://www. emecs. or. jp/. The

Internet can be an incredible learning

tool if greater care is taken to help

the user interpret the information

that is posted to it.

※The United Nations and institu-

tions such as the International

ENECS Center offer many capacity-

building programs for developing

nations. These programs often target

local environmental managers. An

active dialogue requires better under-

standing of environmental issues on

the part of businesses and the citizens

themselves. Capacity-building should

not overlook the stakeholders. Fur-

ther, such programs can make better

use of a given country's existing

capabilities. Environmental educa-

tion programs for young people and

adults alike could be effectively

delivered through existing school sys-

tems. When it comes to an active

dialogue on environmental issues,

school teachers are an under-used

resource.

※An active dialogue is dependent on

the existence of a civil society where

the exchange of information is en-

couraged and points of view freely

discussed. There is cause for opti-

mism in seeing so many nations on

the brink of creating such societies

where secrecy and autocracy once

dominated and seriously limited their

environmental programs.

Principle No. 4:

Act Locally ― Think Regionally

Despite the importance of a holistic

approach to sustainable coastal seas

management, environmental aware-

ness remains greatest at the local

level. The very complexity of large-

scale environmental programs makes

it difficult to engender public under-

standing and support for their goals.

This disconnect with local issues also

threatens the cultural heritage of

coastal societies which has always

been the single most important cata-

lyst for environmental action.

※Multi-jurisdictional programs are

best implemented at the local juris-

dictional level. The Chesapeake Bay

tributary strategies, for example,

divide the watershed into local com-

ponents to address different local

sources of pollutants. The Helsinki

Commission coordinates local imple-

mentation of pollution control by

each of the 9 countries on the Baltic

Sea Watershed. In the case of the

former Soviet nations of Eastern

Europe, local programs are presently

the only feasible actions that can be

undertaken to begin the restoration

of seriously degraded lakes, rivers,

and coastal seas. Nevertheless, the

integrative role that multi-

jurisdictional programs play is

extremely important. Local initia-

tives would not share common goals

were it not for such entities as the

Helsinki Commission, Chesapeake

Bay Program, or Seto Inland Sea

declaration. In the Black Sea, for

example, environmental pollution

from the Danube can related in part

to the fact that there are 11 political

jurisdictions on the watershed with

no single integrative program.

※Coastal societies enjoy a deep and

abiding cultural legacy. The sea is a

dominant feature in their folklore,

their art, and their literature.

Chesapeake Bay delegate R. Collins

defined this sense of place as "caring

capacity," and it should be as much a

target of capacity-building programs

as the local resource management

community. Enhancement of caring

capacity should not just be relegated

to environmental educators; it

requires the teaching of topics

related to the environment in the

sciences and in the arts. "If people

think they linked to the environment,

they will behave differentlv."

10

EMECS Newsletter

observed a delegate from Mexico.

※Many delegates were astonished to

learn that the Chesapeake Bay Pro-

gram relies principally on voluntary

participation. This may be a conse-

quence of the U. S. political system,

but it also reflects a strong public

identity with the Bay or with the

farmland that ultimately impacts it

upstream. The level of voluntary

public participation, as witnessed by

the diversity of the Chesapeake Bay

delegation itself, had a very positive

impact in drawing attention to

importance of caring capacity in

developing sustainable coastal seas'

management programs.

Management has a key role to play

as an integrator of local programs

into the large-scale restoration

effort. This role is greatly promoted

by advances in electronic communi-

cation and by the growing family of

civil societies among which informa-

tion is more freely exchanged. Holis-

tic management places an additional

premium on the need for better dia-

logue with the scientific community.

Integration of local identities and

actions has the potential for expand-

ing the local sense of place into a

regional and, ultimately, global envi-

ronmental concern. Delegates were

struck by the message contained in a

poster prepared by the host organiza-

tion that depicted the earth surround-

ed by a drop of water.

Two additional accomplishments are

not readily incorporated under the

Stockholm Statement:

※Although the world’s coastal seas

remain seriously threatened and the

task to restore them is daunting,

there have been successes. Examples

include control of pesticides and

PCB's that have resulted in recovery

of seals and white-tailed eagles in the

Baltic; point-source pollution control

that has reduced the incidence of

toxic red tides in the Inland Sea of

Japan; and the phosphate detergent

ban that has significantly decreased

the loadings of this nutrient to

Chesapeake Bay. In fact, point-

source controls continue to reduce

nutrient loadings to many coastal

waters even though "environmental

inertia" may preclude any observable

improvement in water quality at the

present time. While successes such as

these have not reversed global

trends, they provide evidence that

environmental programs can work

and that the degradation of the

world’s coastal seas is not a neces-

sary consequence of human impact

on these ecosystems.

※National leadership is essential

and highly effective. The Mayor of

Riga was very impressed that Gover-

nors Glendening and Kaihara not

only came to the conference but

made substantive contributions

through their respective speeches. He

pledged to carry their message and

their example back to his colleagues

in Latvia and other nations in the

southern Baltic.

Finally, representatives from the

Stockholm Water Company echoed

an opinion expressed by many dele-

gates that the inclusion of stakehol-

ders to the conference was an "excep-

tional ― perhaps even unique ―

accomplishment." This is a hallmark

of EMECS. These stakeholders, and

the countries they represent, should

be increased in number and their

active participation ensured when the

next conference takes place in

conjunction with MEDCOAST in

Antalya, Turkey, in November 1999.

Mailing address; University of Maryland

Center for Environmental Science, P. O. Box

775 Cambridge, MD 21613 - 0775 U. S. A.

Fax: +1-410-228-3843

E-mail address: bell @ ca. umces. edu

4th EMECS ConferenceAs announced at the end of the joint 3rdEMECS Conference / 7th Stockholm WaterSymposium in Stockholm, the 4th EMECSconference will be held from Monday,November 2 to Friday, November 6, 1999 inthe city of Antalya, Turkey, a beautifulresort on the Mediterranean Sea. This willbe a joint conference with the Fourth Inter-national Conference on the MediterraneanCoastal Environment (MEDCOAST '99).The schedule for events leading up to theconference is shown below. Further detailswill be given in the First Announcement tobe issued in January 1998. These will bemailed to readers of the EMECSNewsletter as soon as they published bythe MEDCOAST Secretariat.

1998Febrauary: Announcement issued (call for

papers)September: Deadline for submission of abstractsDecember: Notification of the results of the

abstract review1999January: 2nd Announcement issued (announce-

ment of accepted papers)August: 3rd Announcement issued (conference

program)September: Deadline for early registrationNovember: Conference begins

MEDCOAST Secretariatc/o Middle East Technical University

06531 Ankara, Turkey

Fax: +90-312-210-14-12

E-mail: medcoast @ rorqual. cc. metu. edu. tr

http: // www. klare. metu. edu. tr

11

EMECS Newsletter

Forecasts for the global environment inthe 21st century are showing signs ofcrisis from all sides. Water environ-ments in particular are beset by compe-tition and contradictions between thefour principal users of water; agricul-ture, municipalities, industry and natureconservation. Viewed in terms of waterquantity and water quality, it is agricul-ture that uses the most water, followedby industry and the cities, leaving barelyenough for the natural environment toexist. From the standpoint of waterquality, the greatest polluter of water isindustry, followed by municipalities andagriculture.In those parts of the developing worldwhere there is little rainfall ― forexample, the Sahara Desert and SouthAfrica in Africa, the Mideast, centralAsia and the southern part of SouthAmerica ― the main industry is agri-culture. Yet in these areas the popula-tion is increasing rapidly, and the lack ofwater makes it difficult to increaseagricultural yields. Making matterseven more serious is the fact that peopleare leaving the farms and moving to thecity centers, creating slums and acceler-ating the already serious shortage ofwater in urban areas. In these countries,farms and cities compete for the waterdis-tributed by rivers. The quality of thewater sources used by the cities isseverely affected by the pollution fromchemicals used by farmers. Moreover,the fast-growing slums lack both thewaterworks that could supply safedrinking water and any measures todispose of human wastes and ensureproper sanitation. This is one of thefactors that results in infant mortalityrates that are sometimes twenty timesthe rates found in the developed world.Meanwhile, the high death rate spurspeople to have more children and thus isone of the factors that results in a popu-lation increase, creating a vicious cycle.In developed nations, the use largequantities of the nitrogenous fertilizersthat helped increase agricultural yields(in only the past 50 years) has made itimpossible for people to use the crucialground water that has becomecontaminated with nitrates. Rivers, lakesand ground water are also beingpolluted by inadequate processing ofwaste water and garbage from the citiesand drain water and waste from fac-tories. Although the competition andcontradictions surrounding water use

are becoming more and more complex,the one thing that has not changed isthat nature (meaning living things otherthan man) is still last in line when itcomes to obtaining water, and we are atlast coming to realize that the decima-tion of nature is a sign that mankind'sexistence is also in danger. In the"Agenda 21" adopted at the Rio Confer-ence held in 1992, Section 18 is entitled"Measures for Sustainable Use of Fresh-water Resources." This sectiondescribes the current problems in devel-oping nations and points out ways ofresolving these problems. However,there was no organization that couldimplement practical action on a world-wide scale. It was suggested that a sin-gle body was needed at which all of theworld's organizations and individualswho use water could exchange views,within the framework of that singleorganization, and create solutionsfounded on scientific grounds. OnAugust 9 of this year, such an organiza-tion was founded in Stockholm, Sweden.Its name is the Global Water Parther-ship (GWP). Spearheading the move tocreate the new organization were IsmailSerageldin, vice-president of the WorldBank, Johan Holmberg, Director of theBureau of Natural Resources and theEnvironment of the Swedish Interna-tional Development Authority (SIDA),and Anders Wickman, assistant super-intendent of the United Nations Devel-opment Programme (UNDP). Thefounders are asking for contributions tothe new organization, in the form ofyearly dues, from the overseas assis-tance organizations in various countries,United Nations organizations involvedwith water issues, international organi-zations of scholars, non-governmentalorganizations (NGO), individual re-

searchers, and private organizations(both companies and consultants). Theconsulting groups and advisory commit-tees of the Global Water Partnership aremade up of representatives from organi-zations involved with water issues, aswell as individually chosen representa-tives. In the future, regional consultinggroups will be established in each partof the developing world. These groupswill, on a volunteer basis, exchangeinformation regarding problems withthe water environment in developingcountries, particularly the integratedmanagement of water resources in bothland areas and drainage basins, andpropose methods for cooperation andassistance in resolving these problems.Even looking only at the situation inJapan, the separate, vertically structur-ed central government agencies thatdeal with water issues have clearly rea-ched the limit of their effectiveness, andcontrol of drainage basins is needed topreserve the water environment andensure efficient water use in terms ofboth quantity and quality. This isbecoming necessary for rivers that crossinternational boundaries as well asthose within the borders of both devel-oped and developing nations. TheGlobal Water Partnership will meet inearly August of each year following theStockholm Water Symposium. (InAugust of this year, the 7th StockholmWater Symposium was held as a jointconference with the third InternationalConference on the Environmental Man-agement of Enclosed Coastal Seas(EMECS), and sponsored jointly withthe International EMECS Center, withthe theme “WITH RIVERS TO THESEA” on the continuing problems inrivers and sea environments.) As theactive participation and direction of theWorld Bank and the UNDP will formthe foundation of the new organization'sactivities, it is expected to play a majorrole in efforts to resolve the problemsfacing the global water environment.>From Japan, active support will beneeded from the Japan InternationalCooperation Agency (JICA) and otherinternational aid organizations.

●Saburo Matsui●Director, Environmental Quality Control Research CenterDepartment of Englneening, University of Kyoto / Chairman,Scientific Committee, International Lake ErivironmentCommittee Foundation (ILEC) / Member, Science Committee,Stockholm Water Symposium / Member, Scientific Advisorycommittee, United Nations Environmental ProgrammeInternational Environmental Technology Center (UNEP / IETC)

A New International Organization to Overcome the Crisis in the Global Water Environment.

― The Global Water Partnership (GWP) ―Professor Saburo MatsuiDirector, Environmental Quality Control Research Center, Department of Engineering, University of Kyoto

●Visit Our Home Page !The International EMECS Center homepage, which went online in June 1997, isintended to serve as a database for infor-mation on the Seto Inland Sea and otherenclosed coastalseas throughoutthe world. Wehope that allrelevantinstitutions andresearchers willcontribute dataand lend theirsupport towardthe achievementof this goal. You can access the International EMECSCenter home page at the following URL: http: // www. emecs. or. jp

●Call for ArticlesEMECS Newsletter is targeted at re-searchers and individuals affiliated with

12

EMECS Newsletter

Bulletin Board

March 10-13, 1998

Oceanology International 98-The

Global Ocean Exhibition &

Conference Brighton, U.K.

Contact: Spearhead Exhibitions Ltd.

Ocean House

Address: 50 Kingston Road, New

Malden, Surrey KT3 3LZ U.K.

Fax: +44 181-8186

E-mail: versha @ spearhead. co. uk

March 11-13, 1998

Options for Closed Water System-

sustainable water management

Wageningen, the Netherlands

Contact: Joost Meulenbroek

Address: Congress Office WAU.

Costerweg 50, 6701 BH Wageningen, the

Netherlands

E-mail: joost.meulenbroek@alg.vl.wau. nl

May 15, 1998

Second Black Sea International

Conference on Environmental Protection

Technologies for Coastal Areas

Contact: Tzvetanka Anguelova

Address: Black Sea Conference, BNAWQ

Oborishte Str. N: 3, Sofia 1504, Bulgaria

Fax: +359-2-43-55-19

E-mail: waterql @ ttm. bg

May 20-23, 1998

International Conference on Water

Quality Management in National Parks

& Other Protected Areas

Primosten, Croatia

Contact: Bojan Zmaic

Address: Rakusina 1, 10000 Zagreb,

Croatia

Fax: +385-1-61-19-588

E-mail: bzmaic @ zg. igh. hr

May 25-29, 1998

International Conference on Education

and Training in Integrated Coastal Area

Management - The Meditteranean

Prospect

Genoa, Italy

Contact: Sceretariat

Address: Stefano Belfore, Francesca

Borneto, Ombrina,Pistarino

Fax: +39 10-209-5840

E-mail: icoops @ polis. unige. it

June 18-20, 1998

Environmental Management in the

Mediterranean Region

Contact: Prof. Gunay Kocasoy

Address: Bogazici Univ. 80815 Bebek,

Istanbul, Turkey

Fax: +90-212-265-1800

June 21-26, 1998

Water Quality International 19th IAWQ

Biennial International Conference &

Exhibition

Contact: WQI ‘98 Conference

Secretariat

Address: 645-375 Water Street,

Vancouver BC, V6B 5C6 Canada

Fax: +1 604 681-2503

August 10-13, 1998

8th Stockholm Water Symposium

Stockholm, Sweden

Contact: Stockholm Water Symposium

Address : SIWI SE- 106 36 Stockholm,

Sweden

Fax: +46-8-736-20-22

E-mail: sympos @ siwi. org. se

November 2-6, 1999

4th MEDCOAST / 4th EMECS Antalya,

Turkey

Contact: Chairman Erdal Ozhan,

MEDCOAST

Address: Middle East Technical

University, 06531 Ankara, Turkey

Fax: +90-312-210-14-12

E-mail: medcoast @ rorqual. cc. metu.

edu. tr

Forthcoming Conferences

● International EMECS Center Moves toa New LocationAt the end of March 1998, the Inter-national EMECS Center will move to theIHD Building in the new city center that isbeing constructed in the eastern part ofKobe. The new location should improve

office operations and make it easier forvisitors to use our facilities.

organizations related to the study of en-closed coastal seas. Its purpose is topro-vide a forum for the exchange of infor-mation on enclosed coastal seas and todisseminate this information to as wide areadership as possible, linking concernedpersons and organizations throughout theworld. The next issue is scheduled forpublication in March 1998. Contributionsfrom readers (reports of research inenclosed coastal seas, conference infor-mation, etc.) would be greatly appreciated.

All submissions to:

International EMECS CenterKenryu Bldg. # 2, kaigandori-6, chuo-ku,kobe 650-0024 Japan (By the end of March1998)Tel: +81 78-332-2202Fax: +81 78-332-2311Home page: http: // www. emecs. or. jp

(Printed on recycled paper)

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