The Helsinki Convention's agricultural nutrient governance: how domestic institutions matter

National policy styles and path-dependencies are affecting the abilities of Baltic Sea countries to deliver on their commitments under the Helsinki Convention. This article synthesizes evidence and insights from studies relating to the provisions on agricultural nutrient management, a main source of marine pollution. We contend that governments that are strongly concentrated vertically, while fragmented horizontally, lack capacity including with respect to informal institutions that can leverage implementation. As a stocktaking of institutional impediments to sustainable development, our analysis has wider relevance for other international agreements with Baltic Sea countries involved

Assessing nitrate groundwater hotspots in Europe reveals an inadequate designation of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

Monitoring networks show that the European Union Nitrates Directive (ND) has had mixed success in reducing nitrate concentrations in groundwater. By combining machine learning and monitored nitrate concentrations (1992–2019), we estimate the total area of nitrate hotspots in Europe to be 401,000 km2, with 47% occurring outside of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs). We also found contrasting increasing or decreasing trends, varying per country and time periods. We estimate that only 5% of the 122,000 km2 of hotspots in 2019 will meet nitrate quality standards by 2040 and that these may be offset by the appearance of new hotspots. Our results reveal that the effectiveness of the ND is limited by both time-lags between the implementation of good practices and pollution reduction and an inadequate designation of NVZs. Significant improvements in the designation and regulation of NVZs are necessary, as well as in the quality of monitoring stations in terms of spatial density and information available concerning sampling depth, if the objectives of EU legislation to protect groundwater are to be achieved

Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023. Integrating Environmental Aspects

This is the final version. Available from the link and DOI in this recordNOTE: the depositing author, Kerry Ann Brown, is a co-author of the chapter "Overview of food consumption and environmental sustainability considerations in the Nordic and Baltic region," pp. 40 - 42. In this record, chapter authors are listed as authors and report authors are listed as editorsThe Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR) constitute the scientific basis for national dietary guidelines and nutrient recommendations in the Nordic and Baltic countries. The NNR2023 is the result of five years of work of several hundred researchers and experts, in the Nordic cooperation’s biggest and most globally spread project. This sixth edition of the NNR gives, for the first time ever, recommendations not only about what food is good for our health, but also what is good for the environment. In addition, dietary reference values for nutrients have been updated, many nutrients have received reference values for the first time, and many more food groups have been analysed than in previous editions – turning NNR2023 into the most comprehensive NNR to date. In short, the NNR2023 recommends: A predominantly plant-based diet high in vegetables, fruits, berries, pulses, potatoes and whole grains; Ample intake of fish and nuts; Moderate intake of low-fat dairy products; Limited intake of red meat and poultry; Minimal intake of processed meat, alcohol, and processed foods containing high amounts of fats, salt and suga

Nitrogen footprints: Regional realities and options to reduce nitrogen loss to the environment

Nitrogen (N) management presents a sustainability dilemma: N is strongly linked to energy and food production, but excess reactive N causes environmental pollution. The N footprint is an indicator that quantifies reactive N losses to the environment from consumption and production of food and the use of energy. The average per capita N footprint (calculated using the N-Calculator methodology) of ten countries varies from 15 to 47 kg N capita-1 year-1. The major cause of the difference is the protein consumption rates and food production N losses. The food sector dominates all countries' N footprints. Global connections via trade significantly affect the N footprint in countries that rely on imported foods and feeds. The authors present N footprint reduction strategies (e.g., improve N use efficiency, increase N recycling, reduce food waste, shift dietary choices) and identify knowledge gaps (e.g., the N footprint from nonfood goods and soil N process)

Correction to: Sustainable soil management: Soil knowledge use and gaps in Europe

International audienc