There’s no doubt at all that probably the most vunerable part of the NATO alliance at the moment is the Baltic States” – Michael Fallon, the British Defence Secretary. With large Russian minorities in the Baltic Region and continuing instability in Eastern Europe, how can the EU act pre-emptively to protect the territorial integrity of the Baltic States?
While Nordic local initiatives try to tackle local food waste issues, the EU wastes over 100 million tonnes of food yearly: How can the EU inspire change in food consumption patterns in order to reduce food waste and strengthen the sustainability of the food chain?
The slow reaction time of the Baltic Sea has led to nutrient loadings prevailing in its waters. Taking into account the connection between agricultural waste and increasing eutrophication of the Baltic Sea; what further steps can be made to decrease the hazardous eutrophication?
With drastic human rights violations, massacres and forced displacements occurring in Iraq and Syria at the hands of Islamic State (IS), what role should the Baltic and other Member States take to protect and assist the victims of IS?
Waste-to-fuel programmes have proven successful in Sweden, where 50% of its household waste is utilised in energy production. How should the EU incentivize a wider adoption of such programmes in other Member States and regulate the merging waste trade market?
The seas: providing us with energy security, sustainability and economic growth all at once? Considering the potential ecological, environmental and economic advantages and disadvantages of sea-based energy technologies, what role should such technologies play in Europe’s future energy supply?
While overfishing poses a serious threat to the maritime ecosystem, more and more people consume fish as a part of a healthy diet. What role can aquaculture play in meeting this rising demand and what stance should the EU take towards this sector of maritime economy, keeping in mind its ecological impact?
As the largest simple maritime economic activity, coastal and maritime tourism offers widespread possibilities for employment. Facing the downsides such as low employment standards, greenhouse gas emissions and pollution of the seas, what measures should the EU take to foster maritime tourism in a more sustainable way in the Baltic States?