Call for applications are now open

The Baltic Sea Action Plan Fund is open for proposals aiming to improve the ecological state of the Baltic Sea. The deadline for submitting applications is 6 February 2023.

About the BSAP Fund

The Baltic Sea Action Plan Fund (BSAP Fund) is managed by NIB and the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO). It was initiated by Sweden in Finland in 2010

The fund provides grants for technical assistance to projects that support the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan, adopted by the HELCOM countries. The aim of the Action Plan and the Fund is to restore the ecological status of the Baltic marine environment.

The Baltic Sea Action Plan was updated in October 2021.  In addition to the issues addressed in the original BSAP, such as biodiversity, eutrophication, hazardous substances, shipping, and fisheries, the BSAP update 2021 will also include new actions on emerging or previously less focused on pressures such as climate change, marine litter, pharmaceuticals, underwater noise, and seabed disturbance.

Small steps to greater impact

Although 97% of the Baltic Sea is currently still affected by eutrophication, the sea has experienced substantial environmental improvements thanks to various efforts done in the catchment area. The intensity of the spring blooms was reduced between 2000 and 2014 due to reductions in nutrient loading, and there has been a decrease in nitrogen concentrations in most of the Baltic Sea and an improvement in water clarity.

The key purpose of the BSAP Fund is to facilitate and speed up the preparation of bankable projects from both public and private entities. To date, these grants have accelerated investments by up to two years, speeding up the implementation of the projects and their environmental benefits for the Baltic Sea.

Since the establishment of the BSAP Fund, 47 projects with demonstrable effects have been completed. The projects are spread across the Baltic Sea region including Estonia, Finland, Russia, Sweden, and Belarus, as part of the Baltic Sea catchment area. Most of the financed projects involve nutrient recycling, manure management, small-scale sanitation plants, wastewater treatment, alternative fuels, or harbour facilities for wastewater management.

Related publications and documents:

NIB is an international financial institution owned by eight member countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden. The Bank finances private and public projects in and outside the member countries. NIB has the highest possible credit rating, AAA/Aaa, with the leading rating agencies Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s

NEFCO is an international financial institution owned by the five Nordic countries. NEFCO finances investments and projects in Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus, in order to generate positive environmental effects of interest to the Nordic region.